Dear Editor,
On April 19, my wife and I attended a Hands-Off rally at the corner of Linger Longer Road and Hwy. 44 in the Lake Oconee Village area.
Forty-three concerned citizens showed up to hold signs, exercising their First Amendment rights to express their feelings about the direction the country is being taken by the current administration, both domestically and internationally.
The reception was generally mixed, but there was significant evidence of a lack of awareness among several motorists, and in some cases, outright disrespect.
The vulgar language from some who seemed to be angry at the fact that some people disagree with the current administration, to me, is clear evidence of an information diet that is limited to Fox News, Newsmax, and various right-wing bloggers and influencers.
I for one cannot understand how the same people who owe their financial success, theirs and their loved ones or family’s education, their freedom to travel and live their lives, their protection from natural disasters and crime, can be so hateful towards the mechanics of the federal government and be so celebratory of the way our democracy is being dismantled. It makes me think that so many of these people have never taken an oath to protect and defend their country and the Constitution, or they simply don’t understand the dangers we face.
Yes, the federal bureaucracy may be overly large, but wholesale cutting without consideration of the impact is like tearing down walls in your house without determining whether or not they’re load-bearing.
Similarly, issuing tariffs against nearly every country or entity in the world based on trade imbalances without considering the impact on American markets, needs, or American resources, and claiming that it will bring manufacturing and jobs back from outsourcing, is not indicative of an understanding of global trade or American capabilities.
The markets, corporate executives, and the revered billionaires and “tech bros” all understand this. Unfortunately, the president does not, and his advisors, if they do, are afraid to tell him, despite the economy crashing because it would cost them a seat at the table and their access to power.
So, what is the draw for the support this current administration enjoys from so many? It’s not a well-run government, a thriving economy, international respect and admiration, or the feeling of prosperity and protection under the rule of law.
The right-wing spin machine has much of those who support this administration totally unaware of the reality of what is happening to our country. Up is down, left is right. If it’s raining, they tell their audience the sun is shining. All that’s left is hate, and hate is the currency the right wing deploys to separate Americans from one another. That hate is the fuel behind the immigration issues. The melting pot that has been the driving force behind the American success story, immigration since America’s beginning, is being attacked and dismantled.
But let’s be transparent and honest, immigration hate is not directed towards Eastern or Western Europeans, but towards people of color, of all colors other than white. Whether you consider yourself a devout Christian, or a Constitutionalist, just admit it - it is what it is.
The current administration is looking to take away legal protections from asylum-seekers and others legally in the country and deport them as common criminals.
However, if they’re not people of color and they lie to get their special visa, or illegally overstay their visa, they can stay. Similarly, suppose the administration believes a white minority in an otherwise non-white nation of color is being mistreated. In that case, they’re invited openly to come to America, or if they can afford $5 million for a “Golden Visa,” they can go right in, because, of course, money talks.
So, they recite the Bible, but those teachings don’t count anymore, and they try to quote the Constitution, but they misinterpret it to fit their agenda, or it just doesn’t count.
People recite the Pledge of Allegiance, sing the National Anthem, and fly the flag, but they really don’t believe in any of that. Heck, just look how they disrespect the flag, in ignorance of the flag code. Yes, it’s not just the Right; many on the Left have swung too far away from the center, which is the sweet spot for collaboration and consensus.
America is not beyond fixing, but misinformation needs to be reined in, and there needs to be some significant introspection by the American electorate and leadership, on both sides.
Michael S. Celentano, Greensboro