My father worked in the African Affairs section of the State Dept under JFK and LBJ...

[First Speaker]

...he was the chief assistant to G Mennen Williams, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs...former governor of Michigan, and very nearly JFK's running mate. Good man... In the event, Dad worked hard for years to get African nations to respect the US. He travelled to Africa often, visited the whole continent, at a time when they respected the USA, especially when Kennedy was president. (To this day, JFK is a hero in Africa.) I just haven't been able to get Dad out of my mind these past few days. Everything he worked for, believed in, just being thrown away like discarded trash. By an imbecile. For no reason at all, just to satisfy his racism, and that of his worthless "base". Dad died in 1977, and I'm glad he's gone, and not seeing what this country has come to...

[Ilsa]

1. You, especially, have reason to grieve.

I hate what they are doing to State and the diplomatic corps. Unless some of them return in three years, it willl take decades to rebuild worldwide relationships.

[burrowowl]

2. It probably take years at least

[BowlLikeAChicken]

10. hopefully,

the replacements won't be the smiling eyes-glazed over ideological clone army just graduated from Regents U.

[Laxman]

3. The Putin Dividend...

so much of what is going on today is just noise and fluff. That doesn't mean it isn't damaging-the damage is more or less superficial. This is the real damage that Trump is inflicting and it has to be beyond Putin's wildest expectations from his meddling. The US abdicating it's leadership role in the world and becoming a second rate power. The loss of credibility and moral authority. The squandering of influence and the descent into irrelevance in the world except as a pariah. It's almost like when a person makes a mistake. You spend a lifetime building a good reputation and a single moment can destroy it. We're there as a nation.

I'm guessing you lived an interesting life growing up. I'm hoping you've been fortunate enough to make a difference in the world as well.

[GusBob]

11. It all comes down to Putin in the end

Never ever ever forget he is a KGB agent. This long game he has been playing, a new sort of warfare really, has been a huge success as you indicate.

We lost this war. This is not our America anymore

[politicaljunkie41910]

4. What your Dad did, will not have been in vain. This will all be over one day, (soon please) and

I have no doubt that there will be plenty of volunteers ready to go into the State Dept and give it a thorough house cleaning and restore it to a place where your Dad (God rest his soul) and others like him can once again be proud of. Be ready. That day will come.

[ailsagirl]

5. I believe that, too

What a lovely post

[NBachers]

6. I have to say the same- A lovely, heartfelt, and true post. This is what makes DU worthwhile.

[First Speaker]

7. Thank you. I hope so...

[Ilsa]

12. Thank you. Very upifting post. nt

[Barack_America]

8. A proud Michigander, I enjoyed reading...

...your father's Wikipedia page. Very impressive, and I thank your family for what you've given this state. I do not think you have to worry about your father's work in Africa being undone by a single comment by a man such as Trump.

It may be in error, but that page stated your father died in 1988? I hop this is true and you did have those extra years with him.

[Ilsa]

13. I think the OP's father worked for Mennen who died in 1988.

Perhaps we will get clarification.

[Barack_America]

16. Agreed.

My critical reading skills were apparently not very sharp last night.

Still, the accomplishments of both men are appreciated by this Michigander.

[Ilsa]

17. I get it.

It's a lot to be proud of, even late at night after a long week. Coming from a native Texan "expatriated" to Atlanta Georgia area.

[smirkymonkey]

9. K&R

[bigtree]

14. kudos to your dad

...thanks for sharing this.

[sinkingfeeling]

15. It's the way I feel about 50 years of activism. All the things we worked for:

civil rights, women's rights, environmental protections, the endangered species act, clean air and water, etc. are being destroyed.

[Mr.Bill]

18. Sorry to say even if Trump was gone tomorrow

we will live for a long time with the stigma that there are still 60 million assholes who voted for him living here. One thing we can do to somewhat redeem ourselves in the eyes of the world is don't let him just resign and be happy with that. We must put him on trial and convict him of the crimes he has committed and put him in prison. No deals.