Oscar Wilde famously quipped “I can resist everything, except temptation.” Currently, it’s tempting to hole up, pretend what has happened, hasn’t. In other words, act as if He’s not president.
Days pass where it’s easier to avoid news, avert my eyes from sites where His face is shown pursed, scowling. Hoping for a miracle lulls me into withdrawing to work, reading novels, streaming films, anything to ablate the awful truth. It’s tempting to convince myself that I’m being civilized, a good sport. Bollocks, as the Brits say. To Oscar, I must rejoin, this is a time to resist temptation.
The Republican Alt Right is counting on the collective exhaustion of the opposition. It’s their intention that we graze on the high ground offering up impotent acceptance like an ursine flock while being trampled by this rampaging herd of pachyderms. Scratch that. Real elephants are noble beasts. This is a ruthless pack of billionaire bullies. Still, we must do some of what they did to former President Bill Clinton, President Barrack Obama, and finally to former Secretary Hillary Clinton as well. Time to harass, beleaguer, never give an inch, utilizing the justice system and all forms of media. This is a time for the kind of combat Sally Q. Yates, acting attorney general, engaged in by denouncing and defying one of myriad executive orders from Fuehrer Drumpf, and which ACLU Attorney Lee Gelernt did by successfully blocking the Muslim Ban in court.
It might be tempting, for some, not to notice that the countries cherry picked to block were Muslim, albeit, not Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, nor Pakistan all of which have produced terrorists and have al-Qaeda cells. According to Senator Dianne Feinstein (Washington Times, 1/11/15) some cells are right here in the U.S.A. not imported.
Resisting the urge to look away can be expressed by contacting Congressional representatives, senators, attending public demonstrations such as the flash crowds that have sprung up at New York City airports. People recognize that the Muslim ban, odious as it seems, is just the beginning. In the not too distant future, any non-Breitbart approved affiliations (whether, religious or gender) may be excised. This is not the time to give into the temptation to withdraw.

The President of these United States is bound by oath to uphold Freedom of Speech and the responsibility of the Fourth Estate, and not to eschew journalists when challenged. Trump has a history of dismissing that which he considers unflattering or in opposition of his narrative. At a recent press conference Trump railed against the media for reporting leaks relating to the secret conversations his appointee, Michael Flynn, had with the Russian ambassador. These exchanges took place on the same day that President Obama announced his sanctions against Russia for meddling in the Presidential election. Instead of considering the wrongdoing, Trump deployed a favorite phrase to deride these allegations, although our national security agencies had taped recordings as evidence. Fake news has become a mantra from the man who employs the practice of inventing information. Trump has a penchant for projection, spewing an ongoing avalanche of false, unsubstantiated accusations. He defaults to Tweet mode to stir up an already angry base who, perhaps, don’t access other news sources.
Trump has invented would-be facts and denied credible ones. Those who hold up the evidence are ignored or debased. Such actions precede armed guards showing up in your doorway, carrying off dissenters, locking them up or worse. This is what happens if despots and tyrants take charge.
It’s imperative to hold the President of the United States accountable to The Constitution, laws, financial conflicts of interest, and respect the office, and its traditions. It’s not too much to expect that the person at the top tell the truth, especially when there’s corroborated, concrete, often video evidence.
Furthermore, FBI Director Comey should be thoroughly investigated, likely brought up on charges for his actions during the recent presidential election, as well as whosoever else instigated said and brought to justice. Ditto the Russian hackers. Citizen Trump needs to be sued for any business misdeeds, the secrets in his undisclosed taxes, all non-blind trusts, and cronyism he has signed off on or is planning.
The 2016 Presidential Election has been characterized as unprecedented. Unprecedented is not a synonym for acting against American Interests. Allowing, participating, cooperating, even having foreknowledge of a foreign government meddling in our electoral process might be deemed a treasonous offence. Shouldn’t this be vetted? Perhaps it’s time to reclaim the word, unprecedented. It’s time for Judicial Department to act in an unprecedented way as well. Presidents are not above the law. If they break the law they’re entitled to due process, as any citizen, but not more than that.
Citizen Trump should be held accountable, for all the inflated, conflated claims, promises made during the campaign, as well as possible acts against American interests. In July 2016 in Doral, Florida, He taunted and tantalized other governments to espionage. “Russia, if you’re listening, I hope you’ll be able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing,” he entreated, referencing Secretary Clinton’s private account. Did He know about, even invite the Russian’s hacking of the election? Many times President-elect Trump alluded to the process being “fixed.” He just didn’t say “fixed” by whom. Time to chant, “Crooked Donald!” Time to act, as well. It’s not too late.
To wit, being president does not mean you can ridicule and slander with impunity. Likewise the job does not come with a ‘GET OUT OF JAIL FREE’ card, nor one that prevents investigation from criminal acts. Trump’s taxes are still not released. This suggests some potential wrongdoing perhaps within some of the nations he may be cozy with and protecting from scrutiny. It may not be just that Trump is on ethically shaky ground regarding aggressive interpretations of the tax code, but concerned about revealing potential connections for personal gain. This man has many petards that he might be hoisted upon. Indeed, Trump may be the most “petarded” man in recent history.
The Democratic National Party and Department of Justice should hold his tiny feet to the fire, hold him fully responsible. This is a time to resist appeasement policies such as those crafted by the British Prime Minister, Arthur Neville Chamberlain’s in 1938. This is a time to be inspired by the words of Winston Churchill. “If you’re going through hell, keep going!”
Tired as we are, tempting as it may seem to shrug and wait, we must do the inverse. We must protest this not-so-subtle revolution taking place before our eyes, a commercial imperative that’s manifesting our destiny. Do not succumb to temptation. Fight. Protest. Write. Talk. Sing. Stand and be counted…while we still can. This is, as Jon Stewart used to say: “Our moment of Zen.” In this case, let’s not waste it by giving in to temptation.