I am a 12th-generation American in my male surname direct line, and three additional generations already follow me. The latest (15th generation) is toddler Claire who is half-Korean and 1/4 Jewish and thus helps get the Camfields into the ethnicity-inclusive society that will be the salvation of the world. My wife’s and my genes are now in a definite minority—but they will be in there doing their bit long after we’re gone. Claire and her parents will be settling soon in Oregon, an exemplary standard-bearer state in a forward-moving world. 

My little great granddaughter might be from a sort of country Donald Trump chose to describe with scatological vulgarity. No matter; he’s just a wayward wart on human existence for the moment. I am counting on Claire to carry forth the evolved virtuous conscience of humanity and help rid her and our America of the influence and effects of Donald Trump sorts. I have a grandson (first cousin, once removed, of Claire) born in Thailand also, Donald, and I expect he’ll be in there, as an American through parentage, opposing any attempted Trump royal line usurping command over his, the rest of our family’s and our society-in-general’s  democracy.

Joseph Camfield, my great, great, great, great, great grandfather was a Massachusetts compatriot of the nation’s historically recognized founding fathers, including Tom Paine. I often choose Paine as my personal hero of our early democracy because of my own lifetime association with journalism and interest in political activism. He is listed these days as “a political activist, philosopher, theorist and revolutionary.” 

But that gives short shrift to his journalistic side as a pamphleteer and his published “Common Sense,” in which he urged the need for independence from the ruling British Empire. “These are the times that try men’s souls,” Paine said—and, “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.”  His spirit obviously lives on in today’s free press.

Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Franklin, Hamilton, Jay became big names in the history of our country’s foundation, but my respect remains largely down in the trenches with the likes of Paine and my ancestor Joseph, where hearts beat the strongest and actions spoke the loudest. When the opening shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington Green April 19, 1775 (and Paul Revere was on his horse alerting the countryside), my ancestor Joseph, as a select Minute Man from his local militia, picked up his rille and marched off to repel the forces of England’s King George III. 

My ggggg grandmother Rachel and their oldest child (Ira, my ancestor, then age 11) took up the chores of the family farm during Joseph’s periodic absences as militia back-up to the hurriedly assembled first-ever colonial standing army headed by George Washington. 

I’m a “lest we forget” kind of guy—grateful to the past, obligated to the future—and I figure I have pretty good roots in the United States Constitution (adopted 1787) and especially the Bill of Rights added thereto by adoption in 1791. Perhaps that will explain to some of you why I find it so offensive having a self-serving narcissist such Donald Trump, a would-be king, occupying the Oval Office.

I would never advocate the taking up of arms domestically against our own government—by the innocent in this already gun-infested society. But the meek must manage somehow to inherit and save this earth that sustains us. We have other weapons at our disposal—intelligence, virtuous souls . . . social consciences long on inclusiveness, compassion and empathy. We must get off our complacent couches in some cases, and out of the dismal dungeons of despair in others, and again resist the imposition of a dictatorial monarchy being established by the forces of Donald Trump. HIs sociopathic ambience is not some nebulous thing of little consequence drifting about on the winter air; it is a dark sky of major storm clouds. 

The other day someone took an offhand snipe out of left field at the editor of our own local weekly newspaper with the vague unsubstantiated “fake news” charge so popular with the insidious creeping amoebic blob that is Donald Trump and his cadre and his camp followers. And that is why I’m here with this blog on the freedom and integrity of the press. We’re talking about democracy’s soul here. It has grass roots.

Donald’s about worked to death the “fake news” expression—to the point where not many really turn an ear to it anymore. But with slow minds and want of a vocabulary many of his supporters often parrot it. Donald, meanwhile, continues to fawn over Sean Hannity on Fox, trying to pawn him off on the public as “unbiased.”

I’ll pause to throw in here a bit from an article by Andrew Manantz in the Jan. 15 issue of The New Yorker magazine: “A chart of Trump’s 2017 tweets . . . plotted by time of day, reveals an unmistakably dense  band between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., when ‘Fox & Friends’ is on the air.” Trump has appeared on Fox; he makes it an exemption to his general assault on the American press.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.—First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution 

Presidential inauguration oath (sworn to by Donald Trump Jan. 20, 2017): "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”