Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” about a father’s advice to his son begins with the immortal words:
“IF you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you.”
I think that line suggests a basic question the majority of Americans are facing because of the Trump presidency.
How can we – the majority – keep our heads when all about us are people losing theirs and blaming us?
That, of course, is what Trump voters did in 2016. They voted for Trump who was demonstrably unfit and unqualified, but blamed us – we weren’t listening to them…weren’t paying attention to their struggles and hardships…we were too focused on poor people, minorities and immigrants.
They even blamed us for the corruption in Washington and politicians who looked out for themselves instead of the people they represented, so they wanted a so-called “outsider” like themselves who would “drain the swamp” and bring business expertise to government.
No wonder they blamed the rest of us. They were so disgruntled they couldn’t see straight, or think straight. People like that never take responsibility for their actions.
That’s why they have doubled down on their support for Trump. The worse things get, the stronger their support grows.
But they know the truth. Unless they are completely stupid or have no moral character at all, they know how bad this guy is. They know he lies about everything and would sell his children to make a buck if it came to that.
They know their lives have not improved since he became President. They know his ship is sinking and they’re willing to go down with it, refusing to see that at some point Trump will figure out a way to abandon them and let them go down with the ship alone.
It’s all very crazy. Actually, that is exactly the word for it because “crazy” doesn’t only mean not being mentally sound. It also means lacking in reason, being erratic, out of the ordinary, or unusual.
That fits Trump perfectly. He has no reason about him, acts in erratic ways, has no regard for norms and procedures. It also fits Trump Republicans. They are crazy for supporting a man who is crazy.
It’s enough to make most people’s head spin. There are times when I feel like standing on a busy street corner and screaming at people to wake up.
Every day I shake my head in disbelief over something Trump has said or done, something Republicans have not done, or the percentage of Americans (37%) who support the job Trump is doing.
It’s not easy to remember that these people are the minority and that the rest of us who are keeping our heads out number them almost two to one.
I think that is the key to keeping our heads when they have lost theirs.
Those of us who are Christians have had to think this way about evangelicals. They are a minority of the Christian population, but the news media makes it seem like they are the whole thing.
That is the way it is with Trump and his supporters. They are a minority and their leader has a disapproval rating that in some polls is as high as 60%.
What is more, Trump lost the popular vote by three million at a time when he had everything going for him. We now know beyond question that he is unfit and unqualified to be President.
What is more, as he begins his third year in office, for the first time he is being held accountable for his actions and he hates it because he knows the truth about him is going to come out.
That is why I continue to believe he will not run for re-election. He cannot stand being held accountable for anything. Run or not, though, he will be gone in two years.
I believe that because the majority of Americans are in fact keeping our heads.
We have had enough of the sheer moral ugliness that is Donald Trump and which has disgraced and brought shame to the American presidency.
We will give him that message in 2020 just as we did in the 2018 mid-terms.
linnposts.com 
(This is from a friend who tried to post it directly, but had trouble doing so.)
There is a stanza later on in Kipling’s poem that speaks to what you continue to do in your ministry and protest, always speaking truth to power:
“If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools”
You offer us hope and strength at a time of great concern over the absence of reason, integrity, and positive leadership from our current president!
Thank you for that,
Bill Blackwell
As usual well said ! Just reading Mandela’s autobio -keep patient -keep your head – it will come Hope this gets to you. at 88+ not to swift on the computerDick Jones Long retired UCC
Thank you for your comment, Dick. Mandela is the kind of example we need to remember during these troubling and trying days. Good reminder. And thank you for your service, sincerely. Service comes in many forms. And if you know Bob Stout, we have a mutual friend to treasure.
Good one!! I hope you are right. How is Joy?? Hope all is well with you all. Seems you have had lots of snow as reported by the Weather Channels – we have had so much rain that lots of areas are flooded. All the family is fine. Preston home from UT for the weekend – may need to take a rowboat back!! Take care. Love, Gay
Thanks, Gay. We’re fine. 36 inches of snow on the ground at the moment, and expecting more tonight. Winter definitely showed up in MN this month.
Of course so many of us were surprised that Trump won the first time, (with help from his Russian friends,) but I’m mostly optimist that many who voted for him will never do it again. Keep on writing. We need your optimism.
Wilbur, I am not counting on Trump voters in 2016 not voting for him again. They are a waste of time. It’s the anti-Trump vote that will carry the day just as it did in the mid-terms. There are more of us than of them. As long as we vote, we will win.
Oh Jan, how I wish it were true that Trump wouldn’t run again. How could he not with the Russians helping him? I think he’s crazy, but if we look at everything he does and ask: does this benefit Putin/Russia? most of what Trump does makes a little more sense–and is even scarier. What’s most concerning is when Michael Cohen said he thinks if Trump is defeated in 2020, he won’t concede. How’s that? What? Not here, not in the USA! Authoritarian regigm often pretends to be for the people as it gathers wealth, controls and destroys. Please tell me I’m a cynic and I’m wrong. But, that’s what my dad said when the day before the election I asked, “But, what if he wins?” Have our worst fears not come to pass? What have we become as a country? TImes like these were made for prayers and action. I’m trying to find the place for mine.https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trumps-dhs-guts-task-forces-protecting-elections-from-foreign-meddling/ar-BBTz3ml?ocid=sf
Alice, keeping our heads is the hope we have because Trump and his supporters have lost theirs. His win was a fluke, of that I am convinced, and will not be repeated. But I am equally convinced he will resign before his four years are up, something I will write about soon in another blog, There is hope.
Gives me hope.
We are real hope, Alice, those of us keeping our heads. It’s not easy in the face of the daily circus in D.C., but most of us are managing anyway. There is also strength in supporting one another. That is why I keep writing my blog. If it doesn’t do anything else, it may offer encouragement to you and others and your responses encourage me. That is what keeps us going.
Yes, keeping each other going is easily overlooked. Thank you for serving as an example of one who holds hope and faith while willingly grappling with the deeper issues of our time.
Jan, thank you for your optimism. I too have optimism. But, this post accurately depicts the craziness that has permeated “The Great Divide” in America today. You quote Kipling to support your optimism. Here is another quote to support mine: “This too will pass”. But, I feel now that most of us on “our” side of the divide are beginning to feel like Alice Lundy who responded to your post. Trump is still currently protected by the presidency, by 80% of Republican voters, and by the Republican controlled Senate. I believe that there is a good chance that he will run for president again and be defeated by an effective Democrat candidate. Not so sure about the Republicans losing control of the Senate. But, unless he is indicted or impeached while currently in office, I don’t see now, how he would feel compelled to resign. I truly look forward to your next post. It will for sure give me more hope.
John, you are exactly right. This WILL pass. There will be a lot of damage left behind, but we will recover and move on and Trump will likely watch us do so from jail or political exile, or both.