The Red Line. It’s a term I feel safe in saying is familiar to most people. They may not know exactly what it means but have at least heard the term. And, no, it does not refer to a bus route. It’s technical but, oh, so much more. On the technical side it refers to some type of monitoring that uses color coding to represent a range of results from desired to damaged. The change from one to the other is usually indicated by a change in color from white or black to RED, hence the term RED LINE. To go past this point is to invite damage and potential disaster. Think of audio monitoring in our stereos or the tachometers in our cars. If we RED LINE either, the results could be potentially.
But it’s also metaphorical. You see, we all have RED LINES in our lives, i.e. things that we will not do or support, no matter what the circumstance. There are other common terms for it too like: MORAL COMPASS, THE LAST STRAW, THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMEL’S BACK, DRAWING A LINE IN THE SAND or REACHING YOUR BREAKING POINT, etc. Whatever the terminology they are just different words with the same ultimate meaning: I will go no further!
So, with that in mind I challenge those who continue to support this President and his Administration asking, where is your RED LINE. When will you have seen enough to know that to go any further invites catastrophic failure?
I can’t/won’t speak for others but I know where mine is with Mr. Trump and have expressed it repeatedly for a long time. As soon as he mocked a disabled, PULITZER PRIZING WINNING journalist I had reached my point of no return, i.e. my RED LINE. I would never support someone so base, so cruel as to do what he did – in front of EVERYONE. Excuses were made. None were valid. His true character had become as apparent to me as was RED LINING my old ’67 Pontiac Firebird Formula 400 in 3rd gear, i.e. SHIFT or GO NO FURTHER!
So, again, with the litany of recent developments, not the least of which is denying medical services for the elderly and infirm, limiting food for hungry children and families, eliminating DEI, revoking of LGBTQ+ peoples’ right to live ordinary lives, gutting Medicaid, sending innocent people to death camps, insulting foreign leaders AFTER they have been invited to the White House, threatening legitimate news organizations/ journalists/outlets, instituting thousands of layoffs of essential government workers, using the Justice Department to attack political enemies and stifle decent, marginalize the Judicial branch, take bribes, failure to achieve peace in Ukraine, or for that matter failing to deliver on ANY of his campaign process BESIDES mass deportations, I ask when WILL it be enough for you? What other actions could be so base, cruel, and so depraved for you to say NO MORE?
The RED LINE is here. Will America respond before it’s too late?
Editor’s note: The views expressed in this article are those of this independent writer and not the Nyack News & Views editorial staff. We welcome submissions from anybody who is interested in publishing their thoughts, ideas and perspectives about issues facing our community, both large and small. Please send to info@nyacknewsandviews.com with detailed contact information.
Photo credit: Frank LoBuono
