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“If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.” Never has a phrase as old as humankind has so much relevance.
What’s wrong with President Donald J. Trump?
President Trump tweets angrily again
— proving once more that his character is beneath the office of President of the United States. Trump’s actions have caused so much division in the country since his inauguration, it’s difficult to see where our nation will end up in the next three and half years.
International Level
North Korea vs. United States crisis worsens as Trump continues to direct provocative and disrespectful language, agitating Kim Jong-un. Trump’s inability to speak diplomatically, especially during such a volatile era, maybe the spark that ignites the globe into World War III.
National Level
Between his: nasty response to the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, calling NFL players protesting during the National Anthem “sons of bitches” and his “on both sides” statement during the Charlottesville, Va. controversy, his misogynistic views regarding women, his negative actions toward transgender military personnel, his delay in disavowing David Duke’s views after Duke’s endorsement of Trump, his seemingly endless efforts to try and dismantle the Affordable Health Care Act and the Deferred Action for Children Arrivals Act — commonly known by its acronym D.A.C.A.; it is clear we are living in uncharted times in our American journey.
This week, a thunderous boo during the National Anthem at football stadiums across the country reminded us of the Colosseum. 80% of the players are black; but the majority-white crowd demanded the players just play football, publicly disapproving of their First Amendment rights.
When was the last time a presidential administration witnessed so many resignations, demotions, and staff members getting fired? I can’t remember a time that there has been such chaos and confusion in the executive branch.
Our country has become dysfunctional.
Local Level
On the local level, even our kids are experiencing white supremacy’s white-lash, and it’s coming from the top of the Trump Administration down. Local high school students, from the famed Booker T. Washington High School — one of the first schools in the nation to racially integrate, protested inequality, police brutality, and white supremacy by taking a knee at their homecoming football game and holding up signs titled “Alumni what are you coming home to?”
This, after years of white micro-aggression coming from students who do not live in their community. Sadly white students who respect the legacy of Booker T. Washington High School and show empathy for Black lives are receiving white-lash too and made to feel guilty from their own community when supporting racial equity.
Now parents threaten their own children, should they find their children kneeling in opposition to inequality during the National Anthem.
The white community of Tulsa publicly displayed outrage upon the changing of a district’s name that glorified Klansman Tate Brady; 80% of the city showed disapproval.
Furthermore, the racial achievement gap is as vast as the Pacific ocean is wide. And with Oklahoma legislators continuing to not allocate sufficient funds to the state public education system, the situation of the school-to-prison pipeline only gets worse, leaving parents with the only options of homeschooling or charter/community schools.
All this, leaving us with the question: where do we go from here?