Another chilling

day of ICE

fishing for 

some more

excuses

for the

inexcusable

abuses

and killing.

The machismo

guys

in disguise

don’t advise;

they terrorize

as paramilitary 

does.

We have 

no memory

of  such

muscle use

or such

an obtuse

administration.

The arrested

development-

an envelopment

of a city-

is exactly

what we thought

we weren’t:

a deterrent

to humanity.

We have

no memory

of muscle;

we have

an American

story

of old

and new

glory,

opening

doors

and arms,

ignoring

the harms

remaining.

The few

bad apples

here

and there

were rare,

so we thought,

and were 

taught

that we’re

the exception.

Except

that now

we accept

how 

we can fall

from heights

previously

unimaginable.

Our muscle

memory

is specified

to what unified

our glory.

What made

us strong

all along

were our

norms

and our

constitution,

and each

institution

that maintained

and expanded

normalcy

for democracy

without

a paramilitary.

Ironically,

(or maybe not)

climbing

free solo,

Alex Honnold,

the 40 year old,

scaled the tallest

skyscraper

yesterday,

Taipei 101-

streamed

live from

Taiwan,

(which still

wants

to be free

and live 

democratically).

Thankfully

his muscle

memory

succeeded

triumphantly

on live tv.

I like the 

metaphor

for climbing

to heights

even when 

it’s dangerous.

It’s incumbent

upon us

to exercise

and strengthen;

to energize

and lengthen

our muscle 

memory

and ability

for democracy,

and of course,

basic 

human

decency.

That’s what

makes

America

great again

and again

and again.