Growing up, one of the first things I was taught in school was that the United States was the "good guy wearing a white hat" in world affairs.
Remember that? The world respected us.
Looking back I can see that the US has not always been a good world neighbor, and has done a lot of questionable things internationally.
But...and this is important...we always held the high ground when it came to equal rights for humanity. Our presidents have always led the moral charge against countries that treated their citizens badly.
If there was one thing we stood for it was freedom. Freedom from oppression. Freedom of expression. Freedom of religion. Freedom from fear of being ruled by a tyrant.
Yesterday, the United Nations called upon Trump to halt the practice of separating immigrant children from their families at the southern border.
According to a UN report released today:
America leads the developed world in youth poverty, infant mortality, incarceration, and obesity.
How embarrassing.
Whatever international high ground we had going into the Trump era is now gone with the wind. It's been replaced by protectionism and an assault against immigrants fleeing violent countries in South America.
Trump blames what's happening to immigrants on the Democrats, claiming its their fault, when in fact he gave Session the marching orders to take it to this draconian point. Obviously it wasn't happening until Trump got his fat ass in the Oval Office.
William Spindler of the UN refugee agency said, "The right to claim asylum is a fundamental human right, and it is also part of the law in the United States."
After canceling the United States partnership in the Paris Climate Accords, and backing out of the international treaty with Iran, Trump has managed to put us on an island alone, no longer a world leader...or even a player.
He's busy alienating our allies with ridiculous tariffs that experts warn will hurt the American economy and millions of Americans.
In the span of just over 500 days, Trump has managed to outrage and disappoint our allies throughout the world.
Being reduced to a human rights offender...is the last indignity for once proud Americans whom the world once looked to for leadership.
Time for me to walk on down the road...
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