As we zero in on the
National political conventions, I wanted to delve into my brain’s dilemma
between fascination with the absurd and depression about what is occurring.
I am aware that I have
been frustrated with the national government’s state of affairs for a long time.
In a sense, my political awareness occurred in 1957 when I read the “Conscience
of a Conservative” by Barry Goldwater. I found him so logical and clear that it
gave me clarity on how to think about the future.
It did not last long. Reality
is not that logical. Life is messy. People are hurt. Life is unfair! And then,
there is death, the unique moment in life that cannot be shared!
As I came into a messier
world, I felt that my calling to be a priest would give me an avenue to be with
those marching to a beat of other drummers who voiced the need for peace and
shared prosperity.
I got involved in civil
rights, ecumenism, and Catholicism voiced by Vatican Council II. There were so
many moments of hope, ultimately shattered by the reality that those with a
different agenda ruled the systems. Advocating for peace and justice only infuriated
the powers to be. Marching with
those who were being enabled by Martin Luther King, Joan Baez, and others
seeking a more equitable sharing of the Earth’s resources was so fraught with
energy that we thought that we could live to experience the fruits of the work.
Needless to say, that
calling ended up in pure frustration. I made no difference to the world I
experienced nor did I help to resolve issues impacting the lives of so many,
marked with disease, poverty, and violence.
Living through the era of
Nixon and the Vietnam War was agonizingly painful. However, the sight of him
stepping into the helicopter that took him away from the White House was only a
temporary moment of peace.
As we moved into the
latter part of the 20th Century, it became more apparent that the
hopes of better world disintegrated as we now watch the fruits of changes
intended to make political life more accountable become more strangulated by
political power centered in the walls of Congress and the White House. We
became victims of a government paralyzed by self-interest and power.
The dissolution of any
hope became synonymous with congressional convictions that the only reality was
denying our first black president from succeeding at any level. It is hard to
think that success could be achieved by the failure of the president.
And now we come to a
moment when I share the frustrations generated by a government designed to stop
the wheels of progress by isolating congressional action that could be viewed
as a positive outcome for the president.
I, with many others of all
types of political persuasions, wanted real change in the operations of
government. While admitting to be aligned mostly with the agenda of Bernie
Sanders, I recognized his agenda was more that could be absorbed in one
election cycle. I shared the views of many that the Clintons were too
self-serving and viewed the access to power as a mechanism for personal gain.
When Bill was president, I
shared with the Democratic National Party my frustration that his agenda was based
on polls rather than leadership that push us into a world that was better for
more people. That Hillary saw that she could use a private server to avoid any
constraints associated with being a government employee epitomized the identification
of Clintons as being above the world of fellow Americans. Whether imprisonment
was the appropriate response, surely running for president was a strike against
her sharing our human existence. No one should think that they are above the
laws designed to make our lives orderly and transparent.
I surely share the anger
and unhappiness of many. I wish that our options were other than Trump and
Clinton. I will not watch the conventions or the inauguration. I will get no
joy of witnessing the first female president that it long overdue. I cannot
imagine my feelings if Trump was elected. Hillary’s presence in the White House
will make me sad because her personal agenda will color her decisions. I
selfishly am grateful that my age will give me an escape from the reality of
what could be the outcome of a Trump presidency.
I cannot imagine how the
future will unfold. Will the Republican Party be destroyed? Will be Democrats
see victory as a sign that its agenda is sanctioned rather than a sign that the
voters chose the lesser of two evils? `
What a mess!
