It is Time for Democrats to Unite

A fresh water pearl mussel can live up to 250 years. They are typically tough creatures that adapt effortlessly to new environments. Regardless, different ecological factors have contributed to a dramatic decline in fresh water mussels. Contaminated seawater, for example, kills off many mussels. But the ones that remain are some of the strongest specimens in the world. In fact, mussels are the oldest living creatures in Europe.

Like the fresh water mussel, our democracy is about 250 years old. Our democracy also takes a beating. Everyday the world puts on a different mask, and our democracy is forced to adapt. In addition, our democracy always prevails. When society changes, our democracy must adapt or it will perish. The only difference between the fresh water mussel and our democracy, is that the luminous pearl sparkling in our democracy is more breath taking than any pearl to ever drop out of a shell.

Civilizations all over the world try to emulate our democracy. Some fail, but those that persevere become shining examples of liberty and justice. Despite their strength and fortitude, a mussel does not live forever. Nor will our democracy.

There is no denying that this presidential race has become more like a circus arena. Say what you want about Hillary and the allegations that her opponents keep throwing at her feet, to absolutely no avail, but the Republican presidential season defies every aspect of what our democracy was supposed to be. What would Ben Franklin say after listening to a Trump speech?

These are the candidates that were running to be our president.

Huckabee: Poor people should be sold into slavery for stealing.

Cruz: People who believe in climate science are “flat earthers.” I’m Galileo.

Rubio: Rape victims should be forced to bring their pregnancy to term.

Trump: To defeat ISIS, we need to kill more women and children.

Jeb: “Hell yeah” I would kill baby Hitler.

Jeb: I’m not sure we should spend half-a-billion on “women’s health issues.”

Cruz: Black Lives Matter protesters are “literally suggesting and embracing and celebrating the murder of police officers.”

Carson: Syrian refugees are like “rabid dogs”.

Trump: Jews are not going to support me because I don’t want their money.

Paul: Income inequality is due to rich people “working harder”.

They keep drilling into our heads how our President is a terrorist, and how terrible our country is. Donald Trump’s slogan ‘Make America Great Again’, implies not only that Trump will improve our country, but that it needs to be improved. This is wrong. America is the greatest country in the world, because of our open borders.

Republican politicians that endorse Trump are endorsing the vicious throngs of white supremacists that also endorse Trump. The fact that the person in charge of a presidential nominee’s social media, is checking out popular anti-Semitic websites, is horrifying.

If our democracy was a fresh water mussel, then our pearl would be Lady Justice. She ultimately rules our country of law and order. The blindfolded woman with the scales of justice dangling from her hands, assures the accused that they will be innocent until proven guilty. She also presents the immigrant with a new beginning. She is blind, so she rules everyone equally. She provides a voice for those that can’t speak. She is the pearl sitting in our democracy.

The Republican under Donald Trump contradicts Lady Justice. This special breed of Republican vows to keep immigrants out of our country, prevents science and education from blooming, confuses religion and politics, forbids people that love each other from getting married, and is more loyal to special interest — like gun lobbyists — than the people who elect them.

It seems that Democrats have united behind Hillary Clinton. Bernie Sander’ revolution was quashed in a few swift chess moves, orchestrated by Obama, Hillary, Joe Biden, and Bernie.

“I look forward to meeting with her in the near future to see how we can work together to defeat Donald Trump and create a government which represents all of us and not just the one percent,” Sanders said.

Sanders has become the hero of the Democratic Party. For his decades long political career, he stood on the sidelines and made a lot of noise. Now, he will be listened to. His vision of a more liberal America is what his supporters found so attractive.

Hillary has already woven some Bernie platforms into her own.

When this election started, Republicans tried to dismiss Sanders as a crazy Socialist. It worked on lots of uneducated Republicans, who were so petrified of that word that begins with an S, that they never realized that many policies we use like Social Security, welfare and education spending were rooted in Socialism.

We must unite and defeat the growing army of Trumpkins.