Got the Red, White and Blues? Thoughts on Inauguration Day Anathema for Everyday People

By: Jana Greene

Oh, this current political climate. Ugly, ugly, ugly.

Can we cease and desist being so nasty to one another in the name of wanting what’s best for America? Let’s be honest about it. Is it about patriotism or witch hunting, the likes of which we haven’t seen since Salem in the 1600’s? The fervor is terrifying because it further divides us, and Lord have mercy, aren’t we divided enough already?

I keep thinking about the classic Sly and the Family Stone song that came out a year before I was born, “Everyday People.”

There is a blue one who can’t accept the green one
For living with a fat one trying to be a skinny one
And different strokes for different folks
And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo

Witnessing parents and children parting ways over political passions and good friends sacrificing relationship at the altar of The Elephants  vs. The Asses – it’s heartbreaking.

If you are like me, you desperately love people on both sides of the aisle.

Desperately and totally love. Even when we don’t agree.

Trust no man or administration or government more than you trust your God. Or at least that’s what I’m getting as I’m prayerful about our country. Prayers that go a lot like this: “Please, Papa, please….help.” Help, help, help. Please, and thank you, God.  I’m at a loss for eloquent heavenly petitions at this point.

(God, by the way, isn’t surprised by any of the current circumstances. He very well may be the only sentient Being who isn’t going batsh*t crazy right now. I’m pretty sure all of us have lost our minds.)

I wish everyone would get a grip and act like grown ups and cease having the World’s Largest Temper Tantrum. It’s like society is dissolving into one long, very un-funny episode of Portlandia.

I GET it. I didn’t vote for him either. On another day, perhaps I can wax poetic about my Libertarian leanings and how they came to be, but today is not that day. Today is Inauguration Day, and you may be really unhappy about that.

Be unhappy. You want to march, you want to rant. March and rant.

But when you allow a man – lo, even a President – to incite hatred in you to the degree that you are hatred personified, you are giving him too much personal power.

When we start seeing society dissolve into such nastiness manifest, the very intolerance you are picketing wins. Don’t let it win.

Which is more important: Being right, or being in relationship? (FYI, I have to keep asking myself this same question, sometimes dozens of times every day. I’m preaching to myself, too!)

The reality is that we have a new president and it would behoove the nation to at least give him a chance now that it’s a done deal. It’s in your best interest for him to succeed.

He isn’t a god, he is just a dude who has made some really horrible mistakes, not unlike the last 44 men who have served in that capacity. He’s a dude I don’t personally care for in the least, but I’m not willing to sacrifice relationships to register my discontent.

Elephants will be big, loud and boisterous and asses will be, well….asses. It has always been the case. Most people love our country and are just people trying to get through our governing leadership intact in the day-to-day. Your displeasure about Trump is not original – it has been felt by many Americans during every single administration, including the Obama presidency.

We are just everyday people, and we cannot afford to hate each other.

This, of course, is my two cents – the blog my platform for sharing my views. They belong to me. It’s a free country, right?

Right?

I wish we could all might consider the following today and going forward:

An inauguration lasts for a day. A presidency lasts 4 years. Going all Lord of the Flies – that damage can last a lifetime in a friendship.

Can’t we all at least try to get along?