We were born during the administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower. There are some
vague memories of the Presidency of John F. Kennedy. We became much more politically
astute during the years of Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon, with Watergate, civil rights
marches, riots, and of course, the Vietnam war. There are remembrances of Jimmy Carter’s
term in office and who could forget the 8 years of Ronald Reagan. The first Gulf War with
George H.W. Bush as President and the 8 years of Bill Clinton with the Monica Lewinsky
scandal are now distant memories. The second war against Iraq and the collapse of our
economy with George W. Bush, followed by 8 years Barack Obama are now in the rearview
mirror. Yet, with all those administrations, with all those clashes between Democrats and
Republicans, students and police, marches and counter-marches, we still never had the
feeling of the division in this country that we have today.
This division is not one of politics, but it is of core beliefs and the vision that we have
of this country. For many, the election of Donald J. Trump signifies a return to the glory
years of the United States and a turning back of the clock. For some, it is a sign that white,
working class America still is important and still rules. To some it signifies putting on the
brakes of an out of control melting pot of the world where borders mean little and we will
all end of becoming one giant fruit salad.
To others, his election is a symbol of bigotry, racism and intolerance toward others.
It is a signal that white Americans allow people of color and various shades to live in this
country, but how dare them think that they are this country. This election to many is a sign
of a racial divide and the worst that America has to offer.
These divisions are visceral and they strike at our inner being. This election for many
was a sign and cause for jubilation, while many of us were in a malaise and fog, wondering
how this could happen to this great country.
Yet, and regardless of your feelings, it is time to move on and accept reality. Donald
J. Trump will be the President of the United States for the next 4 and possibly 8 years and
only history will tell us exactly what that meant.
By now, most of you have read or heard hundreds if not thousands of political views
explaining why Hillary Clinton lost, while she was predicted to win. There are a whole host
of explanations, from her emails to James Comey, the FBI director, to the fact that she is just
not naturally likable, to the Wikileaks revelations, and to simply bad political strategy on her
campaign’s part. Long dissertations could be done on each one of those topics but we have
a few simple observations of our own.
Everyone expected Hillary Clinton to run away with the women’s vote. However,
polling shows that a majority of white women voted for Donald Trump. Everyone expected
that HillaryClinton becoming the first woman President would be such a rallying cry that she
would carry all facets and demographics of women in a landslide. But those in the know
didn’t know or didn’t realize that for every angry white man, there is the angry white woman
that he is married to, and the angry white daughter that is part of that family. That family
bond, that family unity, and that family experience, trump the bonds of sex, the bonds of
having the same genitalia.
In line with that same thinking that having the same genitalia that women would stick
together, we failed to realize that when you rub two vaginas together they get wet and slick
and tend to separate. Women do not stick together just because they are women.
We have many fears about what a Trump administration might do to this country or
for this country. One thing that has been revealed since the election that sends chills through
anyone who believes in Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press is the revelations
recently by Megyn Kelly. Ms. Kelly of Fox News, and certainly not one of our favorites, has
now written about her interactions with Donald Trump during the campaign. Due to Donald
Trump’s attacks on her, and who could forget her bleeding from her eyes or other parts of
her body, was subjected to death threats and harassment by some of Donald Trump’s
supporters. She relates that when she took her family to Disney World, they needed body
guards for fear of what would happen to her and to her family.
She talks about being so scared for her and her family’s safety that she arranged a
meeting with Donald Trump. The meeting did not occur at Fox News, but rather she had to
travel to his penthouse, in essence, to kiss the ring. Her belief was that after the meeting, his
attacks would stop.
There is nothing more chilling to the First Aendment than reporters reporting while
under fear. There is nothing more frightening to the First Amendment then reporters having
to curry favors with those they are reporting on. There is nothing more offensive to the First
Amendment than reporters being cowed by those they must objectively analyze.
A free press is the essence of our society. That is why it is in the First Amendment.
The press is the watchdog, the balancer, even the conscious of our country. To have a man
like Donald J. Trump for President, with his propensity for authoritarianism and now with
the FBI, the Secret Service, the US Marshal’s and other investigative agencies under either
his control or the control of those he appoints is a scarey proposition to those in the media.
If he could cower a reporter by the use of Twitter, the threat to our democracy through his
use of official organizations is mind-numbing.
During his campaign he repeatedly attacked the press. He called them dishonest and
disgusting and many of them felt in danger while covering his rallies. We have heard the
term, the “liberal media” for so long that it has almost become a four-letter word to many in
this country. Yet, the media is the one institution that can make sure that our new President,
with his bent towards authoritarianism, is kept in check and becomes accountable for his
actions, his promises, his failures and of course, his successes.
While this article was being dictated, it was just announced that SenatorJeff Sessions
from Alabama will be nominated as the new Attorney General. For those of you who enjoy
adult entertainment, pornography and the like, understand that Jeff Sessions believes that
pornography is the root of all evil and we can now expect obscenity prosecutions on a federal
level. For those of you in the adult industry who rooted for Donald Trump, the appointment
of Jeff Sessions as Attorney General could not be worse. The chief law enforcement officer
in this country is one that has made a career out of his distaste, his dislike for the adult
entertainment industry, and his belief that it should not exist.
Jeff Sessions has a history of far right conservative beliefs. He has been evaluated to
be one of the five most conservative members of the U.S. Senate. His nomination to be a
U.S. District Court Judge was previously voted down by the Senate because of racist remarks
he had made. He will now be in charge of protecting voting rights. Talk about the wolf
guarding the hen house.
So for those of you who are looking for America to be great again, if greatness is
defined by a press under siege; obscenity prosecutions; a whittling away of minority voting
rights; a woman’s right to choose being defined as which back alley she goes to, to have an
abortion; and gay rights being abandoned, let alone gay marriage, then Jeff Sessions is your
man. Boy, from those white 1950’s glasses, American certainly looks great again.