Life in the Box: Flagging Our Concerns
As we enter the third year of being terrorized by our Orange-faced President, it occurred to me that I go through stages of alarm, sort of like the years following the September 11th terrorist attack. Maybe we should think about having a color-coded system that alerts us to what crisis the President might be inclined to unleash upon the nation that day.
For instance, if he’s about to siphon off more national secrets to Putin, would that be a Red Alert? I guess Russia isn’t Communist Red anymore, it’s an Oligarchy, so I’m not sure if that has its own color. Let’s say Orange for now because it begins with an “O.”
If Trump is about to end Medicare, that would be a Purple Alert—poisonous to both Republicans and Democrats.
A pretend emergency at the Mexican border would be an Olive Alert—military colors.
And ending all environmental protections would of course be an Anti-Green alert? Once again, this is a difficult one because the “opposite of Green” is Red on the color wheel. Too many reds?? Green with a diagonal line through it?
The filling of judicial seats with unfair judges would be a Yellow Alert—color of stepping on banana peels and falling down.
Not funny like a clown stepping on a banana peel, more like a mortal head wound just waiting to happen, or like a minefield that looks okay but can kill you. When courts aren’t fair, they are the source of corruption and the beginning of an anti-private-citizen regime. Really bad!
Under-the-table financial dealings with other nations that determine American policies, like to Saudi Arabia, would be Greed-er-Green. Can you mix the colors on this one? Blood Red and Money Green for the blood of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on Saudi hands?
The canceling of important treaties around the world would be Black– for shoe leather stomping on all logic and reason. And deep grief.
The inflaming of white nationalists and hate crimes would be a hood of White. Also includes anti-transgender policies and so on.
Writing policies that incriminate women for birth control practices and abortions and miscarriages would be Blue– the face color of women holding their breath for long periods of time when men like the President and Vice President don’t listen.
I know that’s a lot to remember, and I’m sure I’ve missed a few. The Criminal in Charge of America has taken many actions that are alarming. There are so many colors, we would need too many flags for our signals–would a color wheel work better? Maybe one that spins to help emphasize the warning of the day?!
Perhaps it’s a bad idea, anyway. Just like after 9-11, we are in high alert so often that the color-code may only add to our terror. The September 11th color-codes were dropped in 2010 because they didn’t empower us to take action.
4.2.7
What actions do we need to take now to cancel or repair or stop the damage in our own highest levels of government? No matter the color code, there are a few actions we can repeatedly take. They may not feel like much, but as small steps are taken by many of us, our collective actions have made a difference already.
1. Vote for Democrats. Volunteer and work for candidates and/or the party. Sorry to say, Democrats are the only ones willing to oppose criminal and bad practices of the President. I wish Republicans would, stand up for us too. But this is a no-brainer after these first two years of Republican obstruction of justice.
2. Protest with others at your state and local levels. There are many local and national groups standing up for clean water, health care, immigrants, voters’ rights, and so forth. Pick one. Go!
3. Write and call your representatives. Visit their offices and talk in person.
4. Write and call newspapers and other media. Subscribe to them to help keep media investigations viable.
5. Pray. It can’t hurt. It could help.
6. Meditate or take deep breaths. Then try talking with “reasonable” moderates and friends. Use facts. Try to get them to stop listening to “conservative news” sources. These sources have become fact-free rants against all that’s good and are promoting all that’s bad. Honestly, these sources are how we got this President to begin with. Ewww!
7. If you are an artist, use your creative powers to enhance what’s good and decry what’s bad. Make memes based on facts. Create bumper stickers and give them to friends. Have bake sales. Donate to the ACLU and other non-profits that are helping Americans fight this plague.
Maybe there’s a flag I could make that raises Americans’ hopes. The flag of Robert Mueller, super-hero investigator. He’s got all sorts of criminals already confessing; more to come. The future of our country feels like it’s in his (capable) hands. If there ever was a time we needed a superhero, this is it. We hope his work will help us revive our faith in the ole’ Red White and Blue!
Nancy Heather Brown is a retired, Emmy Award-winning television producer whose career has included interviewing, writing, narrating and editing for a span of four decades. Today, she enjoys learning new things and reflecting upon the creative process and life issues, both inside and outside the box. Her opinions are her own, and are not necessarily those of this web site.
2010 NY Times article referencing dropping color codes for terrorism attack likelihood
Food and Water Watch Organization
National ACLU (there are also State ACLU organizations doing good work!)
Article about the “Real Border Crisis” by ACLU
List of Russia-Related investigations as of end of 2018
Good “map” of Trump and Russia related investigations
William Morris clip art used in this article–from Dover Publications
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