Last updated on June 14, 2023
I haven’t answered friends’ emails in a couple of days. My friends are scattered all over the globe, and many of them sent me a note more or less saying the same “Finally, America is coming to its senses.” Their reactions and their messages to me are a form of celebration for the United States, for the country we all remember so well.
U N I T E D … S T A T E S yes, there was a time when we all were just Americans. Some migrants like myself, some immigrants, some Native Americans, some Americans born here, some black, brown, yellow, and pale-white, some gay, some straight, some atheists, some strongly religious, some rich, some poor, and some in the middle.
I don’t know what to tell my friends right now. I am lost for words and overwhelmed with emotions. How do I feel when I watch the news -our ongoing news hovering over Trump and his actions and reactions for hours, days, and most likely weeks and months to come. How do I feel?
Deep down I am an idealist, a dreamer who always desired and hoped for equality for all, even though I have lived and witnessed the contrary.
In Marocco, Africa I was upset when I wasn’t allowed to enter a street cafe because it was only for men, the same happened to me in Europe, Greece. I witnessed racism toward colored people and finally, in Asia, I felt it toward myself. The white, freckled woman with blue eyes was not welcomed, all of a sudden I didn’t belong to the ‘good race’ anymore but had become a minority. It stinks and stings, but it also heals. If you haven’t felt discrimination and hate toward yourself, you simply can’t understand what it does to others. How different life is when you find yourself on the receiving end of dislike, even hatred!
My thinking changed and it was needed. The people I once looked down on, which happened to be the Turkish people because I am from Austria and I was raised to dislike them, felt a shift of my mind. I came back from Asia, and just a few months later I accepted a job in Istanbul, Turkey. I arrived with an open mind -and heart- and became friends with people I once didn’t want anything to do with.
Trump, and more Trump. How does it make me feel?
I believe in our justice system, even though it hasn’t always given me much to continue believing in. I know the rich get away with things they shouldn’t. Not because our law treats them differently, but simply because they have the money to hire great attorneys, and by doing so they can stretch all legal struggles to the absolute maximum.
The equivalency I have in mind does only exist in theory.
While most of us normal citizens who work hard for our money would be forced to take one of the worst things the American justice system ever came up with -the plea deal- the rich and richer can afford the best legal representation for months and years.
I believe in innocent unless proven guilty! But I also believe in evidence!
I watch and read the news on both sides, as painful as it often is -and believe me it is- but I still try to be informed my way -which is all the way.
What do I tell my friends? How do I feel?
My dear friend,
thank you for your message. I am not sure what to say. I know many all over the world are celebrating the indictment of Donald Trump, and to a point, I am relieved as well. If I would have done what he was charged with, they would lock me up and throw away the key. I would be arrested as a spy and would be charged accordingly -as an enemy of the state, an enemy of the country.
Is Donald Trump better than me? Should he be treated differently because he is not just a celebrity and a Billionaire but also an ex-president?
I am watching him being treated differently already. He walked into the government building in Florida and came out and to campaign the same night, then he went home. If it would be me they would have not given give me my freedom back.
My mugshot would be taken and probably published, while there is none of him. That already bothers me, the obvious diverse treatment. But then I remind myself, we are not a banana republic -yet. We treat him with the respect we give all ex-presidents.
I feel sad. It’s a heartbreaking day for the United States of America.
The truth is my thinking hasn’t adjusted. I still have the same mindset I had so many years ago before everything in this country (and across the globe) changed.
I don’t want our leaders to be just equal. No! I want them to be better than I am. I want them to lead by example and rule accordingly. I want them to be wise, show mercy, and lead for all -not just for some. I want them to be kind and strong.
I want to look up to our leaders, yet I can’t do this anymore.
Democracy is an honor system. That’s something so many seem to forget, yet so many of our elected officials don’t have honor anymore, most of them want power and the money that comes with it.
We, the people, the voters, often don’t have much honor anymore either -and how could we? We follow their example. If they can lie, so can we! If they can cheat, so can we! If they are rude, so are we!
So, seeing the citizen Donald Trump being arrested, fingerprinted, and charged gives me peace, while on the other side watching an ex-president being arrested, fingerprinted, and charged pains me.
It also scares me.
His behavior scares me because if he reaches the wrong people -again- then some might follow -again- his call to violence. It’s always the innocent that pay the ultimate price. Don’t we know that by now?
