Dung Beetles, Vietnam and Donald Trump

By Anna Von Reitz

Dung beetles are fascinating creatures.  They collect feces over the course of their entire lifetime, and carry it around in a big, ever-expanding sack on their backs.  If any bird eats a dung beetle, they are in for an unpleasant surprise.

There are human dung beetles among us--- people, who, for whatever reasons, carry around every injustice and slight and misfortune that occurs to them in a big invisible sack on their backs.  Some even go so far as to reach back in history for injustices and injuries and losses that were suffered by their great-great-great…..grandfathers. 

All of us do this to some extent, even unconsciously, as on the day I found myself sitting in the middle of a relief committee meeting sorting donated baby clothing for wildfire victims, shouting and raging about LBJ.  I had carried forward hatred and contempt ever since Vietnam and not even been aware of it, until it suddenly erupted and the power of the unexpected emotion swept me away and left me weeping in the parking lot.

Now comes Donald J. Trump, making ready to lead a gigantic, out of control governmental services corporation calling itself “E Pluribus Unum the United States of America” (Incorporated).  Even though I have often remarked that if the federal government behaved as a well-run business it would be tolerable, I find myself not daring to hope for that result. 

Once again, the “dung” of the past is being carried forward.

Once again, I have to admit that my own cynicism and experiences in the past with other nascent administrations is coming into play and my venal instinct is to criticize every questionable appointment and second-guess the motives behind every move Mr. Trump makes. 

He’s not even in office yet, and I am peering with a jaundiced eye over his shoulder, wondering whether or not anyone even remotely connected to his staff actually reads the suggestions that the American people are posting on his https:/www.greatagain.gov/ website?   

Or is it business as usual, give the people something to do, make them feel like they have a voice when they don’t?  Who knows? 

So often there have been promises of reform without result, nobody can blame anyone for being jaded--- but I do blame myself, because I know that hanging onto the past can ruin both the present and the future.  It can leave your whole life as a bad taste in the mouth, and I am not willing to accept that result for myself or anyone else.

We have to let go of the past each and every day and embrace each day’s newness.  We have to lift up our Will to make this a better world and thank God for all the beauty and mercy that exists.  And despite all our negative prior experiences, we must remain open to hope and have faith in what can be, if we make it so. Have to.

Today, I am letting go of my burdens and grief and disappointments.  Today, I am not even caring if Donald Trump and his staff read the comments and suggestions on how to make America “Great Again”.  It is enough that I and so many, many other people are thinking about and taking action to restore America and make this truly the land of the free again. 

It is already the home of the brave.

Once the American people shoulder their responsibility to govern themselves, the job will get done and be done well.  The federal government corporation and its managers will have no choice but to hear the call and obey—or lose their coveted position to new service providers. 

It is a simple enough proposition if we see it clearly and treat it appropriately. Donald Trump, unlike Barack Obama, has a solid history as a business executive and manager. Despite his enormous ego, he knows and admits the necessity of keeping his customers happy.  And we are his customers. 

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