Chasing Marbles

People are angry about what is happening to our country in the past 2+ months since the new administration took office. Thousands of federal workers including veterans have lost their jobs. Funds for Social Security, Medicare, and the Internal Revenue Service have been cut.  The Department of Education will likely be closed down. Federal buildings across the nation have been shuttered. Immigrants who were in our country legally have been deported.  Universities and school districts are being told to eliminate any mention of  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Funding to states for tracking infectious diseases and providing mental health services was cut. And the latest - huge tariffs were imposed on countries that do business with our country, causing a trade war. This is just the tip of the iceberg.  Since taking over on January 20, 2025, the President has signed 111 executive orders. My husband says “It’s like dropping a sack of marbles on the floor and trying to decide which ones to pick up first. “

My very simple explanation is that those who are taking away basic rights from ordinary American citizens have no empathy. They cannot put themselves into another person’s shoes so they just do what they want to without thinking of the consequences for everyday people like us. They don’t care who they are hurting as long as they’re not being hurt. And they’re not. 

But we have empathy, and there is hope. On Saturday, April 5, 20205, millions of people in 150 cities around the country and the world protested as part of “Hands Off!” This was a movement to stop the assault on our government, our economy, our schools, and our basic human rights that our current administration has imposed on our people. “Hands Off” is a unifying message that allows anyone to be a part of this protest. Another one is planned for April 19, and hopefully, the numbers of participants will continue to grow.  (See photos of the event  here.) 

We, the people, need to continue to be involved. We cannot be complacent. We cannot give up. We need to share our message of unity and caring for others. This protest is symbolic of our individuality with a common message that we can all agree on: Hands Off! 

Although we are all individuals with different experiences and backgrounds,  we all share a common goal: to make this world a better place for everyone, no matter their ethnicity, their socio-economic status, their strengths, their challenges, or where they came from. Each individual adds to the richness and beauty of our world, and our actions impact others.  Let’s stop chasing marbles and work together for the good of all.