Yes, the unhinged lure of the freedom to exploit without restraint has morally crippled the national culture. This was fixed as a stereotype by the conquest of the west and the publicized freedom to take the lands of the indigenous population who were declared savages with no rights. Millions were able to gain wealth by militarily subsidized theft. After the native populations and cultures were decimated immigrants, who had came drawn by the same lure, became objects of exploitation until their turn came with newer immigrants. But the Civil War against slavery allowed the poorest whites to claim and tenaciously lock a choke hold on African Americans within their reach. They demand that right still and the dogma of freedom as the right to exploit someone, even if it produces nothing but permanent poverty for all, is at the core of the national consciousness.

The cherished memory of small town honor, respect, and patriotism was always a thin veneer covering hatred justified by ever coarser religion with festering racism under that. Generation after generation indoctrinated with exploitation as the object of freedom and greed, finally, as the only virtue has lost all connection to anyone but immediate family. Everyone else is a threat to their right to steal or has already taken plunder they don’t deserve. The logical failure of this has forced logic to be hated and denounced.

This is a minority and only a minority but that minority is a cancer surrounding the heart of America. Trump shows that the facade has been stripped away and no hint of shame remains. I don’t think there is any real chance for change but that distortion of freedom, producing all consuming greed, must be removed. If it can’t be removed it needs to be isolated and abandoned. It has already consumed the executive and legislative federal structures and the judicial is being eaten. Only the sanctuary states and cities remain as places of hope.

Let’s not wait too long to close the gates.