I have been feeling pensive of late…

The years they are slipping by faster than

I can properly acknowledge their passing.

The clear delineations of the past have given

way to the muddy, murky and treacherous waters of the present.

I struggle to make sense of the senselessness.

I try to comprehend how it has come to this…

People I thought to be of sound mind and intellect

have been woefully misled and manipulated while

seeming to be none the wiser.

How can this be!?

Are they truly less bright than I presumed or is there

something more sinister and insidious going on?

I remember learning about the holocaust in middle school

and wondering how any decent human being could turn a

blind eye to the horror and slaughter of innocents while

following a monster!?

I thought how lucky I was to live in a country that was above

that kind of behavior…

But are we…?

I am starting to see some similarities between what happened in Germany and what is currently going on in our country.

There has been a rise in anti-Semitism, white supremacy, and hate crimes. Hatred and vitriol is being spewed from the rooftops, all over social media, and out of the mouths of our political leaders and even some churches. There are those among us who see others among us as less than, and are not as concerned about the harm that might come to those perceived as less than.  They might even feel based on their prejudices that those considered less than deserve whatever harm comes to them.  Our current administration does nothing to dissuade these prejudices. People have been harmed, killed…for seeking refuge, for having different color skin, different religious beliefs, being transgender, being any kind of different really…not millions…but what number of inhumane atrocities committed against the innocent is acceptable!? What number?

Our own president mocks the disabled on national tv, degrades and assaults women, makes shady deals with foreign countries to further himself politically, all the while making nice with our enemies. The president’s behavior gives license to those that have been keeping their hateful prejudices under wraps to display them overtly with no shame or remorse. He is facing impeachment, but the angry lynch mob that supports him has control of the branch of our government that will ultimately decide whether or not he is removed. His breach of the office and our constitution appears to be proven beyond doubt. If they fail to remove him they become complicit in his treason. I honestly don’t believe they care.  How is this even happening?  There are good people fighting the good fight, but when you are up against those that are willing to break the rules, undermine our democracy, cheat, steal, and lie how do you win?  If we don’t win, what will become of our democracy? Part of our country is so hateful and angry they would drag us down a dark path that could end in our ruin. How many more innocents will be harmed and killed by the hatred and prejudices emboldened by this administration?

So I ask again….but are we… and what number!?