By James Pogue NEW YORK – Let’s get down to business America, by talking some sense into the world for a change. First, this author wants to know where President Donald Trump’s wife Melania is these days and for that matter, where is Ivanka, his lovely daughter? These two savvy, intelligent, not to mention, fashion-forward women, used to talk some sense into the husband and father that Donald J. Trump is. After all, didn’t we recently hear the U.S. president credit his wife for reminding him that Russian President Vladimir Putin isn’t playing fair? In Trump’s first term, his daughter Ivanka was always around to consult with him and so was Melania. We need to ask what happened to the two voices of reason and common sense? Does this author really think that Ivanka or Melania would want the U.S. to withdraw from UNESCO and WHO? Absolutely not. I also don’t think that Melania or Ivanka would agree with eliminating all the environmental protections that the Democratic administration had signed into law nor do I believe that either of these women would want to deny any transgender person in the military, who served their time, their retirement pay. I’m also fairly certain that neither one of these women would want to see the National Endowment of the Arts or National Public Radio and Voice of America, defunded. It’s pretty simple to do the math: 2 + 2 does NOT equal four in this scenario as any decent American can observe. By decent, this author means doing the right thing which includes respecting human rights, respecting the laws written in the American Constitution, abiding by law and order by not abusing the rights of others and holding steadfast to the values of a true democracy. Let me add that neither Melania nor Ivanka would approve of publicly name-calling and ridiculing otherwise intelligent, law-abiding Americans either. Nor would they agree with their father insisting that Brazil free a former president (Bolsonaro) whose people brought him to justice for corruption just so their tariffs would be lowered. In most circles, such a stance is known as blackmail.
Holding steadfast to the values of a true democracy means honoring American citizens’ rights to peacefully protest without being tasered, pepper sprayed or accused of disturbing the peace, retain freedom of speech without the threat of retribution, be able to openly exchange ideas even when they differ from one’s own and the right to due process that every American citizen or visitor to the United States of America has a right to under the laws of the American Constitution. In case some of you hadn’t noticed, this just isn’t happening. What is really happening is that peaceful protesters are being attacked by the police for exercising their rights under the American Constitution. What is really happening is that ICE is disguising themselves then lying to immigrants seeking work by tricking them then arresting them for being in the country illegally whether they are or not. This happened in Los Angeles this week of August 4- 9. The reason people from developing countries come to America is because they want what we have – to celebrate the ‘freedom to be’ in America. The freedom to be yourself whether you want to wear your hair purple, get a tattoo or voice a contrary opinion – our nation was always the place you could breathe a sigh of relief and do that.
Not anymore.
What America is fast becoming is a lesson in what it looks like to run a “deep state” and a lesson that teaches impressionable young people that it’s OK to disrespect those who don’t share your opinions, that it’s OK to get revenge and retribution on those perceived as “enemies” of the current administration because they did the right thing and followed the law. What scares this author and should scare every American, are polarizing messages that the youth of 2025 and beyond will be witnessing. They will observe an American judicial system, Congress and Senate (all Republican-controlled) that is operating on the behest of one individual’s opinion, not abiding by the laws set forth in the American Constitution. And that brings this author to an interesting point. I recently perused X to read a slew of comments by MAGA supporters that were downright shocking. A majority of those supporters had no problem with their own rights being trampled, much less the rights of anyone else. Though many may call themselves ‘Christian’ – this author wants to ask them if it’s ‘Christian’ to openly verbally abuse people, disrespect those who are actually doing their jobs in the federal government by upholding the law or firing excellent career employees just because you want to put loyalists in their place. If we also add banning books from the national educational curriculum, removing history from national displays so no one should see what one man doesn’t want them to see – then threatening people if they don’t vote Republican – that’s called AUTHORITARIANISM.
On a final note, to all the millennials, Gen Z, and the Next Generation out there – I would not only encourage you to READ, I would beg you to stay INFORMED. As Republicans denigrate the term “woke” labeling all Democrats and others who don’t agree with them as “woke” – let’s examine what the term actually means. Let’s take the actual meaning from AI Overview. “The term “woke” generally signifies awareness of social and political injustices, particularly those related to race and inequality. Initially used within the Black community to denote awareness of racial prejudice and discrimination, it has since expanded to encompass broader issues of social justice, including sexism and LGBTQ + rights. While it can be used as a positive term, indicating awareness and engagement with social issues, it’s also often used pejoratively, particularly by those on the right, to criticize or dismiss progressive ideas.”
So, whether the Trump 2.0 administration wants to admit it or not – the world has moved on from the Leave It To Beavermentality of the 1940s and 50s. Blacks are married to whites, whites are married to blacks, mixed race marriages are common, LGBTQ marriages are common as well as gays adopting children. Some of the most famous people in America today who we watch on TV daily, are gay. As Americans, we need to ask why that makes the current administration in Washington D.C. so uncomfortable since there are gay senators and members of Congress, as well. This author hates to break it to those who keep berating Democrats and the freedom that we so cherish as Americans in this country. Regardless of who is on first – our country was founded on the premise that one person does not own our minds, our bodies or our souls.
Which brings me back to my original point: What happened to Melania and Ivanka – two people with common sense who might just change the president’s mind on a few things. There’s always hope or is there?
