DOWN THE TRUMP RABBIT HOLE – 20 January 2020

As Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2020 dawns, I continue to ponder a statement in a brief PBS commentary on today’s commemoration I heard Saturday – i.e., “Dr. King changed the heart and soul of America”. I am saddened/disturbed to disagree. ‘Confronted’, yes. ‘Challenged’, yes. ‘Called for a verdict’, yes. But ‘changed’, no . . . not enough . . . not yet. A decade ago with the energy/anticipation associated with Obama’s 2008 election still invigorating, my reaction to such a celebrating/promising assessment of the struggle King led for expansive civil/human rights would surely have been more affirming. However, the day-after-day-after-day revelations over the past five years re ‘the heart and soul of America’ – e.g., the capacity to fear, to seethe, to bruise/maim/kill recklessly, to disregard the vulnerable, to tolerate poverty, to trivialize truth/facts, to hoard privileges, to idolize capitalism, to demand exceptional treatment in the international community, to . . . – are cause for pause. This darkness in ‘the heart and soul of America’ remains deeply rooted, appears widespread, and now represents (defines?) ‘America’ nationally and internationally. At least for now. The 2020 election in November will reveal for how long. Is there in ‘the heart and soul of America’ the capacity to pivot decisively toward modesty, empathy, sacrifice, welcome, peace, mercy, fairness, integrity, respect, . . . ? toward the image of ‘America’ championed by King and those courageously standing/working in his shadow? I remain hopeful. But we must remain firmly grounded in our core values regardless of the answer/results. Doug/Dad