We’re Better Than This ~ Humanitarianism In The Time Of Trump

So much for humanitarianism. I woke up in time to watch the last half hour of Joy Reid’s show on MSNBC this morning only to hear from Rep. Luis Gutierrez that the situation is worsening in Puerto Rico while the White House believes their response has been a 10 out of 10. Instead of waking up and smelling the shitpile they call a response, they’d rather harass a sitting Congresswoman for speaking out about insensitive comments made to a soldier’s grieving widow by the president on the way to meet her husband’s body at the airport.

Just a thought: don’t say things like, he died doing what he loved, or he knew what he was getting into when he signed up when talking to someone who just lost a loved one. It’s insensitive no matter the intent. General Kelly spoke eloquently about the process involved in caring for deceased soldiers and notifying loved ones when a soldier dies on the battlefield along with the words he heard when his own son died. But as I listened to his comments, it struck me that given his own position in the military he would hear such words far differently than might a grieving widow, pregnant with her third child. While it may have been true that her husband knew what could happen, there may never be a time when that can be said without causing her heart to break even further.

And while all of this is going on, Puerto Rico is still without power and water. People are ill and without basic supplies and a dry roof over their heads while the USS Comfort is docked and supposedly ready to help. Is anyone from that hospital ship going through the island, particularly in the mountainous region, to provide medical assistance to those in need? Clearly, a triage situation is necessary so are medical staff leaving the ship to assess residents’ medical needs? Can they take oxygen and clean water to people? Can they take insulin? What about the needs of the babies on the island? Are the medical staff from the Comfort physically on the island? Or are they still on the ship?

What good is FEMA if they can’t fix any of this? What good is our military if they can’t fix any of this? I don’t get it. When did we become this inept? How is Puerto Rico still in this condition and do we need to wait until we have a new administration for any of this to be resolved?

I rarely ask an initial question when I do a tarot reading, but after watching AM Joy I really had to ask, what on earth is going on here? I used a five card spread with the upper three cards giving the general influences, and the lower two card signifying the challenge and the outcome. No cards from the Major Arcana are present so no overarching archetypal influences are present which given the circumstances is surprising, but then maybe the universe wants us to figure this out for ourselves. However, the overall numerology is nine or completion and humanitarianism so let’s look at the cards to see what they say.

Cups, Wands, and Swords are present signifying Water, Fire, and Air or our emotions, will, and intellect. Our will dominates the reading with three cards from Wands possibly indicating a conflict of some kind or perhaps differing agendas. Two Courts cards begin the reading.

The Page of Cups stands next to the water, a fish emerging from a golden chalice in his right hand. Pages represent a youthful person, student, or messages given. Their presence can also indicate the birth of a child. This Page is romantic and chivalrous, empathic and visionary. He pauses to reflect on his quest, the fish reflecting its spiritual nature. The Page of Cups indicates undeveloped potential, imagination, and inspiration, something Puerto Ricans need about now.

Movement, action, and progress are depicted in the Knight of Wands. A Knight and his steed spring into action in relentless protection of those in his charge. He meets challenges with enthusiasm and passion and the willingness to take risks to achieve his purpose. Isn’t that what Americans are about?

Five young men raise their staffs in competition with each other in the 5 of Wands. Their faces give the impression of playfulness but the balance feels off as if they really don’t know what to do. From a martial arts perspective, none of them even begin to protect their vulnerabilities as they wave their staffs about in reckless abandon. This card always gives me the impression of energy that’s going nowhere and accomplishing nothing. Like relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

So if the last card wasn’t enough of a challenge, the 9 of Wands, in the position of greatest challenge, illustrates a wounded man protectively holding his staff looking back at eight more standing behind him. Support is available but it seems out of reach. The 9 of Wands reflects the will to survive and the understanding that we now stand in our own power. There is strength in numbers which supports our determination to survive the battle. Like the folks in Puerto Rico have been doing every day since the hurricane destroyed their homes.

The 4 of Swords ends the reading in the outcome position. Typically indicating a time of respite and retreat to heal one’s mind, that’s not happening anytime soon for residents of Puerto Rico. There’s too much left to do to not become ill and die.

How much more are our American brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico expected to endure? They deserve the respite indicated by the 4 of Swords, to heal and recover from the massive losses they’ve all experienced, yet the guy in the White House is either clueless or he simply doesn’t care. Nothing is a 10 there. Nothing. And at the rate things are going, it won’t be anytime soon.

I guess it’s more important to attack a sitting Congresswoman for standing up for a grieving widow. Or maybe it’s more important to attack the mayor of San Juan when she speaks out on behalf of her people. Because evidently, it’s not enough to attack female reporters for asking necessary questions or to endlessly attack his former opponent for his own failings.

Humanitarianism has always been a hallmark of American consciousness and expression. We go where the need is greatest and we help and then we help some more. I remember seeing accounts of small boat caravans heading to the southern states where the hurricanes hit. They were going there to rescue people trapped in their homes by the rising flood waters. First responders from all over the country headed south whether it was electrical or medical crews, they did what was necessary to help those in need. So why can’t the new guy in the White House, with all the resources at his disposal, do the same?

This is not the time to hide behind self-delusion, the real meaning of the 4 of Swords in today’s reading. It’s not a time to see through whatever pair of rose-colored glasses he wears today because people’s lives are at stake. It’s time to be the Knight of Wands and ACT. The lack of organization of this regime comes at an insane cost to those still recovering from the recent hurricanes particularly in Puerto Rico. There’s more to do and he needs to stand up and do it.

Rep. Gutierrez closed his comments this morning by thanking all of the American people, people, who have sent supplies to assist folks there. Not the government, and certainly not the so-called president.

We’re better than this.

Blessed Be