America has Betrayed Itself

An Independence Day rant.

I believe that this is the first time in world history that a strong democracy has voted in an authoritarian regime. We have betrayed America, or more specifically those who support Trump have betrayed everything decent humans have worked for over the past two and a half centuries.

The founders, the writers of the Constitution, and the authors of the Bill of Rights set the foundation for the advancement of freedom, civil rights and human rights, not only in the United States but around the world. Through the direct and indirect actions of decent Americans, those freedoms and rights were expanded to include all people, not just land-owning white males. It was extended to everyone regardless of race or gender--not perfectly but substantially. Even pre-Trump there was much work still to do, but we as a country and as human beings were headed in the right direction—morally and ethically.

That is no longer the case.

What we have now is a form of authoritarianism. We have a president who ignores the law and the Constitution.

We have a president that threatens his opponents, who have done nothing illegal, with investigation and arrest.

We have a president that attacks and dictates to universities and schools how and what they teach, as well as who universities enroll.

We have a president who attacks the free press, excludes members of the press who speak truth, and intimidates via lawsuit the media outlets that provide unfavorable but accurate coverage.

We have a president that threatens states who refuse to fall in line with his largely illegal edicts.

We have a president who has unilaterally and illegally used the military for civilian law enforcement purposes, and to suppress Americans’ 1^st Amendment rights.

We have a “conservative” majority of the Supreme Court that has served as the authors of authoritarianism, especially with their invention of presidential immunity. We have a federal judge in Florida, appointed by Trump, that invented a reason to dismiss federal charges against the criminal.

We have a majority in Congress that mostly acquiesces to Trump’s wishes. At best republicans in Congress are cowards, at worst they are as evil as Trump, perhaps some are worse. Every one of them knew that the “Big Beautiful Bill” would hurt poor Americans, and likely lead to not just more poverty, but increased death as well. Only five voted against it, but none objected to the increased funding for militarism and Trump’s Gestapo, also known as I.C.E.

We are arresting and detaining American citizens for being brown, as well as legal and undocumented immigrants. We are arresting and deporting people without due process, in direct violation of the 14^th Amendment.

We are building detention centers for people who have been detained and/or arrested without due process, something that we have criticized oppressive regimes around the world for doing.

Only three forms of government commit these acts against humanity: fascism, monarchy and communism. All are anti-democracy, anti-human rights and anti-civil rights.

We have become the enemy.