We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today.

We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.

In this unfolding conundrum of life and history,

there is such a thing as being too late.

Procrastination is still the thief of time.

Life often leaves us standing bare,

naked, and

dejected

with a lost opportunity.

The “tide in the affairs of men”

does not remain at the flood; it ebbs.

We may cry out desperately for time to pause

in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and

rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue

of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: “Too late.”

–Dr. Martin Luther King, April 4, 1967, New York City, NY

Imagine America as a concrete wall. The Constitution, separation of powers, representative government, an informed citizenry, low unemployment, and a formidable military form a strong, dense structure. No foe dares to plow headlong into it, lest they destroy themselves in the process.

Yet, those who would take advantage of it or who wish to see it fall can launch smaller, indirect attacks (authoritarianism and terrorism) which work as hammer blows, chipping away at the concrete over time. Eventually, the wall suffers a fissure from top to bottom, and the nation is weakened and divided. At this point, it’s all over but the shouting.

Dr. Martin Luther King would explain the present existential threats to America as being due to its own recalcitrance in mounting a “revolution of values.” We, the citizenry, have been derelict in our responsibilities. We have been numbed and dumbed for far too long by distractions like Kardashians, competitive singing, and dystopian fantasies. The universe seems to say, “You want games of thrones and walking dead, well, you’ve got it!”

For far too long, we’ve also remained a “thing-oriented society,” as Dr. King called it. We’ve reacted with a colossal shrug to his call for an “all-encompassing love,” and now it seems we’re entering into that dark period when it may simply be too late.

We know of groups that are deeply invested and intent on harming America to the uttermost. Do these groups see a fissure in the concrete wall of our nation? Of course. They have been working, hammering away to make it crack so. Now they see us divided after yet another election where we have dishonored our own democratic principles. If we look at history, a victory for the candidate who got fewer votes has never been a harbinger of good for America.

Because we have held wealth in such high regard and awarded its hoarders with badges of honor, we have failed to discern the dangerous and psychopathic among them. We have lifted them to positions of great power, though they may well be incapable of applying it thoughtfully and responsibly. We would like to point the finger and blame others, but we, the people, have made this bed that we must now sleep upon.

My upcoming novel, ULTIMATE ERROR, is about catastrophe brought on by the collapse of morals and democratic principles in America. Neither money nor wealth ought ever replace the Constitution, but that’s exactly what has happened day-in and day-out. It’s the great American sellout. Will we have to pay the ULTIMATE price?