I still loved America when Joe Biden was president.
I disagreed strongly with him. I opposed almost all of his policies. I thought most of the things his administration did were damaging to the country.
But here's the thing: I never stopped loving America.
You see, America is bigger than her government.
America is not Joe Biden.
America is not Donald Trump.
America is not Congress.
America is not the bureaucracy.
Governments come and go. Administrations rise and fall. Politicians make mistakes, abuse power, pass bad laws, and sometimes do genuinely terrible things.
But America is bigger than any of that.
It’s the culture, the people, the communities, the traditions, the freedoms, the churches, the charities, the families, the businesses, the neighbors who help each other when disaster strikes. It’s the idea that free people can govern themselves and build something better. (And disagree while trying)
A president can damage the government.
A Congress can damage institutions.
Neither Biden nor Trump can destroy the spirit of America unless we decide to surrender it ourselves.
If your love of your country depends entirely on who occupies the White House, then what you love isn’t really your country. It’s a political administration.
I loved America under Biden. I love America under Trump.
I’ll still love America long after both of them are gone.
De Niro: I hate to say it, but loving our country is starting to sound like an abused spouse saying they love their abuser.
I can’t love a country that starts stupid and inhumane wars, killing thousands of innocents and indirectly causing the deaths and suffering of millions more.
I can’t love a country that takes healthcare away from millions of people and uses that money to enrich their pals in the Trump-Epstein class.
I can’t love a country that sends out masked militias to shoot citizens in the streets, torture our neighbors, and separate families.
I can’t love a country that’s led by a racist, misogynist, xenophobic tyrant.
And let me just say it: I can’t love a country that’s led by Donald Trump and his sycophant Congress.