Rage against the Trump Administration and the Silence

I raged this weekend. The actions of the Trump administration, of the piercing silence of most republican leadership, and the ambivalence and arrogance of many citizens of the United States this past week have been heartbreaking and sickening.

The world is not blind, deaf or dumb to these actions. We can see what the Trump administration is doing, and we will not stand for it. As an immigrant from Poland, and a returned Peace Corps volunteer I am horrified at the anti-immigration, anti-Muslim and anti-refugee policies that the US government is putting into place.

I have spent years of my life promoting and supporting the values of American culture and leadership at home and abroad. While abroad I would tell folks that one of the best qualities of America is it’s diversity, that no matter who you are, you will find a place to belong and will be accepted. Make no mistake this is still one of our greatest strengths, and no amount of fear mongering from the White House is going to fundamentally change who we are as a people.

We the people of the United States however, have a long battle ahead of us. We must hold our elected representatives accountable. We must speak up and talk to our neighbors, our friends and our families including those with whom we disagree. We must support as much as we can, with our time and money, the institutions that defend human rights, civil liberties and our democracy. We must not be cowed and bullied by an administration bent on oppression. This is not a time for meekness. I, for one, am furious and that fuel is going to burn for a long, long time.