It’s Actually the Fight for the Future of our Country
Trump is digging in about his 5.6 billion-dollar border wall that he must have or he will lose everything: his base the support of the right-wing, and all hope of surviving impeachment, which he rightly fears is coming. The wall need not be concrete anymore, but Trump’s thinking is extraordinarily concrete. What he is actually in need of is a way to shut out or provide a barrier to his ever growing fears. He is trying to feel safe as he is losing his grip on power and his ability to keep his dirty secrets hidden. The wall is his “Alamo-like” last stand way to keep back the deepening internal fear he feels bubbling up as his power fades and his investigators gain momentum. That symbolic wall he needs has taken on a physical form because Trump is totally un-psychological and so are his followers and the right-wing pundits urging him on. They are acting out their fears of the “other” and the future in a transactional way. For Trump followers, this is a wall against the inevitable browning of America and a future for our country that could re-engage and participate in global activities, welcome diversity, and insist on equality.
Nancy Pelosi has said that the wall is “immoral”. What is immoral is that the wall represents a shutting out and a fear of the “other”, the “alien,” a multicultural, diverse America, a fear of the future. Pelosi stands for the progressive, democratic diverse side of the battle we are in for the soul of our country. She is not only not afraid of the change coming in our country, she welcomes it.
On Wednesday I was struck by the image of Nancy Pelosi, like Lady Liberty, welcoming all the children in the House to join her at the podium for the swearing in ceremony. This was such a compelling visual image. These children were there to see their mothers and fathers sworn in. They were every skin color- brown, black, yellow, white. All were enthusiastically welcomed by Pelosi in a deeply touching moment that, for me, symbolized the potential future of our country- a way forward for everyone and a chance to be all you can be in a country that re-affirms democracy and rejects Trumpism.
We are in a fundamental ethical, moral and deeply resonant fight that is in fact symbolized by the border wall. The wall has taken on a life of its own because of what is stands for in the narrative each side profoundly cares about. The majority, about 60% of the country, supports the Pelosi vision, I think. About 35% support Trump’s vision.
Pelosi is leading us towards the country we could have that is wall-less, open-minded, ready to move forward and welcomes the future which could be multicultural and global, tolerant and accepting, where you get ahead based on your abilities and hard work not your skin color or gender.
Trump’s wall stands for a fortification to maintain the past and keep out a future envisioned to be a nightmare by a group of people who are terrified about a world in which they have lost a presumption of power based on skin color, male dominance and/or birthright status.
The reason the wall is such a hot button issue is because it is deeply resonant with the collective unconsciousness of both sides in this battle for the soul of our country. This IS the hill that Trump and his followers are ready to die on. And this is the hill that Pelosi and the Dems are willing to fight for to the bitter end.