Response to American Philosopher

Hi again, A.P.

At the end of our last correspondence American Philosopher asked:

“So here is my only question to you: Do White, heterosexual, Christian Americans not deserve or are allowed dignity?”

I reply:

Much like you, I strongly believe that a large majority of our thoughts, beliefs and behaviors are determined. From years of working with people I have come to believe that we all have three powerful influences in our lives: our genetics, our families and our communities. These things build a strong lens through which we all view the world. This lens develops early. It can change gradually over time, as our experiences expand, or it can be disrupted by a major, life-altering event, but, for the most part, it is very durable. We all tend to seek experiences, information and people who reinforce our way of life. It’s much more comfortable to live that way.

Through my family, early schooling, meeting many people, and an expanded education I have become comfortable with a very basic guideline for moral and ethical decisions. It is probably very familiar to most people:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all [people] are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

In my world view, I apply this principle to every living person, not just the citizens of our country. I believe that in the world we now live, all of our lives are tightly interconnected and that the exploitation of any person, or group of people, hurts us all, socially, morally and economically.

As you say: “the rest is just definitions and clarifications.”

Trump and his administration has systematically offended, attacked and made more fearful, the lives of gays, transexuals, Mexicans, Muslims, Immigrants, African Americans and handicapped people. He attacks anyone who questions him. Sometimes he has used the usual euphemisims, sometime he has tried to deny that he said what the tape shows he said. But the message is clear, America is for people like him: rich, white, men.

Illegal immigrants pouring across the border is about the 30th biggest threat to this country. “Radical Islamic Terrorism” is about the 40th. Yet, he blathers on as if the Martians were coming down from the sky. None of this will make us safer, help our economy, or unite this country. I expect that his actions will do the opposite.

The biggest terror threat we face is Trump.

I don’t know who took away your dignity, but I am sorry if you feel that it is gone. To me you seem to be a thoughtful person who has reasons for his decisions, whether I agree with them or not.