The state of our Union

No, I did not watch President Trump give the state of the union address last night.  I have learned that I get too upset watching him.  I knew I would hear the important sound bites, and see the video clips, this morning.  And, yes, that would be enough for my blood pressure to handle.

So, how is our state of our UNION?   If we are talking about ‘union’, as in a country together in any way possible, it’s not good – not good at all.    There is no doubt where ever we fall in our hopes and dreams for our country, conservative to liberal, we know we are in a bad way right now.   It is sad – and it is scary.

From what I saw of last night’s address and all the hoopla that went with it, there was a lot of tit for tat again.   Both sides, both parties, are to blame for it.  There was  a large amount of lying and pointing of fingers.

So….

When will we start going high?  When will we stop the bickering and truly work on coming together for the good of the country?  How can we rise above it?    I don’t know.  I do know that it will never happen as long as Trump is president.   That is reason alone to not re-elect him.  He is too divisive.   He does not want to work towards common causes.  Congress is stuck.  The impeachment hearings and trial have divided them even more.   Their feet are stuck in deep muck and they won’t move.   There is just too much water under the bridge and the tit for tat will continue, and most likely it will continue to escalate.   4 more years.  I truly worry about where we will be if he gets 4 more years.

I read a very good post on FB this morning, asking us all to stop the photoshopped, degrading pictures, and to stop sharing all the posts that one side thinks is funny but hurts the other side.   We – each of us – have to stop it.   I see them every single day… and I rarely pass one on because I know it divides.  I admit I laugh.  I even ‘like’ them.             But, still, won’t we all be better off by not doing it at all?      Will you?

Don’t get me wrong:   I will not stop ‘calling out’ the lies and injustices.   That is different.   I will still be active in supporting certain candidates, and I will continue to push for all of us to get out and vote.  We have to continue to believe in the system, and we have to vote.   (Even with the foreign interference and apps that don’t work right.)

We are dangling on the edge of hopelessness… but I believe we still have time to pull ourselves up, and to go high.  Be respectful.  Stop the demeaning language that has become so commonplace now.   How did we get here?   Well,  again – water under the bridge.  We have been flooded with it.   Everyone is to blame.

But it’s gotta change.  It has to start being different.

The state of our union is like a divorcing couple…   forgetting the good, calling each other names, listening to lawyers and their gobble gook.   Fighting over money, and who ‘wins’.   Which side  really cares more??  Who wants more of the ‘things’?  In the meantime, we forget about the children.   They are watching.        Guess what?  Nobody wins in this situation.

I know Trump’s divisiveness, and what he brings out in people, and it has caused me to hurt a lot – and I have hurt people at times because of it too.

I’m sorry.   I’m sad about it.     I also continue to be scared about hot tempers and irrational moments that can happen.   We need to stop acting like we are defending a favorite sports team. Stop talking smack.   Instead, speak with rational reasoning.

We can’t hide.  And – we can’t be pompous. We can’t be selfish.   We have to change our language.  We have to do what we can do to raise the conversation, and to show respect.    We need to change – or we will never have a union.  It’s a terrible state to be in.