Ah, the antics continue in the theater of American politics where everyone seems to have a preference for melodrama over maturity. President Trump, always the showman, has thrown another curveball into the mix by signing an executive order aimed at those who desecrate Old Glory. He has suggested a year-long jail stint for offenders. He strategically crafted it as a hook, daring Democrats and other like-minded individuals to take a fiery stand. Trump’s order doesn’t exactly send people to the slammer just for torching the flag—it seeks to mete out additional penalties to those indulging in other crimes like rioting in the process. In a fascinating display of consistency, the headlines scrambled to frame him as some sort of dictatorial monster for daring to defend the symbol of the nation.
As if the script couldn’t get any more entertaining, we have yet another daring executive order in action, this time to purge roadways of distracting political murals and symbols, led by none other than Secretary Shawn Duffy.
In a strikingly ironic twist, as white folks across the nation muster the courage—and, in some cases, legal assistance—to stand up against discrimination, another movement that once called out for privacy seems intent on painting cities in kaleidoscope shaders. It’s a curious game we play, where equality is championed yet evaded, and common sense is often ridiculed as antiquated. But fear not, dear readers, because much like Superman returning from Kryptonite’s embrace, sanity is gradually re-entering the room, throw pillows and sanity pillows in tow.