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George Mason of Nobleboro is an artist.
Given that we are a sports-minded nation, it’s embarrassing to see a president comport himself so poorly. There is no valor in how he is leaving the field. Whining, making excuses and pointing fingers looks pretty shabby.
As he lashes out, aggrieved and dangerous, commentators speak about humoring the president with time to move through the three phases of loss: denial, rage and eventual acceptance. They talk about him as if he were a patient in need of care.
But let’s be clear. Given that he was repudiated at the polls, this man may try to exact a mighty toll. From his point of view perhaps, the humiliation is our fault. We sabotaged the fulfillment of his vision.
It is likely he will “break” whatever he can as he leaves the building. And he will likely linger and menace from the wings, because he can.
Imagine, even as I write, this president has flagrantly withdrawn from the battle as the virus rages on. His disregard has permitted the carnage to continue. He has even primed millions to believe it’s a hoax!
This is surely the underbelly of how we are intended to Make America Great Again. That slogan sounds so uplifting but hidden at its core is the strident message of division insisting that privilege for whites shall never be displaced, and racial inclusion has no meaningful place at the table.
MAGA has become the new Lost Cause. Consider how we protect self interest by the stories we tell. One consequence of this is a deep seated fear of all those we have left out of those stories due to our self interest. There is a tacit recognition that if the shoe were on the other foot, God help us! We have shown so little mercy or accommodation for the vulnerable and the invisible.
But do those who have been excluded actually want revenge, or simply a fair shake? It will turn out that the oppressed have much bigger hearts than their oppressors. How disarming to be granted some level of forgiveness by those we have pushed down for so long. Can we forgive ourselves?
My letters always seem to circle back to that foundational question: “When will we mend our nation’s greatest wound?” By taking on that responsibility with somber resolve, we could set our sights on a time when we are released from this self-inflicted racial nightmare. Repair is possible. We have all paid such a price for our reluctance to do this work. Must our children be stuck in the same rut?