MICHAEL NABORS

THURSDAY, MARCH 8, 2018

 

An Open Letter to Donald Trump- #45

 

In the event that a miracle transpires and Donald Trump happens to stumble on these words, I felt it important to share my sentiments regarding the nation I love so dearly, and for which my forefathers fought and died- and my foremothers worked and died.  

Dear Donald, I am tired.  Or, as Fannie Lou Hamer said it “I am sick and tired...of being sick and tired.”  While I know you only read your positive press clippings and therefore the chances are quite remote that you will ever see these words, I still believe in miracles.  The nature of my fatigue has to do with you.  Your bombastic, pretentious style of leadership has been one of the singular, most demoralizing public displays in the history of American government.  While it was clearly evident during the presidential elections leading up to November, 2016, no one could have imagined how your style would invade both the public and private spaces of residents in our country (indeed, and around the world) each and every day.  Since your inauguration, the garrulous and coveted spirit that possesses you has been on display for the world.  You crave attention.  You crave adulation.  You crave the spotlight.  You crave power.  You crave authority.  In fact, your hunger appears all consuming.  

I was deeply disheartened when you became president (as was more than half the nation).  Your baggage and pomposity, filled as it was with threats of division, hatred for others and outright lies, left me stunned at your ascendance to the nation’s highest office.  
You lied about the birth certificate of your predecessor, President Obama.  Your terrible record on race relations was not considered as most of your support came from a predominately white base, backed by white nationalists and white supremacists who poured into the White House after you came into office.    

You said, “We’ll see” when asked if you would concede the election to Hilary Clinton if she won.  The veiled threat was obvious to all, though no one wanted to admit it.  You were declaring that you had the power to create anarchy with your followers, if you chose to do so.  

I will never forget one of your early cabinet meetings when the media was invited in to display to the world, the outpouring of syrupy compliments to you, emanating from everyone in the room.  It was the worst display of leadership I have ever seen that clearly detailed your neediness at the expense of other people’s reputation.  

Your presidency is rife with failure after failure after failure.  You fired the FBI Director.  The White House West Wing is a revolving door that is as well traveled as any Target Store in our nation.  Your White House spokespersons have been awful and the present one appears capable of lying as easily as one saying her ABC’s.  

In the midst of the chaos and confusion that you created, there you are standing smugly and defiantly, as if none of the melee has anything to do with you.  Ironically, you have managed to destroy families and hurt innocent human beings with immigration, while at the very same time you have also hurt those who appear to be closest to you- your wife and children.  And everyone seems to stand up on your behalf.  The sweet nectar of power and wealth has inebriated more than a few.    

Donald Trump you have done more damage regarding race relations in America, you have told more lies in the Oval Office than all of your predecessors combined, you have created such a negative image of America to other countries around the world, you have alienated our allies, you have brought the fear of war into the minds of our precious children, you have supported racists, misogynists, Islamaphobic, Homophobic candidates for political office, you are now threatening trade wars with the world through your tragic and misconstrued ideas of imposing tariffs on aluminum and steel, you are being humiliated for having an alleged sexual affair with Stormy Daniels, you are being investigated by special counsel Robert Mueller in his inquiry about collusion with Russia during our last elections. 

I am tired.  But I cannot stop because dangerous people like you fully expect to wear others down by the very power and position they possess over the masses.  You should know however, that it is not working.  Our fatigue, strange as it may sound, is giving us a growing energy.  You see, we are legion.  We outnumber you.  Even those who are too frightened by your power to say something, are growing en masse.  We will not stand by and watch you and all of those frightened or guided by you, destroy our America....one foolish action and one foolish decision after another.  Not only do we need a new president, but we need a brand new majority in our Senate, a brand new majority in our House and a brand new set of ideas and brilliant  strategists on our Supreme Court.  We need a spirit of transformation that will come through those who have not been compromised and limited by dealing with those who have no regard for human beings.  We need those who are willing to put the people before themselves in every decision and action they take.  

We need a revolution of goodness, of mutual cooperation, of grace, to fill the halls of Congress and saunter out on Pennsylvania Avenue, the District of Columbia and through every single highway and byway in our nation.  Donald Trump, you can't lead that effort.  So when the impeachment is over and you and your supporters (including Pence, Ryan and McConnell) are gone and perhaps in prison- then we will see a new America rising.  Can’t you see it?  It will be led by women of all colors, people of all races, ethnic groups of every culture and with a renewed determination that this America- is of the people, by the people and for the people.  All people.  Not just the rich and wealthy.  

I’m tired.  But that’s a good thing.  Because I am also ready for change.