Fourth of July Potpouri

Thoughts as we celebrate our nation’s birthday.

Hamilton and Trump

New York Times photo of Hamilton.

New York Post photo of Trump at Mount Rushmore.

Two important cultural events happened July 3. Hamilton, the earth shattering musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda and Donald Trump’s race-baiting, Covid denying Mount Rushmore event.

Hamilton tells Alexander Hamilton’s story by using a diverse cast and praising the work of immigrants. Trump gets voters by attacking immigrants, diversity and appealing to the worst instincts of all of us.

The two happening on the same day is a good way to look at where we stand — contrasting the hope for a better America — with one side calling for a country that tries to live up to the promise our Founding Fathers made but couldn’t keep, or the scared and protective world of Trump’s white privilege.

Looking back at our Founders

George Washington owned over 300 slaves. He traveled back and forth over state lines to avoid a law in Pennsylvania that would have freed his slaves. His teeth were taken from slaves’ mouths.

He was uncomfortable with the situation and tried to free his slaves upon his death. It didn’t happen.

Thomas Jefferson owned slaves. He fathered six children from one slave. He also struggled with the institution but did nothing to stop it.

People during this time knew slavery was wrong. The argument that owning slaves was just part of the times doesn’t hold up. But it was profitable. And they did nothing to stop it.

We have to acknowledge this. We have to understand that the people who started this country were flawed. But their idea was both noble and good. Except it wasn’t. But they did the best they could during those times.

We can’t truly look back at our history without recognizing and acknowledging those contradictory facts. The ideals presented were noble. The application of those ideals failed miserably. We have to come to terms with the contradiction.

That doesn’t mean we have to cancel our history. George Washington was a great man who persevered and won us freedom from England. He showed us how to give up the power of the presidency and continue our experiment of democracy.

Thomas Jefferson’s words about all men being created equal should be remembered for what they were… a promise to us all. And we need to strive to live up to those words. All men and women should be equal under the law. We need that to be true.

People of color shouldn’t have to figure out how to survive an encounter with the police. They shouldn’t be told they don’t belong. The LGBTQ community should be able to be served wherever they want. They should be able to marry, adopt children, live their lives. We need to understand that this country was birthed with an incredible stain. It was a wonderful idea but it was born out of a heinous compromise. We can’t close our eyes to it anymore. Give the men who founded this country credit, it was a great idea for some of us. It needs to be a great idea for all of us.

We have to fix it.

Corona Catastrophe or

Wear a Damned Mask

Arizona nurse standing up during a rally.

You see them walking in public buildings. Their look is defiant. Their body posture is aggressive.

Yes, the people who walk around in stores and other places without their masks say something every time they do so.

I’m sure they think they’re standing up for their rights against an unjust liberal hoax. But they’re saying so much more.

When I see you walking in the store without a mask I see the following things:

An asshole who could care less about infecting others.

A Trump fan, which comes with all the assumptions about a person who voted Trump.

A science denier.

An anti-vaccer.

Is that wrong? Maybe. But as this virus continues to infect us by the 10s of thousands, as the death toll continues to rise and the president continues to deny everything, we have to take this personally. I can do all I can to avoid the coronavirus but my wearing a mask doesn’t protect me from you, it protects you from me. When I see you not wearing a mask, I assume you are trying to kill me.

Same with social distancing.

And when the president encourages people to show up without masks or social distancing for his masturbatory orgies of adulation, I cringe. How many people will die from his visits to Oklahoma, Arizona and South Dakota? 10? More than 25? 100? One should be too many.

But not for our current president. Anything for him to come out and spew his hatred.