Trump, Russia, And The Dossier Of Doom

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Because of the unverified nature of the memo, CNN declined to reveal its contents. Shortly after the CNN report, however, Buzzfeed published the dossier in full.

If this memo is correct, it reveals a “well-developed conspiracy of cooperation between [the Trump team] and Russian leadership”. Such a conspiracy is said to have continued for around eight years, well before Trump went public with his designs on the presidency.

And, yes, it also claims that Trump engaged in sexual acts with Russian prostitutes. The includes watching (but not participating in) a “golden shower” act that has sent Twitter into a massive fit. Supposedly, this act was intended to defile the presidential suite of the Moscow Ritz Carlton. The Obamas had previously stayed there during an official visit.

During his most recent press conference, Trump refused to take questions from news organizations, including CNN. “You are fake news!” he yelled at CNN reporter Jim Acosta.

Now, keep in mind, the memo contains numerous factual errors. If it’s proven to be false, it could provide further fuel for Trump’s ongoing war with U.S. intelligence agencies. He has openly mocked the CIA and FBI for their investigations into the matter, despite what appears to be clear evidence of Russian involvement. During his most recent press conference (his first since election night), he refused to take questions from news organizations, including CNN. “You are fake news!” he yelled at CNN reporter Jim Acosta.

On Twitter, Trump has even directly compared intelligence agencies to Nazi Germany, flipping what has become a depressingly common comparison leveled at Trump himself. He’s also taken to labeling such reports as “fake news”, echoing concerns leveled in the wake of the November elections.

Still, what if it’s true? Given that we’ve fallen into a twisted funhouse mirror world in which up is down and black is white, who knows what’s factual? It seems almost impossible, but then… well, Trump has been very vehement in his denials. His rise to the top caught so many off guard. The various hackings and email disclosures were almost perfectly timed to damage Hillary Clinton’s campaign. It’s cartoonish, really, but then so is the notion of “President Donald Trump”.

Here’s one possible corroboration: BBC reporter Alastair Reid claims that there are multiple sources for this dossier. No one has, as of yet, produced such backup information. If this is true, however, then it becomes much more difficult to deny Russia’s role in the U.S. presidential election and Trump’s rancid ascendancy.

While nothing is yet verified, many government officials and agencies are treating the accusations in the memo as credible. Why shouldn’t they, after such an unprecedented candidate has taken the highest office in the nation after a blistering, dizzying campaign season?

So, where does this leave us? What do we do with the information that our president-elect is, possibly, a Russian puppet and outright traitor? What does anyone do? It sometimes feels as if our nation, our society, our species, is part of an endless cycle of progressivism followed by conservatism and insular demagoguery. It’s easy, then, to succumb to despair and apathy. The world seems so pathetically broken that, my god, how could we even begin to repair it?

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We’ve elected a con-artist, someone who is canny enough to swindle his way to the top with the (possible) help of a foreign power. In some way, many of us carry some measure of guilt for his ascendancy, whether it’s due to active championing or his causes or tacit approval through silence and inaction.

We all know, deep down, when corruption has made its way into our society.

I don’t have clear answers for you. There is no clear way out of the mess that, purposefully or not, we’ve made for ourselves and our neighbors.

For one, journalism remains vitally important. Remember that the Watergate scandal, which led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, was given national attention by The New York Times, Time, and The Washington Post. Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, along with a government informant called “Deep Throat”, were instrumental. They uncovered the illegal activities undertaken by the Nixon administration, in a time where early media reports remained largely unconcerned with the developing scandal.

If you have no direct role in reporting, then perhaps consider supporting the Committee to Protect Journalists or the American Civil Liberties Union. Both defend the First Amendment rights and civil liberties of journalists and American citizens. Both organizations are likely to face committed battles for at least the next four years.

Maybe this mess is all true. Or it’s fake. Perhaps it’s true, somewhere, and yet Trump will wriggle out of responsibility like he’s managed to do so far.

Still, there are some truths that must remain vital if we are to continue our democracy. Traitors must be brought to justice. Liars must be brought into the light. Citizens of all kinds must be willing to stand up for what is right and decent. Moreover, we need to stop quibbling about what, exactly, is “right” and “wrong”. We can no longer afford to question the nature of things when evil has brought its face before us.

We all know, deep down, when corruption has made its way into our society. Memos be damned, you, a human being with eyes and a brain and heart, can see that Trump is a self-serving demagogue. He has no interest in the wellbeing of the United States or its people.

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So, the best I can tell you now is this: stand up straight. Stand up tall. Keep your eyes open. Speak when it’s necessary, not when it’s comfortable. Don’t fall into the trap of philosophical musings when the tiger has its jaws on you.

And maybe, just maybe, one day we will remember Buzzfeed as a credible source for political information.