'The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus'

       

'I could shoot someone on 5 Ave and not lose any voters.'

         I often feel the need to think about and talk about things that are going on in our world that I find disturbing. I have been avoiding most of the national news that seems to be revolving around Trump. I don't find it humorous anymore, I find it revolting. I think if the media starts to ignore the Donald, he may resign. The problem is that the media's ratings are skyhigh because of him. He says whatever he feels like saying at any moment, and then if it's a lie or an exaggeration - it's no big deal. He gets a pass. When he said he could walk down fifth Avenue, take out a gun and shoot somebody and nothing would happen to him, he was right. There is something profoundly wrong with that and even he himself knows it. That doesn't stop him from glorifying in himself and in his 'accomplishments' - such as they are. Let me also say I don't hate Trump or even dislike Trump. I actually feel he's in way over his head and may know it.      

I recently read Marlowe's play Dr. Faustus and I found myself thinking of Trump. Has he sold his soul to the devil for all he's ever wanted? Does it fulfill everything that he's always wanted? He has a beautiful wife and children, is rich, famous and powerful. Is there more to life? What is the meaning of life? For many of it is it is to help others and leave the world a better place than the one in which we entered it. It's my hope that Trump realizes that at some time during his presidency. The pursuit of the almighty dollar is not what this country is about. Americans come in all shapes, ethnicities, religions and sexual orientations. The typical American is no longer a White Anglo-Saxon Protestant and neither are you Mr. Trump, as much as you may try to be. We are a nation of immigrants. Your mom was one. Your ancestors didn't come over on the Mayflower. You never mention your mother who came over here as a domestic servant and who's first language was Gaelic. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3602299/An-uncomfortable-truth-REAL-story-Trump-s-mother-climbed-penniless-Scottish-immigrant-wife-businessman-revealed.htmlDo we want people to like us so badly that we change our identities in order to be accepted? Are we all self- hating teachers, Catholics, Jews, Episcopalians, Blacks, Hispanics, Irishmen, Scots, and Italians because the media tells us that the stereotypes concerning us are the truth? Do we know our own history or do we accept what has been told to us from the media and history books?    

      Trump is our president and he should be called out on the things he says and the way he acts. He shouldn't be held to a lower standard - he should be held to a higher standard - he represents each and everyone of us throughout the world. I was on a plane recently sitting next to, lucky me, a German model, and we had a very long conversation on Trump. She was laughing her head off almost the whole long trip discussing the things he had said and the things he was doing. At first I couldn't help but laugh as well but after a while I started to feel a little upset. (That wasn't her intention, so I took no real offense to her remarks. I am upset that Trump is our president, but that doesn't delegitimize his presidency - he is our president.) We started comparing national leaders around the world to Donald Trump. He's at the bottom of the barrel, so to speak. It was somewhat of an eye opener to hear her views on what others in the world feel about Trump and our country. She was very intelligent and and an excellent conversationalist. Her number one question, over and over again to me was how could Americans vote Trump into office. I had no real answer for her, other than to read Marlowe's, Dr. Faustus.