I awoke about 3 am this morning, just as a nightmare was coming to a resolution. I’d just dreamt that I and a crew of renegades were making our escape from an oppressive authoritarian regime that had overtaken our country. And when we were on the cusp of achieving freedom, some glitch occurred, such that we were being found out. That’s when I awoke from this nightmare.

Fantasies of Chaos in America

It didn’t take much insight to realize that my nightmare was my personal reaction to our national crisis. Just this Tuesday I watched the Presidential Debacle, in which President Trump highjacked the debate. I had fantasies of the follow-up to the election November 3. In one scenario, Republican state legislators overrode the election results, backing Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud. They declared the vote null and void and sent their slate of pro-Trump electors to the Electoral College. In another version, I envisioned a defeated Trump activating his vigilante stormtrumpers, whom he had on stand-by. He justified and supported this move by declaring martial law, blaming antifa and Black Lives Matter for the unrest.

I make no claim regarding the plausibility for either of these nightmarish scenarios. I’m simply reporting on how our current political specter has haunted me, even in my sleep. I fell into a black hole fueled by fear, distrust and anger. And the pull of this nightmare continued in the above fantasies after I awoke. This susceptibility gave me some appreciation for how Trumpsters could fall prey to QAnon conspiracy theories.  

Subduing the Nightmare

I was all keyed up from my nightmare, and I realized that sleep would not easily return. So I got up and read from Steven Mitchell’s translation and interpretation of the Tao Te Ching. I realized that I could open it up to almost any page and experience some solace. It did not disappoint. I felt centered. My mind quieted. And I felt sad. Sad for the toll our current socio-political climate is taking on me – and on my brothers and sisters across this country.  I mention the Tao Te Ching not to plug it, though it contains some profound truths. Rather, I seek to encourage others to turn to their sources of inspiration and solace.

Mourning in America

And I wept. Lest some Trumpsters interpret this as a sign of weakness, these are not tears of a victim feeling sorry for himself. Nor of a bleeding heart pitying poor, helpless victims. These are tears of grief. I was mourning for the emotional poverty this country has been experiencing as it prays at the altar of property, power, prestige, and privilege. And out of this grief comes not resignation, but resolve. Resolve to confront these false gods and to recover our lost humanity.

A Prelude to the Nightmare of Trump‘s America

This fall from grace did not start with Trump. We had plenty of warning signs along the way. There was Robin Leach’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. More recently, we have the Kardashians and The Real Housewive’s of LA, NY, DC, or wherever. Perhaps our idolatry of material success and fame provides some distraction from our nightmare of unspoken discontents. We seem to have lost our moral compass.  We reveal the values we practice through the icons, memes, and idols that we follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. All this continues while our wealth disparity widens, the pandemic spreads, and our climate heats up. These crises are brought to us courtesy of our sponsors – dark money from superPacs, special interests lobbies, lax oversight for business practices, and tax breaks for the wealthy.

Trump – Type-Cast for the Role of Demagogue

Trump has been but a mere symptom of this cultural decline. His niece has portrayed a profile of emotional poverty in his upbringing. Perhaps as an antidote, he has bought into the religion of the 4 P’s (i.e., property, power, prestige, and privilege). And as a result, he has been a lightning rod for the current cultural tensions. Perhaps his impending defeat, financial downturn, and the risk of criminal prosecution have led to his escalating desperation. In any event, he has played his character to the hilt in this reality TV melodrama.

Any Chance for Redemption?

I offer such speculation not to excuse his abusive behavior, but to understand it. I could muster up some compassion for him, as he appears to be pretty miserable. However, his willingness to inflict harm on others for his ego needs discourages me from doing so. He first needs to repent, before he can find true redemption. He likely needs to undergo the humiliation of defeat before he can develop the humility to beg forgiveness. Then there’s the matter of making amends. And just how likely is that?

A Silver Lining

Just one note of gratitude. I am thankful that Trump’s flaws are becoming increasingly apparent, such that most of us can now recognize them. Hopefully, this will pull us back from the brink of despotism. In contrast, a more polished demagogue would have posed an even greater risk. Perhaps this episode can enlighten future generations of such threats to our democracy.

A Call to Arms (Figuratively Speaking)

Thank you for indulging my rant, as it has been cathartic. Hopefully, it strikes a chord with some of you, so that you might feel somewhat less isolated in this toxic climate. And maybe it’ll prompt you to take some action – like voting! And volunteering for and contributing to campaigns supporting our ideals of democracy would be even better. Still better, you might share this post with others who may be on the fence. Note that I plan to exercise my resolve by completing my post, entitled Bridging the Great Political Divide. This work will be a follow-up to my last post, Understanding Political Polarization. Meanwhile, I’m going to catch some shut-eye – hopefully, without any further nightmares .

(Author’s note: I wrote this post prior to the news of the Trumps’ positive tests for COVID-19. I extend my wishes for their complete recovery.)