Love > Fear

So, there is a video circulating on facebook (for the second time now) of a supposed U.S. Marine stationed in the Middle East. He speaks in favor of Trump's Muslim ban, based on what he purports to have experienced. What troubles me about this video is that he is painting all Muslims and Middle Easterners with the same brush, based on interactions he claims to have had with those who live in the country where he is stationed. Yep, he proclaims that we should ban all Muslims/Middle Easterners because of one or two conversations he's had with some men in the nearby village. This is unfortunate. 

Would it be fair to view all Christians through the lens of the Crusades or the Inquisition or the Witch Hunts or the Catholic Church protecting pedophiles or the Christian white supremacists in the U.S. who've committed violence via stabbings, bombings, and mass shootings? No. I am quite confident that Christians would be immensely offended and cry foul and scream about yet more oppression against them if they were all painted with the same brush as those who committed abhorrent acts in the name of "Christianity".

I do not and will not subscribe to painting everyone with the same brush based on the actions of a few. Such thinking is solely based on fear. We humans are better than that.

As My Sister Would Say, "We Are One"

I recently read an article about predictions that the economic effects of climate change will be devastatingly severe here in the south. (The article is here: http://theatln.tc/2sm3HHp ) As I read comments to the article, I was utterly shocked at the vitriol displayed by people as they declared that it would be "karma" and that the people of the south "deserve" whatever climate change-related suffering occurs--financial or otherwise--because "they voted for climate change" (aka they voted for Trump).
Now, clearly, I strongly dislike Trump. I loathe his world view, his thoughts, and his actions. I remain disappointed and disheartened by the widespread embracing of his lowest common denominator-type policies and/or behavior. However, the comments about "karma" and people "deserving" what happens are equally disappointing and disheartening. I may vehemently disagree with Trump supporters and what they stand for, but I don't wish them ill. 

Shortly after reading that, I made the mistake of viewing the latest NRA recruitment video. (I refuse to share the link because it is truly, utterly despicable.) It's total propagating of the dangerous "Us vs Them" mentality. It's dripping in talk about how us "liberals" are using education and the media for diabolical purposes that require the non-liberals to all own guns. My head is spinning. As usual, the NRA is fanning the flames and further pitting Americans against each other. And people buy into this manipulative, utterly divisive bullshit...?

Where is our compassion?
Where is our humanity?

We are all human beings. We are all in this together. We. Are. One.

To the 45th Guy in the White House...

Dear Charlatan-in-Chief ~

Reporting on the dishonest, bigoted, misogynistic, and asinine things you do is not "fake" news. Fake would better describe things like your "respect for women" or your newfound piety or your administration's embracing of "alternate facts". Yes, so stop with the fake finger-pointing and bullying of those news outlets who aren't kissing your butt. And the fact that you're doing this while traveling abroad for the G20 is embarrassing as hell. You make us look like a bunch of thuggish, furiously flag-waving, blindly-following-you numbskulls--which most of us are not. Jiminy Crickets, you're highly reminiscent of that crooked Prince John from Disney's Robin Hood...that comparison, as you would say, is "very bad!"

Instead of you constantly foaming at the mouth and the tweet about this "fake news", might I suggest you try pulling up your big boy pants and behaving like a thoughtful, decent, mature adult who has a vocabulary above the 3rd grade level? Furthermore, many of us (like NBC) don't give a rat's ass about your days on The Apprentice. That's like your frequent throwbacks to Hillary--both are currently irrelevant. Live in the now! 

So to review:
•no more bratty, whiny, manby tantrums
•news about things you actually do = not fake; you and your administration = the epitome of fake
•speak and behave as a mature adult would
•stop trying to muddy the news with your irrelevant babble
You can keep your "modern day presidential"; many of us would just like to once again have a POTUS who doesn't act like a whiny, imbecilic, seriously unhinged, spoiled brat. 

Sincerely,
The Majority of Americans 
(most of who did not elect you, but which now includes a few regretful ones who did)