CARLTON FLETCHER: The future of America literally hangs in the balance

We dare not leave him to his own devices, his half-witted fans will get out of control. …  I see blood and destruction, our elimination because of one man.

— From “Jesus Christ Superstar”

I find myself thinking in dramatic terms, maybe even overly dramatic, when I think about the condition of America as it nears its 250th birthday.

I don’t want my passion and complete mistrust of the current administration to cloud these words as i try and come to some kind of way to describe the fear I have that our country is headed toward cataclysmic circumstances if our elected leaders do not man up and stop the tyranny of our charismatic president, his inept cabinet and the a$$-kissers in Congress who blindly follow him.

There have been historic instances of more horrifying eras in our country and, indeed, in the world. Before the civil rights movement, black Americans – many of them descendents of slaves who were sold by their own people and brought to this country to work for mostly cruel individuals who “bought” them — were denied all rights and dignities upon which America was supposedly founded.

The Israeli people were held in bondage by Egyptians in Biblical times, and history is rife with whole countries and tribes being used as slave labor by stronger, conquering nations.

And, of course, there is the most inhumane barbarism in the world’s history: the attempted eradication of Jews by Hitler and his Nazi army in what became known — rightfully so — as the Holocaust. Read up on the atrocities perpetrated by these inhuman monsters, and it will invade your dreams at night.

So, no, we are not at a point where America must deal with a complete takeover by someone who would remake the country in his own warped image. But I can’t help but feel we’re edging ever closer, as our president has basically taken advantage of a feckless, gutless Congress, a complicit Supreme Court and a sycophantic – but ever-shrinking – percentage of the population to run amok with the very Constitution that has sustained America throughout its existence.

I’ve heard the sickening response “Our president is doing exactly what we voted for him to do” so many times, I quit wondering at the capacity for ignorance long ago. Did these people vote for the president to:

– Start an illegal war without Congressional authorization that has driven the cost of fuel so high many people can’t afford to drive to work?

– Utilize the complicity of a supposed apolitical Supreme Court to gain free reign to act in any way he pleases without concern of reprisal?

– Create policies that have led to a tripling of the price of groceries and then lie about his actions, saying “the price of groceries is down,” leaving his gullible followers to agree, even as they too pay outrageous prices to feed their families?

– Lie brazenly on so many occasions there’s no need to count because most of the words coming out of his mouth have become lies?

– Tell reporters that he “doesn’t care” about the much higher cost of living because his one goal is to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb, even after declaring on several occasions that that country’s capability to do so has been thwarted?

– Seek $1.8 billion of taxpayer money to pay off criminals who were part of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, claiming they were “targeted,” never mind their treasonous acts?

– Pardon the insurrectionists and other criminals – several of whom paid millions for the opportunity – and set them loose on society to commit murder, child molestation, theft, assault and other criminal acts?

– Tear down national landmarks and push to have them, and other national treasures, renamed for himself, even though such action is against the law?

– Continue to support incompetent cabinet members – Hegseth, Patel, Vance – who have joined him in his quest to remake parts of the country in their images?

– Work, openly and behind the scenes, to corrupt the free elections in the country so that only people who think the way he does can win future elections?

The list goes on and on.

When America elected Trump, many were dissatisfied with the country’s direction at the time. They sought change … and boy did they get it. Instead of questionable government action, though, they traded incompetence for even more of the same, with a huge helping of corruption on the side.

So, no, we don’t know how the reign of terror that Donald Trump has wrought will eventually end up costing this country. But if he’s not stopped soon – by those cowards in Congress or the shameful Supreme Court – we very well could be the last generation of free Americans for some time to come.

And if you voted for this man to do all this, you share the blame and the shame.