Kindling the Flame

There are so many things about which I could write. Sometimes the thoughts come as a light snowfall with an accompanying air of delight. At other times the ideas stir as fast as in a blizzard leading me to wonder when things will begin to clear, or at least when will the blizzard end. In spite of the unleashed chaos, intentional cruelty, and brazen injustice of the past 40 weeks, my hope for democracy and dignity is continually kindled. It must be a matter of grace not quenched by the intergenerational trauma my body holds.

It is not lost on me that as I write, people in Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba are preparing for the destructive forces of Hurricane Melissa. In previous administrations, our government would affirm its commitment to using our resources to aid those who experience catastrophic natural disasters. Sadly, I don’t have any assumptions or expectations that the government of the United States will be a source of humanitarian aid for our neighbors. To even make such a statement leads my heart to weep because of the cruelty and injustice we are witnessing. How will we ever find a way to remove the stain and stench for who we have chosen to be?

It is sobering to realize that in exactly 12 months, we will be within days of November 3, 2026. On that day, people will have an opportunity to exercise the right to vote for candidates to serve in both houses of Congress, the House of Representatives and the Senate. There will also be voting in state and local elections. Before the election, I pray that persons eligible to vote as well as candidates review the nation’s history, accomplishments and flaws; not the whitewashed version. Then consider the moral weight of this moment, and the desired legacy for future generations. Those wanting to create a legacy honoring the ideals of democracy and e pluribus unum, have a great deal of work to do over the next 53 weeks before going to the polls.

Having been taught from childhood that the government of the United States has three equal branches of government, many are struggling with what is unfolding in broad daylight. I remember the clear and distinct functioning of the branches surrounding President Richard Nixon’s involvement in the Watergate scandal and his subsequent resignation in 1974. Today, there appears to be a lack of moral compasses, integrity, spines and cajones of those sworn to serve the people and to protect the Constitution.

Some of these people, look as empty shells of their former selves. Is the privilege or prestige of being a high level stooge worth what is squandered? After discarding one’s dignity, how can one be recognized as honorable? Even in a capitalist society, dignity cannot be monetized. Never, can dignity be monetized.