How will we know when it's too late?
...and it nearly is!
I am heartbroken that my country is not at all where I came of age—the place where I was taught to appreciate the sacrifices of those who came before me and eventually, learned to respect the rule of law.
Photo by Andrew Varnum on Unsplash
How shall we know when it’s too late to save our country?
It sounds corny, but I miss the lump in my throat me when I would hear the strains of the Star-Spangled Banner at the beginning of a baseball game or watch video footage of Air Force One as it landed in some foreign country with those proud words emblazoned on the fuselage: The United States of America!
Now, we have armed soldiers patrolling the streets of our nation’s capitol, even as the authoritarian president threatens to deepen the pain. Meanwhile, those who could put an end to this mess right now—Republican members of Congress—behave as though this is all normal. It is not, and that is the great risk!
I do not know just what the critical moment is when we have crossed the line into a realm from which we will not return, but I suspect we are now very close!
For as we become accustomed to armed troops in our cities or masked agents snatching people off the streets—as we normalize retribution against perceived enemies of the regime—we are walking very close to the precipice.
When we fail to react effectively to plans to interfere with upcoming elections, we are signing our collective death warrant as a viable democracy.
I suspect that many folks are just weary of the flooding of the zone that we have experienced since January 20, 2025. Others are overwhelmed, and still others are just plain discouraged. I get that.
I often get home past 8:30 PM—or later—usually because I am attending some town hall meeting. But I call my Republican congressman every day to remedy him of his responsibility as a member of a coequal branch of government and of his obligation to hold a lawless president in check. I never get a commitment from his staff, but I will continue to call. You should, too!
Please understand that I am far too old to be doing this sort of advocacy, which is to say that I ought to be comfortably retired. But I will fight with my dying breath to defend the country I love against the machinations of a cruel despot. So should you!
You see, courage is contagious. As various victims of Trump’s treachery have spoken out against his overreach, they, in turn, inspire others to act similarly—like those whom Trump claims to have fired—but who stubbornly refuse to leave their jobs. Now, that is righteous chutzpah! Governors Gavin Newsom and J.B. Pritzker have pulled no punches in calling out the Felon-in-Chief, and even the producers of South Park continue to ridicule the Little Dictator!
You and I cannot afford to do less.
Frankly, I think it was a strategic mistake to back off on the staging of public demonstrations since the successful “No Kings” days this past spring, but I have reason to believe we shall see the return of those demonstrations this fall. Long-term., the single best reality for which we can hope is that Democrats sweep the 2026 midterm elections. MAGA knows that, which is why they are trying to cheat by drawing new district maps in various states. They are not even trying to hide their intent!
There is another danger ahead, and it lies in the militarization of the police and the unlawful occupation of cities by federalized National Guard troops. Recently, the Secretary of Defense gleefully announced that at least some of them will now be armed! You see, I was in the third quarter of my freshman year when the Kent State Massacre occurred on May 4, 1970. I fear we could see another tragedy just like that. The only worse scenario is the one where the regime “trumps” up a violent conflict that serves to justify the imposition of martial law and possibly the cancellation of the 2026 elections. Do you think for a moment they would not do that?
The truth is that we cannot know the exact moment when we have crossed the line into full-blown authoritarianism, but we can know when we are close. I refuse to sit on my behind while these unholy events play out— because we might not get a second chance to defeat the authoritarians who are hell-bent on destroying the country you and I love!
I want to feel that lump in my throat again.