Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man

Legacy

Something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.

Narcissist

An extremely self-centered person who has an exaggerated sense of self-importance.

Power

Possession of control, authority, or influence over others.

Why did I start with those three words? I did so because it seems those three words are a common theme among the mainstream media and political pundits. Often they use the legacy word when talking about how someone will be presented as a historical figure. It is used as if a narcissist or someone in power cares deeply about the legacy they leave and how it will be remembered in the annals of history?

When I would hear legacy being discussed, I used to think, “What are they thinking, is this how [insert name] wants to be remembered!?” I believed the person actually worried about how their families, their friends, and their public would remember them.

I no longer believe this to be true.

The reason I don’t believe this to be true anymore is because they will be dead. It won’t matter what anyone remembers of them. Any legacy isn’t going to affect them one iota. Since no regard for legacy seems very evident, at least for those in the most powerful of positions—mainly, but not only, on the Trumpist-Republican side—they are doing whatever they want to maintain power for themselves and power over you and me.

All they care about is what they can get for themselves in the here and now. Trumpist-Republicans appear to have little regard for what kind of world they will leave to their children, grandchildren, and so on. The result of their actions won’t be felt by them, because, as mentioned earlier, they will be dead.

I mean really, have the descendants of slave owners really felt any pain from the legacy of their ancestors. Have the descendants of the robber barons been penalized in any meaningful way. Have the descendants of the worst dictators of the world been held accountable for the actions of their ancestors.

The answer is usually no. Granted there are some cases in which whole families have been killed because of the actions of their families. Often though that is to prevent them from retaliating against those taking power, or to cause fear within society. In modern times, it would be safe to say this doesn’t happen anymore. The family may lose their power and money, but often times whomever was in power put the money in safe places for their families to continue to have power and influence elsewhere.

Use this as an example of legacy. There are elected officials in the south who are descendants of slave owners. The wealth they enjoy came off the backs and hard labor of the enslaved. Their ancestors beliefs are still strong in them as generational influence. As elected officials they work to continue to keep people of color, mainly Blacks, in “their place” through legislation and rhetoric. The slaveowner ancestors were able to continue their legacy of bigotry.

Now, had the ancestor been held accountable for their actions, been stripped of land, title, and money, had reconstruction not been halted, there would have been a different legacy.

An alternative scenario. The descendent decides to run for office. During their candidacy, the history of their ancestors was discovered and released, and the electorate declined to elect them because they were able to discern the candidate, by their actions, still held onto the beliefs of their ancestor. This is holding legacy accountable. Yes, the candidate had nothing to do what with the ancestor did, but if the candidate continued the thinking and feeling of the ancestors, then the candidate is continuing what his ancestors started and should be held accountable.

I think it is time to stop talking about legacy and start talking about current accountability. Have the people taking the actions to harm us all feel the negative effects of their decisions in the here and now. Don’t let them get away with the pain and suffering they are inflicting on the populace go unpunished.

This doesn’t mean I wish them dead or physically harmed. But I do mean we as a society assist them in no longer having power, experiencing a loss of financial gain, and serving jail time if applicable. Hold them accountable now, not hope history will look ill upon them because the person causing the harm loses nothing, they are long gone.

McConnell, Trump, Cruz, Rubio, Hawley, Gaetz, McCarthy, Johnson, Roberts, Alito, Thomas, Abbott, Paxton, DeSantis, and all the rest, from their actions, don’t care one iota about their legacy, how history will portray them. The damage they have caused and continue to cause will have no effect on them so why worry about it. From what I can tell, they care more about power and money for themselves, and care nothing about the welfare of others.

The sooner we realize and accept this as current reality, the sooner we can move to hold them accountable as a society. Once we do, we’ll all be the better for it.

I vote blue because most Democrats still worry about their legacy and they want it to show they did what was right by the people now, and into the future—even though admittedly it may also enrich themselves.

Help me hold the Trumpist-Republicans accountable. Vote, and vote blue up and down the ticket from dog catcher to President!