As I write this, a toddler neighbor is crying outside in his yard. He’s okay. He’s just angry that his favorite toy is being unwillingly shared with his brother. It occurs to me that this is why toddlers should cry. Not because they are being taken out of the arms of their parents and kept in cages in a country that has deteriorated to this. Hitler did this too.
As I write this, I am in the middle of producing my next book, planning a trip to see my closest friends, and welcoming the birth of a little boy to two of my favorite parents to be. And yet, given all that is happening at our borders and the the complacency some folks have shows, I can hardly care about anything except the children taken from their parents. Because of inhumane enforcement of a no tolerance policy passed by you, Mr. Trump, in April. Actually there is no law or policy saying kids need to be separated from their parents, that’s just what you decided to do. Lying about it, justifying it, or blaming it on democrats doesn’t change the truth. You’re using children as political pawns to make a point about immigration reform. Hitler did a lot of lying, justifying, and blaming too.
Although you may believe you’ve duped us, the majority of Americans see you. We know why this is happening. Because these families are vulnerable. Because they are brown. Let’s face it, if these children were blonde hair blue eyed kids from Sweden it would be harder to make excuses for what is happening. But let me be clear – what is happening is government sanctioned child abuse. Followed by justifications about why it’s okay.
You’ve blamed Hilary. You’ve blamed the FBI. You’ve blamed Obama. You’ve blamed democrats. Mr. Trump, just because you deny it’s happening doesn’t make it untrue. Just because you blame others doesn’t remove your responsibility from it. Just because something is a policy doesn’t make it right.
The fact that we (Jeff Sessions included) even have to compare today’s conditions with pre-Nazi Germany means it’s really bad. You’ve compared immigrants to vermin, claiming they have infested our country. Hitler did that too.
It’s clear that a divided nation is what you wanted, because then that makes us more vulnerable, doesn’t it? Whenever someone disagrees with you, you simply fire them, blast them on social media like a 6th grader, or something bigger. Like today, after criticism over the humanitarian issues at our borders, you decided to disengage from the Human Rights Council. The only problem with these tantrums, lies, and forced nationalism is that you’re not destroying the very thing you took an oath to serve and protect – America as a great nation. Instead, you’re shredding your own legacy.
And while you can ruin our reputation in the international community, you can wield unjust policies and bully anyone who objects, America still knows who she is. We haven’t forgotten.
Before your presidency, we were the good guys. The ones who stepped in when humanitarian crises emerged. Now we’re perpetuating them. And either justifying it or turning the other way as it’s happening. We’ve been told news is fake. Then a government video is released showing kids in cages. We’ve been told there’s a witch hunt. That there was no collusion. But the truth will emerge there too.
The problem with disempowering people who are already marginalized is that the world still sways towards justice. And justice is coming Mr. Trump. Just ask Aly Raisman or any member of the US gymnastics team who was abused. They felt they had no power. Until one day they did. And the world listened. And like all dictators in history, justice is coming for you too. That legacy that you seem so focused on, don’t worry. You’ll have a big legacy in the history books. Hitler did too.
In the meantime, I stand with the majority of Americans who see you, who see what is happening, and who know in our hearts that we are still the good guys. You do not represent us. Your power will end. Your bullying will no longer work. You will have to face lady justice on your own. And the world will sway towards love once again.
