I went to see Cabaret last night.  I was excited and giddy, not just about the show, but honestly to get away from the political atmosphere for a bit.  I must confess that I had never seen the movie or show before, but as a dance mom, I feel like I know the soundtrack by heart so I was looking forward to a wild, racy time at the theater.

I was wrong.

I was made to think.

It was interesting that a show that in many ways was about social freedoms being slowly taken away would be playing in my town this weekend.   As the character Herr Schultz, the Jewish Fruit vendor, kept proclaiming that he was German and this Nazism would pass, I kept thinking about our current political climate.  How many people are thinking, this will pass…it’s just politics…nothing will happen.

And, of course, there were the songs.  “Money, makes the world go around…A mark, a yen, or buck, or a pound…is all that makes the world go around,” I know it’s cynical, but how on target are those lyrics?

The end of the show was so unnerving that I truly had a hard time sleeping.  I loved the show; it just upset me.  Stories of that nature do. 

So this morning, as my usual, on the way to work I listened to Morning Joe.  I love this program because I think they try really hard to present a balance viewpoint and offer a healthy political debate.  As the hot topic was the border closing, it wasn’t going to get my mind off of Cabaret  and it’s chilling prelude to the Holocaust. The guest on my way in to work was Sean Spicer, and he offered and explanation about the border closing this weekend.  He said [and I’m simplifying this statement] that if inconveniencing 109 travelers meant keeping just one American safe then it was worth it. On the surface that is reasonable.  However, there is a problem with this argument. 

Most of the terrorist attacks committed on US soil have been committed by US citizens, the exception is the Ohio State incident last fall, which was committed by an immigrant.   If our new administration REALLY wants to protect Americans and keep Americans safe, then I would suggest they look into what has caused 120 times more American deaths than terrorism on American soil and that is firearms.  Seriously, look at the chart below.  I am not making this up.  This is not fake news.  I am all for our constitutional rights and all for the second amendment, but I think our founding fathers would agree that some restrictions are necessary when it comes to keeping our citizens safe.  If a license is needed to drive a car, then why not to own a gun?  I know the arguments already [the criminals will have them anyway …blah, blah, blah].  Well, people drive cars without a license and then they have to face a consequence.  The same could happen with guns.  I’m just saying, if this whole issue of closing our boarders is about making our country safer, I think maybe our leaders and their followers should take a closer look on the inside before being so judgmental about what is on the outside.

I think it’s time for those of us who are reasonable, those of us who can compromise and who are normally quiet to start asserting ourselves into the conversation.  The majority of us, I think, probably feel like neither political party completely represents our views in whole and just vote for the who we think will do the least amount of damage.  I think we deserve more. 

In the meantime, I’ll close with another thought from Cabaret:

“What good’s permitting some prophet of doom?

To wipe every smile away

Life is a cabaret, old chum!

So come to the cabaret!”

What is our Cabaret going to be?