He was a good man, he loved his daughters, each of us, my mother would add, as she gently brushed aside a small but significant tear, which always seemed to fall from her right eye, the same but different. My father, your GrandPa Max, wanted to be a father, and understood, all of the responsibilities; never ever refusing any of them. I knew my Grandpa Buncher, I remember well his shock of thick white hair, the gold half dollars he would provide us on special occasions, and the silver half dollars, just because he always wanted his grandkids to have enough when the rainy day becomes a flood. My son had about two years to be hugged, kissed, and spoiled by his Grandpa Howard. The pride in my dad’s face was not only BIG, but I could almost see every single emotion of joy sparkle and shine. My daughter had my fathers name, and stories of glorious moments, magical dreams, but never the opportunity to have had one kiss or hug.
Fatherhood, I had no idea how complicated it could be when indeed I became the dad. It was complicated in a positive way, as all I wanted to do was to provide unconditional love, guidance, and the motivation and wherewithal for my children, so the life they lived, was full and one they chose to seek. My love for my children is unique and yet the same as many. Maybe there are differences in how you love, why you love, and depth by which you love, but love seems to be the common denominator, and the ability to love a gift. To ever conceive of a world without my kids, or access to my children, or knowing they are free and safe, is a nightmare, and a state of mind, I could not endure.
Stephen Miller happens to be a son, but he also happens to be a far-right political activist and senior advisor for policy for Trump. Stephen Miller has made a life’s profession of hatred for people with brown skin, the Hispanic population, and has great disdain for immigrants even though as most Americans know, but may consider ancient history, his family were immigrants to this nation. Donald Trump is an empty vessel, a useful fool or is it a tool, for Vladimir Putin, and can easily be filled with hateful rhetoric from men like Stephen Miller who somehow have not learned unconditional love, or are so self-loathing, that they always need someone one rung beneath them to feel superior. On this Father's Day, there are thousands of children alone, afraid, separated and sorted as if cattle in cages, to be left to rot in pens and hopefully fade away. Trump has children, Miller has a father, neither man has a heart. What a wonderful gift, this Father's Day could have been for the families, Trump/Sessions/Miller and the majority of Republican politicians decided to decimate, detain and disjoint.
There are so many horrible proclamations, Executive decisions, and policies originated by Trump and his Evangelical Christian and White Nationalist cohorts, no one is worse or less harmful…but being a father, having loved my father, having been loved by my grandfather…I cannot imagine how anyone with a conscience or soul or backbone or even a spark of humanity can live with themselves, as we watch the United States of America create concentration camps for nothing else but political reasons, and tear apart families. To not speak out about this, to not protest this, I believe is a denial of YOUR ability to understand LOVE.
