By Sam Halpern
In the Hebrew tradition, when a family member dies, first order relatives (husbands, wives, children, brothers, sisters etc.) mourn for seven days (Shiva means
seven) beginning with the day of the deceased’s death. This is the first part of a mourning process which extends to about a year.
I am a secular Jew, and the last of my generation died long ago. With so many gone, for whom would I sit Shiva? That brings me to my country, America. In a way, America is like a beloved family member for me. America took my young parents in, made them citizens, and I was born in this great land. She has given me a home, safety, freedom, a good life. I cannot believe how lucky I have been. My family has risen from sharecroppers to property owners, and in one generation, has allowed one of their children to become a professor at one of the great teaching institutions of the world.
I am America’s child, and I love her so much it hurts. If America dies, I will sit Shiva. I am 90 years old and I have seen so many changes in my country. I have seen intense political arguments arise, violence, racism, poverty, and many other things that a democracy is heir to, all these and more because our system of government, like all human endeavors, is imperfect, because, after all, we are humans.
But for 250 years, we have persevered through one disaster after another because we believed in noble ideas, however imperfectly we have tried to bring them to reality. These ideas, the ones put forth in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution, were still in the midst of flowering, but now have been stopped cold.
No matter how odious our acts throughout our history, those who were aggrieved by our nation’s inadequacies have always been able to hold us accountable under the Constitution, which stood as the beacon to a stronger democracy and a better society.
We have always accepted that America is about its people and that the people will support our Constitution. We felt assured that the three branches of our government
(legislative, executive and judicial) would protect us through their checks and balances.
Suddenly, this constitutional order is being taken apart by the executive branch, unchecked by the legislative and judicial parts of our great government. The laws of the nation are being defied by Donald Trump and those whom he has directed to do his bidding. Americans no longer function as many voices within a constitutional democracy. We have become sheep, driven by this President who believes himself a dictator. An obscenely wealthy oligarchy now tells our people what to think and uses their access to power to plunder the nation’s treasury of material and human resources.
The people – in all our diversity of origins and outlook – are no longer the purpose of America.
Our democracy is rapidly going from greatness to a shadow of what it was created to be. I dread the thought that I will live to sit shiva for this great Constitutional
Democracy.
Sam Halpern is a resident of Point Loma.
Your article touched me in such a special way. Thank you for caring so much and posting.
What an eloquent expression of the despair and sadness so many of us feel as we watch the wanton destruction and plundering of our country. We will continue to resist in the small ways that are left to us and perhaps we will take our country back. Thank you for inspiring us to stand up and protect this country we love.
I agree, a very eloquent expression of the despair and sadness that I feel too, but we have turned this country around before. Just about one hundred years ago we were in the gilded age with the robber barons and the same wealth and income disparity that we have again today. FDR was elected in ’32 and started investing in American infrastructure with subsidies for rural power and water systems. But more importantly, he began to regulate banking and industry. That regulation served us very well up until the time Ronald Regan was elected. Things have gone downhill ever since. My point being that we did it once we can do it twice, even three times if we have to.
What a beautiful, heartfelt meditation on our country and the dire straits we find ourselves in on its 250th anniversary. May we all see better days for our country soon.
I really resonated with your sentiments about mourning for the America we used to know. It’s heartbreaking to see so much division and strife. I often reflect on my own upbringing and how different things feel now compared to those simpler times. How do you think we can begin the healing process? Would love to hear your thoughts! speed stars
Well said. As a parent of young adults, it is sad to me that the current state of affairs is the only environment that they have known. My hope is that we can bring about change so the next generation will see a different America than what we currently see.