As I sat caffeinating one morning not long ago, I began reflecting on our nation’s current situation, as I do most mornings. However, there was an urgency that day that I had not felt in quite some time. While perusing the news and Facebook, I noticed an article about Hungary’s constitutional ban on queer pride gatherings. My heart sank, and I began to think that someday, we could be reading the same thing about the United States. Given what this current administration is, guided by fear and hate of those who are different, who are not white and straight, the prospect of what happened in Hungary is not out of the realm of possibility from becoming a reality here.
I felt the same urgency when I began Diversity Rules Magazine in 2006. We were in the midst of a battle for marriage equality, among a whole host of other issues impacting the LGBTQ community. However, marriage equality was the lightning rod at the time. Additionally, in my part of upstate New York, no publication catered specifically to the queer community here. I began Diversity Rules Magazine to try to fill that void, to give folks in this rural part of New York a voice, and to mobilize together for a common purpose.
Almost 20 years later, some groups and organizations have taken charge and provided a wonderful outlet for queer folks living in this part of New York. I am heartened and thankful these organizations, such as the Otsego Pride Alliance, have mobilized and strengthened even more since their inception. Sadly, the same issues impacting our community 20 years ago are still with us, with new threats coming from this repugnant man “leading?” our nation. Overturning marriage equality is a very real possibility, and our trans brothers and sisters are barraged daily with persecutory bills and actions to demean and degrade them and take their rights and human dignity away. These homophobic and transphobic actions are unacceptable and go against everything our nation has stood for. Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been part of this nation’s social fabric, and it angers and saddens me that we have an administration hell-bent on negating past attempts to forge a “more perfect union” and return it to the days when all the things we find reprehensible and degrading, become the norm and acceptable again. A vocal minority of racists, misogynists, fascists, and all-around evil people have free reign to unleash their vileness on the whole country, and sadly, at our own hands, by voting for this wholly corrupt and incompetent administration yet again, guided by forces representing the worst of America.
What I am equally disturbed over is the knowledge I now have about people I respected, looked up to, and considered my colleagues and friends who have bought into the poison peddled by the MAGAT crowd. It is an underestimation to say that I am simply disheartened. I am appalled and very disillusioned. I cannot help but think about what was in their minds and thoughts 20 years ago when I began Diversity Rules Magazine. Did they harbor such grotesque opinions about me as they do about trans and queer folks now who are being targeted by this reprehensible thing called Donald Trump? Sadly, I must side with the worst-case scenario and, unfortunately, admit that they did. Some have told me they hate the man but like what he represents. That is no solace to me, as what he prescribes does not represent me or millions of others who he is persecuting, nor does it treat us at all as equals and worthy of our government’s protection. I cannot consider these folks friends but acquaintances to be cordial when seeing them.
The United States is at a precipice, and it is a very dangerous one at that. We have a President who, when campaigning, said he would be a dictator from day one. That he would round up illegals and return them to their homelands, among the whole host of other things, he said he would do that folks did not think he seriously meant. He has taken his campaign promises a lot further and stripped people of due process, broken the law, ignored court orders, and alienated allies for many years by implementing unnecessary tariffs that serve no purpose but to destroy the world economy. But is he making America great by killing everyone else’s economy, including our own?
Any of the offenses mentioned above would be grounds for impeachment and removal. However, the GOP, a.k.a. the American Nazi Party, has bought his snake oil, part and parcel, and seems to support him at all costs, no matter what he says or does. It truly is incomprehensible. Imagine if Barack Obama, or any Democratic President or Republican President other than Donald Trump for that matter, had done only a small fraction of what this horrid man has done? They would have been duly impeached and removed without question.
Yes, some are now bucking him and questioning his actions. But is it too little, too late? Can they reign in a man who they empowered for the past 10 years because they were afraid of him and the sway he held over many of their constituents who are brain-dead MAGATS?
The Mid-Terms are coming up. Given the anger expressed by many throughout the nation at town halls held around the country and the recent nationwide protests, it gives me hope that, yes, we can get rid of this evil that pollutes our society and the minds of the millions of gullible, and impressionable who maintain the same demented thoughts that he does. Trump has stayed in power because he speaks what is on the minds of so many of our fellow Americans. He gives voice to the worst in our society. We must silence that voice by voting against it in unquestionably unarguable numbers.
To end this essay, I will go back to the beginning, where I began by speaking about Diversity Rules Magazine. I see a new purpose for my publication. Since its beginning, it has represented our society’s diversity, the equitable treatment of our fellow citizens, and inclusion. That has never changed, but what has changed is the urgency to advocate for the rights we have won and to keep them. We all got complacent, never thinking that someone as atrocious as Donald Trump could wipe away all the advancements achieved through the years and his co-opting other branches of government through blackmail and strong-arm tactics.
Our moment has come. What do we decide to do? Roll over and play dead, or fight hard until no fight is left? I intend to begin using Diversity Rules as a vehicle to achieve the latter. What ensues because of it is anyone’s guess, but at least I will know I did what I could to stem this bastard’s influence and help control and return our nation to greatness, or at least get it back on the path to that end. Who’s with me?
Your input and content is always welcome. If you want to share your experiences about what you are doing to help fight this miserable man, feel free to reach out and let me know. For more articles of interest, hit the BLOG page!