And I was reminded of the speech which Thurgood Marshall gave in 1992 when he received the Liberty Award. The following excerpt from his speech always reminds me of the reasons why I joined the Navy in service to my country, and why I still believe in the people of this country. I believe that it is even more applicable in light of our current political situation and that we need to take heed of his words once again:

Democracy just cannot flourish amid fear. Liberty cannot bloom amid hate. Justice cannot take root amid rage. America must get to work. In the chill climate in which we live, we must go against the prevailing wind. We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.

The legal system can force open doors and sometimes even knock down walls. But it cannot build bridges. That job belongs to you and me. Afro and White, rich and poor, educated and illiterate, our fates are bound together. We can run from each other but we cannot escape each other. We will only attain freedom if we learn to appreciate what is different and muster the courage to discover what is fundamentally the same. America’s diversity offers so much richness and opportunity.

Have courage and stand tall - Trump’s popularity has already begun to fall, and he will only continue to say and do things which will promote that trend. The mid-term elections are less than two years away. We must remain resolute and oppose the forces which are working to divide us.