Note: This was written several months ago and never published. I thought it was time.
Last night I was brought to tears. I listened to John Adams conduct Appalachian Spring by Aaron Copeland. The performance was at the Walt Disney Hall in downtown Los Angeles. I believe it is the first live performance of this piece I have ever heard. I also know that my response was a release from the ever constant stress caused by Donald Trump, his minions, and his enablers.
My thoughts after were that no foul mouthed, lying orange felon can destroy the America I know and love. He can’t take that away from us. He can wound us. He can mislead us. But he can not destroy us if we are willing to hold safe to the idea of America in our minds and hearts.
I know that I am not the best spokesperson. I am an old white guy that benefited my entire life from the privilege of growing up white and male in America. But in spite of my mom being a member of the John Birch society, and getting me to distribute Barry Goldwater election material in my youth, I am a fervent American.
I grew up not giving a shit about what religion you were. Somehow I missed the part where I had to believe in a god that was different for many people. I had friends that were Methodist, Mormon, Lutheran, Jewish, and all the the flavors of mystical person worship you can find. It never made any difference to us as we rode stingray bikes and roamed our suburban neighborhoods. The topic never came up.
The Vietnam war and riots in the street of Berkeley changed that reality. The reality of the violence and injustice that we could commit in this world struck home. We all protested. Black, white, brown, it made no difference. And it shouldn’t. I respect your right to be different than me. I expect the same respect from you.
The country rightly fucked itself handing the presidency to Donald J Trump, an evil convicted felon. He was not content with just using his office to make a shit load of money for himself. He also totally screwed up healthcare. He terrorized anyone who doesn’t match his pallid mushy demeanor. Now he is roiling the world by attacking foreign countries. He is upsetting global alliances that have survived since the last world war.
Sorry for that long winded, run-on sentence. The crap piles up so quickly. It is hard to slow down long enough to breathe. Of course that is the operating model for this regime – move fast and break things. Don’t let up or maybe, just maybe, someone can stop them.
So it’s hard to put a handle on the feeling I experienced last night listening to the orchestra play. But I think it’s hope.
The idea of America is grand and inclusive. No Kings were envisioned by our founders. Yes, we did horrible things in the past. We stole the land from the American Indians and destroyed a large part of their heritage along the way. We imported Africans to work as slaves. We invited workers from south of the border to pick our crops. Then we arrested them and sent them out of the country. But over time, we as a nation try to be better, to repair some of the damage. America will always be a work in progress.
So start the music, close your eyes and listen. Our failures and triumphs are in there. They will always be with us.
Listen to the music. To me, it tells the story of an America as it should be. A place where neighbors get along. A place where you’re free to worship whatever you want. A place where you can vote easily and without fear. A place where we can celebrate our differences.
I realize that this sounds like pollyannish claptrap. But today, this is how I feel.
Postscript – Today I participated in a weekly Anti-Trump demonstration with about 200 other people and inflatable creatures. We danced to the music provided by the inflatable frog. We waved signs at passing cars. We encouraged drivers to honk and wave.
This weekly event reminds me that there are others as troubled by our governement as I am. I believe we can win our country back.
Peace, Love, Hope.
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A friendly reminder.
Vote! Vote as if your future, the future of your kids, and the future of their kids depend on it.
Because it does.
Walkabout Today 