Welcome to “The Apprentice, Twilight Zone”

I keep having a nightmare. I’m in “The Apprentice, Twilight Zone,” and I just got fired. Sometimes it’s because I’m not attractive enough, and sometimes it’s because I am pro-choice. Sometimes it’s because I won’t shoot an elephant, and sometimes it’s because of my Middle-Eastern heritage. Sometimes it’s because I have a transgender relative. It’s kind of like “Groundhog Day,” but more sinister. When the elevator doors open in the Trump Towers, I find that there is no escape. I will be forced to live in this reality for the next four years, so I turn on the TV and hope for the best. What I view scares me.

Pro-life versus pro-choice is a contested issue. I believe in a woman’s right to choose, but I also believe that abortion should be a last resort, not a method of birth control. I know from personal experience that every precaution to avoid pregnancy including sterilization can be implemented but sometimes fails. I don’t think a women should be forced to give birth to a child resulting from rape, and I don’t think children should be brought into a hostile environment devoid of love or the basic resources necessary for survival.

For some of my friends, including animal advocates, abortion became a big issue in this election. I understand the desire to nurture and protect but don’t understand the rationale behind advocating extreme procreation. We already know that our planet is incredibly overcrowded. We are rapidly approaching a staggering 8 billion humans on a planet that can reasonably support half that number. Entire species are being eradicated on a daily basis, and massive amounts of wilderness and habitat are being destroyed. Consider the fact that we have allowed domestic animals to reproduce to the point that there are not enough homes for them all. Our solution is to kill almost three million adoptable animals in shelters across the U.S. annually. What will our solution be for humans? Maybe “Soylent Green” (an old movie worth watching)? Regardless, we know that intense competition for resources leads to war, so maybe each child born should be equipped with a gun and body armor. They are going to need it.

Donald Trump may pretend that he cares about human life, but I don’t think he cares much about any form of life. If one of his gun-toting, trophy-hunter sons becomes head of Wildlife Resources, I’m sure there will be little regard for endangered species or any other kind of species that share our Earth.

My grandparents were Syrian immigrants. Yep. Syria, not Lebanon, as my mother insisted. Lebanon was not a separate country at the time. Ironically, they were fleeing religious persecution, and ironically, they were Christian. They became legal citizens but endured incredible hardships and discrimination. Most of us are here because our ancestors were immigrants. It seems to me that if we build a wall, it might be hard to distinguish the “rapists and murderers” from those that want a better life and are wiling to work for it. At this point, I don’t know why anyone would even want to enter the U.S. The wall may be useful for keeping people in rather than keeping them out.

Many of my like-minded friends have joined me on “The Apprentice.” They are deeply troubled as am I. Some of us have relatives and/or friends that are LGBT. Yep. We are concerned about their future and the future of generations behind us. They are just gaining acceptance into society. I would hate to think that they are going to have to fight some battles again. People of color may be in jeopardy as well. I doubt that a president who is sympathetic to the KKK is going to be sympathetic to their plight.

I am not a Democrat. I am an independent voter and have voted for Republicans, Democrats, and those affiliated with other parties. I think the two-party system is flawed. I am fearful of the bigotry and hatred that seems to be the basis of the Trump administration. We finally elected Satan or the Anti-Christ (not sure which) to run the country.  We are getting what we deserve. Just saying.

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