Speaking Up

Because the president’s a bully, sometimes I think about the consequences of what I write before I hit the send button. It’s no secret that poets, writers, and artists have drawn the wrath of tyrants across the centuries, but if this era’s bullies shut us up, they win, and the people lose. We each have to do what we can, and what I can do is stay informed and speak up.

An article I read one recent morning broke my heart. After a legislator, at a House Homeland Security hearing, read aloud letters written by children at the Dilly immigration processing center, ICE raided the dorms and confiscated the children’s letters.

I had to read the piece twice to make sure I’d read it right.

Every day, I’m crushed by the cruelty of this administration. Is the president so needy of attention that he’s willing to go down in history as a villain, so long as he goes down in history? Is he willing to sacrifice children’s wellbeing in order to stop their parents from coming into the country to find a better future for their families?

It’s obvious he’s willing to hurt the nation’s economy as he and his corrupt regime rake in billions.

Bullying comes from weakness. This one’s afraid of what comes from the mouths of children, but he can’t continue mowing down our rights without legislators who are more concerned about staying in power than they are about checking his runaway power grab.

There are few guardrails, outside the federal judges who have stood up to him. It’s up to us to save our country and our rights. Let’s continue to speak up, stand up, march, and most importantly, vote. There’s no one coming to save us. We have to save ourselves.

But it’s not just about us. We have to stand with the immigrants who were arrested at their legal immigration meetings. We have to stand up for the helpless. We have to speak up, even if we’re afraid. And anyone who isn’t afraid is either misinformed or uninformed.

The massive No Kings rallies across the country gave me hope, but there is a lot more work to do. We won’t get there if we let fear stop us. We can’t save the union if we avoid the news, no matter how depressing it is.

When we start to wonder if the fight is worth it, think of the children. Think of the immigrants who have helped to make our country great. Think! Our wellbeing, and the futures of our children, and theirs, are at stake. Put your fear in your back pocket and stand up straight. We must let all our voices be heard.