From Charles Wellington

Monroe

To the Editor:

Lately, I’ve found myself humming John Lennon’s lyrics, “Imagine all the people, living life in peace.” As I think about those words part of me says, “are you crazy?” The world is a very harsh place. We’re certainly not living in peace. Perhaps that’s why Lennon adds the line, “You may say I’m a dreamer.”

Since January 20th, each day’s news brings more absurdity. The president seems intent on destroying institutions that have long benefited the American people. On top of that, his cabinet of loyalists have displayed ineptness in many cases, such as Pete Hegseth’s penchant for communicating sensitive information on unsecure channels and RFK, Jr’s assault on medical science. They all exhibit an allegiance to Trump rather than the Constitution. 

The president’s on again/off again tariff policy is a display of ego flexing while financial and farm commodity markets tumble. Public lands are auctioned to the highest bidder, and we are selling out Ukraine, a country fighting for democracy just as we did 250 years ago. People are being snatched out of their homes and flown to deplorable prisons in El Salvador without due process. In the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the administration has admitted that his deportation was a mistake, the Supreme Court has ordered it to facilitate his return and yet our deal-making president feigns helplessness to bring him back while he, Salvadoran president Bukele and others, laughed about the travesty in the Oval Office. As I wrote this piece, a two-year-old citizen has also been deported. One cannot keep up with the bad news.

What I find most disturbing is the utter cruelty and absence of Christian compassion of this administration. We had a preview of this on Inauguration Day when Trump lambasted Bishop Marian Budde for asking him to exercise compassion, a reaction that hardly reflects the Christianity I was taught.

Still, I am cautiously optimistic that the fiber of this country, although seriously frayed, will not tear. Perhaps we need to see more clearly what we are losing before the tide turns. John Lennon admitted that he was probably a dreamer. However, he added, “but I’m not the only one — I hope someday you’ll join us — And the world will live as one.” That is the key. If we dream together, we can keep this country truly great.