"The Donald" while famously rich is exceedingly poor in knowledge, compassion, and respect for American values. It is as though he is trapped in some bygone era or simply "didn't get the memo." What are we do with this motley candidate who, it turns out, commands an audience of like-minded Americans at his electoral events? The America I know deals with overly opinionated politicians by exercising its franchise and rejecting them at the "Polls." The America I know is, simply put, unafraid to stand up against tyranny in any shape or form and always finds a way to raise its collective voice to help keep our nation on track. Donald, come visit with us, you might learn a thing or two about this great land.
Mr. Trump, you might just learn what most of us learned in school and what many a naturalized American citizen learned while escaping their former homelands. Freedom of Religion is a fundamental human right. Our forefathers had a keen sense of this and felt so strongly that they embedded it into the very first Amendment to our Constitution. This "Freedom of Religion" is at the core of what makes our nation strong. One does not have to know what a Seventh Day Adventist believes in or practices to fully respect their inalienable right to seek inner peace, or if you prefer - "Salvation," through their faith. Our Supreme Court has consistently protected this cherished freedom by steadying the helm while reminding us that we are not a theocratic society, in short we make room for all religious practices. Come visit with us Donald.
Mr. Trump you might also learn that picking on a particular type of people is not permissible, even if you are the "Bully-In-Chief." The America I know has long ago apologized to Native Americans for forcing them onto the "Trail of Tears," made reparations to Japanese-Americans for their interment in concentration camps during WW II, and has built a national monument to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who championed Civil Rights for all Americans. Our America has made many mistakes in its past but has shown a remarkable ability to recognize its errors, rectify past sins, and move forward towards national harmony and a brighter future. Come visit with us Donald.
Finally, America has not been immune from hate-mongers and has had to suffer the consequences of temporarily kowtowing to them. Case in point is the famous House of Representative's Un-American Activities Committee which in the 1950's was hi-jacked by the likes of Senator Joe McCarthy who enjoined labeling federal workers "Communists" and dragged our nation into a very dark chapter called the "Red Scare." He used his bully-pulpit as a wide brush to paint folks as "Un-American" for exercising their Constitutional rights to Free Speech and Free Association. This sad chapter in our history included the "Hollywood Blacklist" recently portrayed in the movie Trumbo. It also brought us the tangled Alger Hiss affair and the still questionable conviction and execution on spy charges of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. It took brave Americans like journalist Edward R. Murrow and Joseph N. Welch (at the time the U.S. Army's Chief Counsel), among others, to challenge McCarthy and bring the beginning to the end of that "Witch Hunt." They stood up for fellow Americans accused of being "Communists" not because it was popular to do so but because our faith in our democracy demanded it. McCarthy's cruel crusade against the so-called "Communist" infiltration of our government agencies is eerily similar to today's false claim that "Jihadists" are hiding by the score inside the ranks of the Syrian Refugees. Just like going after someone for their political affiliation going after Muslims or a particular religion is utterly offensive to the America I know. Our nation's history, fortunately, has been peppered with worthy examples of ordinary people standing up for someone else's rights. There are many Americans who stand ready to do the same today and will buck conventional wisdom to keep our "Freedoms" from being diluted. In short, the America I know is likely to rally around the underdog and go to bat for those unjustly maligned by the powers to be. Come visit with us Donald.