Ugly Day!

Yesterday was a very ugly day.  Commentators struggled to label it:  Insurrection.  Sedition.  Domestic terrorism.  Riots.  Whatever the label, it was like sticking a poker in the eye we call America.

It got our attention, that's for sure.  How could this happen here?  This is America, not some Banana Republic.  That's right.  This is America.  And this America isn't pretty.

We're kidding ourselves if we think that when Trump goes we will magically be different.  Won't happen.  We will be rid of his daily craziness and his headline grabbing antics, and that's good.  But we are a broken country, deeply divided politically, racially, economically.  The divisions were there before Trump, and were ready-made for him to exploit, but they will be just as deep on Jan. 20 with Biden as they are today.

So now what?  Is the country of my boyhood, the country I proudly served, gone forever?  A better question might be, did it ever exist?  I never bought in to the notion of American exceptionalism.  That was too arrogant for me.  I did buy into the notion that even though we weren't perfect, we were an example that others could look up to and try to emulate.

I had a noble dream, which is now gone.  Should I feel betrayed or should I realize that time has moved on and I need to see today's reality for what it is, whether I like it or not?

There is no foolproof prescription that will cure America.  But there are a few things we should consider:

How about some humility?  We aren't better than everybody else.  We're fallible human beings.  

How about some real equality?  Are all men created equal, like the founders said?  Maybe, but they are not treated equally.  Not much equality if you are black or brown or poor.

How about some tolerance for the views of others?  Political views.  Religious views.  Sexual orientation views.  Social views.  And more . . .

My advice to myself?  Take a deep breath, Dan.  It is easy to focus on what's wrong, but it ain't all bad.  There is much to be grateful for.