Batter Up!

The polls are cratering for the President. One shows his approval rating under 40% and his disapproval up to 57%. His numbers versus Joe Biden average him behind by 8%. They are dropping in concert with his response to the people protesting centuries of repression and an apparent disregard for the Covid-19 pandemic. What would the President do to stop the emigration from his support, the sudden exodus that had him hopping mad, so mad he would threaten to sue CNN over a poll showing him trailing by 14 points? It is the most recent poll we have, so it is either a slight outlier among polling or it is documenting an ongoing collapse of Presidential well-wishers, a continuing trend. How would the President stem the tide?

Why, double-down, of course!

Trump went to Dallas today to speak on policing and protest. He stayed almost entirely on script, but that was little comfort for those of us that find his handling of this moment in history disastrous, which it turns out seems to be most of us. When he reads written material, it is most likely the product of Senior Advisor Stephen Miller. When the audience has evolved into a populace concerned over a generational disgrace that has plagued this country since its beginnings, he is probably the last person who’s understanding of this moment should be shared with the public as official policy. His white supremacist affections have been well documented and consistent over a long period of time.

The event was described as a round table discussion on the topic with law enforcement, government officials and the people of the hosting site, Gateway Church, Dallas Campus, one of the largest TV megachurch monstrosities that is wealthy, nearly exclusively white and full of disciples who supported the ideology of Trumpism. Unsurprising, as Robert Morris is the leader of the flock and a member of Trump’s Evangelical Advisory Board. Curiously, the District Attorney John Cruzot, Sheriff Marion Brown and Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall were not invited to the event. Given the venue and the attendees, the event had more of a feel of a rally than a round table discussion. Instead of the three leading voices of law enforcement in the city of Dallas, a small town ally of the President was enlisted as the voice of law enforcement. Police Chief Vernell Dooley of Glenn Heights just south of Dallas, home of 13,000 souls, spoke to the crowd to encourage Trump to support national standards on the use of force and a national database of excessive force and terminations of police officers to eliminate the few, rare “…bad apples.”

As for Trump, he maintained his call for “…domination of the streets…” and intentionally mischaracterized the phrase “defunding the police” as a complete dismantling of the police departments. He waxed poetic on the beauty of seeing the National Guard move on Minneapolis protesters and disburse them with “…tear gas and…other things…”, declaring the gas clouds as beautiful. The Guard had crushed the rebellion “…like a knife through butter.”He warned against broad brush accusations of racism against tens of millions of people. He did share the good news that racial conciliation will be easy and effected quickly.

So that’s handled.

The Democratic state congressional representatives for both Dallas and Fort Worth were also not invited to the event. This was a campaign event, not a presidential one. The backdrop for the President was not stained glass or any other accoutrement of the “holy” venue where it took place, it was a backdrop for Transition to Greatness, the newest slogan meant to mean … well, I don’t know. But it is the new campaign mantra, and this had no intention of healing a nation. This had the intention of activating his base, and it would lead to a fund raiser at the mansion of pipeline billionaire Kelcy Warren. Admission to the event was a minimum of $580,000. Relax. That’s per couple, and you get a free photo with the President. About 25 people were expected for a 10 million dollar take.

President Trump wants everyone to know he’s back.

Friday, June 19th, is an important day in a big part of the African-American community. It celebrates the day that the last African slaves held in the United States heard the Emancipation Proclamation and were freed in Texas.

On May 31st and June 1st of 1921 the Greenwood Massacre occurred. The Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma was a shining example of the immense capabilities of the African-American community when it was allowed to thrive. It was the wealthiest black community in the United States and it was commonly referred to as Black Wall Street. White mobs burned it to the ground, attacking by land and shockingly by air as well in privately owned aircraft. Thirty-five square blocks were essentially leveled. It is generally considered the worst racial violence the nation has known.

Trump has decided to restart his live campaign rallies on June 19th. He will kick it off in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Does this require commentary?

This is why the polls are turning. I believe that. It’s too disgusting, too hateful, too transparent. I need that to be true. I need the worm to turn. I need this to be unacceptable for most of us, and then I need those who find it unacceptable to outlast those that don’t.

That’s my dream. The humiliation rips off the Band-Aid. We show that for some reason we aren’t 1930’s Germany. We stop it. We make a realistic case for exceptionalism with our response right now. The opportunity dangles before us, daring us.

The arc of history is long. We will not get to see how it all turns out. It keeps going with or without us. There will be high moments and low or perhaps even a reset. Interpret that as you will. But it goes on.

Right now is our turn at bat. This is what we do while we are here. This is who we are while we are here. That’s all, and that’s enough of a burden to bear. This is our time.