The Insult that Shattered American History
Dear companions — What follows was written by Jeffrey Dekro. He is a long-time close friend of mine whose work has included renewable energy, raising money for loans to start Black and women’s businesses, teaching Zohar, the great Jewish mystical text, and raising money for Get Out the Vote in four key states. I think his comments deserve a wider audience for understanding of last week's gross and disgusting insults planned by the Trump-Vance regime against President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. Please register as a member of my Substack if you would like to receive similar material that tickle my fancy or keep me up at night. Register by clicking on RebArthurWaskow.substack.com – AW
The Insult that Shattered American History
By Jeffrey Dekro
Last Friday was a hinge-day in observable American history. It was the moment when the US inescapably and willfully changed course and abandoned its traditional embrace of democracy and justice. Regardless of the many ways in which we have historically failed to fulfill the values of 1776 Philadelphia and 1863 Gettysburg, our publicly shared pursuit of those values was the only set of principles we were proud to claim.
Friday, that all changed. In place of our historical values and our official efforts to implement them, that day was when the US President and Vice President passionately embraced worldwide fascism by brutally ambushing and verbally assaulting and betraying Ukraine in front of the entire world. The publicly enacted beatdown was theatrically performed and cheered on by virtually the entire Republican Party establishment. They gleefully and with slavishly slobbering lust, celebrated a president who himself vigorously and unashamedly Brown Shirted our ally. Although Zelenskyy held his ground, stood up for his principles and retained his dignity, the United States left him, Ukraine, its citizens and Europe bloodied in the ditch of history. This time, there will be no Roosevelt to back Churchill in opposition to Hitler.
There’s no question that Trump and Vance’s duplicitous diplomatic invitation was actually a planned cover for their ritualized performance of political betrayal. Their verbally inflicted violence augurs worse in-the-world killing, pillage and plunder to come. Now, there can be no mistaking that the United States has turned away from any nominal commitment to democracy, defense of liberty, and alignment with historical commitments to justice and freedom.
We are in a new moment that is about to turn into a dark, dank and frightening tunnel of history that winds before us for a period of indeterminate length. Power has now incontrovertibly replaced principle, and and that poses a public challenge to each one of us: Will we accept this or will we resist? Will we hide our faces and look away or will we rebel?
Together, we will need to reflect on what a complete transformation of American historical values has just transpired. A new historical path has just been set and we, in response, must chart our own way on the road, not taken. We must reject fascism and recommit to the struggle to establish fully and for all people, democracy, justice, equal opportunity and legal protection for people and for the planet.
We know what our values are, we know their sources; we know with whom we need to be aligned in order to pursue the causes, commitments and destiny we have always pursued. Because of what publicly transpired on Friday, I now know we will need to go in new directions to restore our old values and commitments.
Shalom and Love,
Jeffrey