I wish I could go to bed and tomorrow morning this all would be just a bad nightmare.
This is America!
Is it still my America?
Perhaps it was always just a dream and I woke up?
Your friend
The truth is it’s not just Donald Trump who is on trial, but also our justice system is on trial and it’s being tested.
Will it hold up?
Yes, it will!
Perhaps one day even honor will come back.
It gets easier and easier to be disillusioned by the greed and power hungry side of politics. I still love my country but I weep for it. I completely agree that our leaders should lead by example… they are setting some pretty awful examples lately. Great post Bridget!
Thank you Leigha. I am always relieved when I know I am not the only one who feel that way.
You’re welcome.
I suppose money and the law works the same everywhere.
I love the sign in the final image. You make some valid points here about the legal systems and money. I guess things haven’t really moved forward all that much for feudal days in certain aspects. Leaders should be beyond reproach and set an example. Also the police force i.m.o.
If the judiciary becomes a tool of politics to destroy political opponents, then that is the end of democracy…
Law has been used as a tool against Trump by his opponents throughout his presidency and since then. And they don’t care about appearances either… I’m not interested in judging… but the USA is not the old one and as an outsider I don’t expect anything good.
One can only hope that Trump finally will feel the consequences for his actions. I assume that’s what we all agree on, or did I misunderstand your comment?
It’s all very difficult. I personally think he’s an awful person, and certainly was an awful president. There are other words I could use, but you’ll have to use your imagination. But every time we have an ‘event’ like yesterday we have to hear about every single little detail all day long. (I turn the TV off but husband is a political junkie and turns it back on.) It sort of fires up his supporters again. I’d like to just ignore all of it and let the system deal with him without all the hype. I’m afraid he’s going to turn into a martyr if he gets sentenced to time, and I’m afraid he WON”T be sentenced to time…so I’m back to it’s all very difficult.
He is not a politician, but rather a cult leader so it seems. I don’t think the hard-core Trump ‘fans’ can be considered normal voters. They are not interested in facts or the truth, the follow blindly wherever he might lead them, even if it might be into the abbys.
Fully understood, Bridget
I will stand with you. I hope America has a chance to heal but the wound was pretty bad, is pretty bad. But like you, I believe the positive will outweigh the negative and peace will reign again.
Well written. You are right, our leaders should be better than us, but even on this there is no consensus anymore. Crooked or bat-shit crazy are no longer disqualifiers for holding a public office, sometimes the opposite.
It is with a heavy heart that I read your post today.
I know! 🙁
Bridget, I hope you’ll consider looking into getting this piece more broadly published. Maybe an Opinion in a local newspaper. Your ability to share from the perspective of conversations with international friends adds to the weight of your opinion.
You are speaking for so many of us. Given how much I have loathed the behaviors of this man I might have previously thought I’d be relieved, maybe even a little gleeful, that he is being charged. Instead, I grieve. The divisions in our country are only going to widen, and there’s nothing to celebrate. I don’t need to say more, as you’ve said it absolutely perfectly. Thank you, Bridget. I’m sure it took some time to write, and I am glad to read it on this very heavy day.
Oh, you are so sweet. Perhaps I should give it to the down ‘right’ right newspaper here in Columbus 🙂
Like you, I thought I would feel relieve only and my negative feelings and my sadness surprised me a bit. It’s like grieving for the country I chose to make my home. It’s no longer existing and I have to accept it as a fact.
Be kind to yourself, Debra.
No one should be above the law, and it should be equality for all. Sadly, it seems, that is not the case anywhere in the world. Money, and power, seems to win every time!
There are places where equality for all can be felt more and is practiced better. In the Scandinavian countries, New Zealand, Australia and interestingly enough in many parts of Germany.
May I make one correction of something that is so often misquoted?
We have a presumption of innocence here. That means we are innocent UNLESS proven guilty, not UNTIL. If we are innocent until proven guilty, that is a presumption of guilt, only by a matter of timing.
I do presume guilt here as a matter of fact nobody I have listen to so far has even dared to say he is innocent.
Oh, I’m not saying that at all! I’m just saying that our legal system has a presumption of innocence UNLESS proven guilty. Everyone gets that phrase wrong, they say a person is innocent UNTIL proven guilty, which is a presumption of guilt that will be proven. It’s just a pet peeve of mine that everyone gets the phrase wrong.
Personally, I am sure he is guilty, but I’m not sitting on that jury nor am I part of the legal process.