Is America Worth Saving? You Tell Me

 

Op-ed by TheWiseOldFart

 

I always agreed with Mark Twain until 2017. “Loyalty to country ALWAYS. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.” The ‘country’ refers to the American people. Until I began to see growing support for the worst man in America, who is also the least qualified presidential candidate in history, I believed in America because I believed in our people. However, I no longer believe that millions of our nation’s people love their country and therefore I am not sure that the United States is worth saving.

America has never been a great country. More than half of our nation’s people harbor racist beliefs and cherish their bigotry towards others who are not like themselves. Beginning in June of 2015 this problem escalated. The Southern Poverty Law Center reported an 800 percent in hate crimes. Although this old, obese, white man attempted to overthrow our government, committing the definition of treason, he remains free to continue spreading anger, hatred, and violence. Most upsetting is that his party continues to support this wannabe dictator.

If you are not pure white, if you do not accept Christianity, if you are a member of the LGBTQ community, if you are a woman, if you disagree with the fascist beliefs from the right, you are a target of the many hate groups rampaging across America.

Here is a recent example.

Samantha Woll was a 40-year-old woman from Detroit. She was the president of the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue and previously worked for U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Holly, and on the reelection campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat. Her lifeless body was found outside of her home las Saturday morning. She had been stabbed multiple times.

Those of you who do not read, and watch television for everything you believe you need to know, are not aware that actions like these are becoming the norm in 21^st century America. Our nation is no longer known for its compassion and understanding, it is now infamous for its hate crimes and violence in general.

Mass shootings continue to outnumber days on the calendar. Attacks on mosques, synagogues and other non-Christian places of worship are too frequent to be reported on local news. Free thought and free speech are discouraged by right-wing politicians and their supporters. The First Amendment is under attack every day in every “red” state, as well as by every Washinton politician on the right side of the aisle.

I have said many times that I am glad to be an old man. I will not live long enough to see the end of the dream established by our Founding Fathers in 1789. It is not unreasonable to suggest that the end of the United States will begin the end of the world.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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Source: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2023/10/21/samantha-woll-dead-isaac-agree-downtown-detroit-synagogue-president/71271616007/