I find myself torn between ignoring the day and watching it unfold in a forlorn hope that my worst fears will be unfounded. My trouble is, I actually believe the words that come from the man’s mouth… I can’t look into his heart to see if he meant to say something diametrically opposed to the words and incoherent thoughts he uttered!

The artwork above is by Shepard Fairey who came up with President Obama’s “Hope” poster. I found it by way of The Washington Post, where I learned it, along with two other images, will be handed out as posters at the inauguration. Fell free to download them here or at The Amplifier Foundation.

Gary Meyers says it very well in his blog post today… Let The Good Times Roll

“He is now the face, the voice and the definition of our nation.

And of our collective shame.
When you put these things together– a borderline personality with no checks on his power, an ineffectual press and an uncaring public — it leads to one thing– an authoritarian state”

I have spent my life living in what we now call a red state… A very conservative, religiously fundamental, quite frankly mean spirited place where everyone talks of charity and christian values while voting just the opposite. Now, I find my country, has become a reflection of the things about my state I find offensive.  Though, I am somewhat relieved that a majority of Americans did not affirm our next President’s agenda and philosophy.

I have never understood my differences with my relatives, many of whom support Mr. Trump. They are all strongly religious, strongly family oriented people with big hearts, yet many off them cannot stand the thought that someone somewhere may be getting away with something. And the something they always bring up is the food stamp recipient driving the new car. Or Obamacare helping the poor family get healthcare… I just don’t understand them… And they have never understood me either.

And for the past couple of months I have been trying to tell my wife that what she fears will be happening in the years ahead will not happen. But truth be told, though I once had great confidence in my fellow Americans, I am finding it harder to maintain my belief that they will not let the hate that has been foist upon us run rampant. I almost find the sentiment above hard to hold on to… What once was a given, has now become something to aspire to again.

Donald Trump campaigned on the slogan “Make America Great Again”. I feel the only thing making America not so great is and always has been the fear generated to empower the powerful. All of the dissension in America in the past decades has come from fear of the “other”. We are told to be afraid of the Hispanic workers that are here to better their families lives, be afraid of the Muslim refugees fleeing their war torn countries that we had no small part in making war torn, hate the poor families who get government help for being poor while we work and pay taxes. I don’t understand these Christian values…

Today power in America passes… Sadly, it passes to someone who has no concept of American values, no concept of the American Constitution, no concept of leadership.

God Save America…