Alive and Well

Late last month I saw something on Twitter that made me sad.

LOL.

A darling friend from Miami – we went to see Madonna perform during one of the DVD nights of her “MDNA Tour” (so we tight) – was lamenting her teenaged son’s first day back in school, as she noted that Rudy Giuliani’s absurd “truth isn’t truth” culture bait lacked wisdom and should not be mistaken for leadership.

What ever happened to that guy? Once upon a time, he offered comfort and hope to the people of New York City and to their brothers and sisters all over the United States of America. To the world, he showed himself as a capable, caring leader.

That was not that long ago.

And yet.

But, fuck that guy. This is about something bigger than him.

When I read my friend’s tweet, I thought that’s not true, and she and her kid should hear that from me.

Truth matters. Truth is truth. And that’s, well…true. And there are some liars in power and in authority who feel threatened by what’s coming (a world without them). Those fuckers have betrayed everything they once believed in favor of their own interests (or, worse, those of other ill-intentioned people), and for all the trouble they’ve cost they have blamed those whom they see as others, including immigrants like me. For as long as this young nation has been a modern thing. Now they have lied and declared the American Dream is dead.

Well, it ain’t. And that’s the truth because the American Dream for me was to live in beautiful places where I could learn something, do something, love someone, be loved by him, meet friends, eat, see, smell, drink, welcome, whatever. In havens where I could do so feeling free. Feeling safe. In gratitude. Among my new people. My people. Just as those who born me and raised me and saw me through the first half of my life are my people.

Truth is truth. Freedom is truth.

Eighteen years ago, on a different, not-so-distant Tuesday (and yet!), we all got shaken. For a lot of those of us fresh arrivals (sophomore year had only begun, and it all still was like a postcard…), Sept. 11, 2001, marked the day we unofficially became American.

I’ve been in, with, for, and because America.

And that’s truth. Freedom is an American truth. The land of the free (with Lady Liberty as your hostess), right?

So to my friend’s kid I say, I got ya. Ditto to my nieces and nephews (some of whom are American). Be curious, be generous. Then you always will know that truth is truth, no matter what any false prophet has to say.