Sociopath: a mental health condition in which a person consistently shows no regard for right and wrong and ignores the rights and feelings of others.
Lapdog: one who follows around another person, and does things to suck up to that person
Sycophant: a person who acts as a servant toward someone important in order to gain advantage.
Our current government is being led, by definition, a sociopath. The president consistently flaunts the law, doesn’t care about anyone’s rights or feelings but his own. We have seen this demonstrated over and over. The best example seems to be his actions with Epstein and how he regards the American people.
This is nothing new. Trump continually shows us who he is. Being okay grabbing women by the pussy. Being okay with berating women reporters. Being okay with withholding funding from states, even those that voted for him. Being okay with shooting boats out of the water. Being okay with police brutality. Being okay with the cruelty of ICE. Being okay with not following laws and norms as servant of the people. And the consistent push to keep the Epstein files from becoming public even with evidence of child rape, underage sex trafficking, and even apparently, the murder of children.
Many people have, in my mind, incorrectly labeled many of his elected official followers. Those in Trump cabinet seem to be sycophants. They work hard to gain favor and advantage. Wanting to amass even more power for themselves within the administration. Look at how many of his cabinet are in charge of multiple agencies. Making decisions that most people wouldn’t even consider doing for fear of losing their souls and morality. Trump only surrounds himself with these kinds of people—people who will debase themselves for power and often the okay to be cruel.
Most other elected Republican’s, many in billionaire class, several prominent law firms and universities, and even the press, across the country should be considered lapdogs. They are following Trump around, doing his bidding and sucking up to him in hopes of staying on Trump’s good side. They are acting like dogs around their owner, never wanting to hear “bad dog.”
To do this, when Trump doesn’t like what one of his lapdogs do, he threatens to primary them. Or he will call them names. Or even distance himself from them by saying he has never heard of them or met them. His elected lapdogs have consistently shown they will say whatever Trump wants to hear, do whatever Trump wants them to do, and lie and contradict themselves to make sure they are “good dogs.”
I know this may seem harsh, but we are living in harsh times. Children are being used as pawns and placed in concentration camps. Pregnant women are being dragged off the street, locked up, and denied medical attention. People are being denied food and water, or provided moldy food. People are kept in facilities in which lights are kept on 24/7. People are being placed in overcrowded cells or cages. People are being denied their legal right to legal representation. People are being disappeared to countries from which they did not live nor know anyone, which by itself could be a death sentence without a trial. We are living in a time when U.S. citizens are being detained due to their skin color or accent, and as we know with Alex and Renee, and others, gunned down or killed for no reason.
I’m now going to ask you a question. One that may offend you. One that may cause upset or even anger towards me. One that may cause reflection and find denial in the reflection. I’m going to ask, even in the face of how you may feel or act, because we have reached the time where a decision must be made. A choice between right and wrong. A choice between freedom or subjugation.
What are you doing to defend our freedoms?
Are you writing and/or calling your elected officials at all levels of government telling them to defend our freedoms? Are you writing letters to the editor stating your disdain for what Trump and Republicans are doing to the rule of law and the checks and balances of the Constitution? Are you subscribing to the Washington Post, New York Times, LA Times, among others supporting this Trump regime? Are you watching the national CBS News, 60 Minutes, Fox News, or local news owned by the Sinclair Broadcast Group? Are you shopping at Target, Walmart, Home Depot, or Amazon? Are you going to protests in person? Are you saying you don’t follow politics or politics don’t really affect me? Are you giving in to fear or apathy? Are you voting?
Now I know there is reality. For some people Walmart or Target may be the only grocery store in their area. Mobility issues may stop some from attending protests in person. Writing may not be one of your strengths. Your job may be of such that being political might cause a lose of that job. Following politics might cause mental health concerns. Any of these, or more, may be very valid reasons for a lack of action, not as a choice not to, but the reality of your situation.
However, for most of us, these situational issues are not our reality. It is a choice not to be involved or to take action.
So I strongly urge you to make a choice for freedom over subjugation for those of us not in the billionaire class, not a lapdog, not a sycophant. Take action to show our elected leaders and billionaires we are mad a hell and not going to take it anymore.
Stop having Amazon be your first, second, or even third choice in buying a product. If you have alternatives, don’t shop at Walmart, Target, or Home Depot. Shop local, not big box stores. Turn off Fox News, CBS national news, 60 Minutes, and local Sinclair owned news stations. Register to vote, then vote. Show up in solidarity at protests like the upcoming No Kings national protest. If ICE invades your community, have your whistle ready and record and report what you see. Call and write local, state, and national politicians. Donate to a campaign or nonprofit organization defending freedoms. Cancel your subscription to the Washington Post, New York Times, LA Times, and any non-locally owned newspaper. Support independent media who are still acting as journalists and fighting the regime with truth and facts. Join a postcard writing group in your area. Do something, anything, to show you support freedom, fairness, and the rule of law in a way you can, no matter how small the action.
To be repetitive, no one is coming to save us. The world is moving on without us. Only we can save ourselves. There are more of us who believe in freedom over subjugation than those who support dictatorship. When we stand together, we can and will win. When we join together to say we can and will do better, the powerful listen and change happens.
So pick one thing you will do today, then one thing the next, and the next, to stand up and be heard. Write, call, don’t shop, cancel, join, protest. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it is something.
Together we can!
Personal Reflections of a Middle-Aged Man 