The darkest time in American history.

I saw someone refer to the Trump Presidency as “possibly the darkest time in American history.” I’ve heard some iteration of that many times from people still in a frenzy over the Trump Administration.

I’m not a big Trump fan. I wasn’t a big Obama fan either. But their presence in office did not and does not hang over my life like a dark cloud. They really aren’t that important.

Yes, they have the ability to make life more difficult for many. It is unfortunate that any politicians have that much control over our day to day lives.

But the darkest time in American history?

What do you think? Perhaps almost 60,000 Americans dying in Vietnam was a darker time. Or maybe when Hitler’s armies rolled across Europe, Japan surprise attacked Pearl Harbor, and 400,000 American soldiers died World War II.

For Japanese Americans, FDR’s presidency was likely a darker time, as they sat in detainment facilities. Their crime was having Japanese ancestors.

In 1918 the Spanish Flu swept across the globe killing at least 20 million people worldwide, 675,000 Americans. At the same time, soldiers were coming home from WWI blinded by chemicals and mutilated by bombs.

And that is just going back one century. American history also includes the Civil War, slavery, and the Whiskey Rebellion.

Anyone who thinks Trump’s Presidency is the darkest time in American history is a poor student of American history. And I must assume their lives are pretty amazing if this is the worst they have ever felt.

Have a little perspective.

Trump has done plenty wrong. He has picked some terrible people for the Federal Reserve Board. His personal life, “locker room talk,” and Twitter feed is questionable at best. Some people think he is a Russian Manchurian candidate… we will have to see how that pans out.

But hyperbole does not help the cause.

Look at where it left the global warming alarmists. They wanted to reduce pollution, which is a noble cause. But they lied about the goals, they lied about the causes, and they exaggerated the timetable. It’s the classic boy who cried wolf.

There is also plenty about the USA to improve. There is too much regulation, taxes are way too high, and personal freedom is threatened.

But your day to day life should not be overshadowed by Washington D.C.

Yes, it is hard to keep Trump off your mind with the 24-hour reality-tv coverage. So turn off your tv, and go for a walk.

I get frustrated when I am paying taxes and waiting in line at the DMV. But it only affects me as much as I let it.

Breath in, breath out. It is all going to be okay. They can only control you as much as you let them.

Yes, they physically control me by forcing me to hand over half my income. But it is not worth it to resist, and go to prison, or die fighting.

Do I want it to change? Yes. Do I do what I can to promote freedom? Yes.

But one thing I will not let the government control is my mind. I can be happy regardless of what they do to me.

I used to be paranoid about the government. Obviously, some of that paranoia is well founded. They do monitor communications and disrupt online discourse. They do violate rights. They are oppressive in many ways.

But those are not things I can readily change. I can protect myself, and I can try to show others how to change things for the better. But I can’t control everything, and I can’t control others.

The people who think they are living in the darkest times in American history because of Trump allow the government to control their thoughts.

I’m not pretending I am Buddha over here. I still get upset and frustrated. But if there is one thing that has freed me more than anything else it is control over my own state of mind.

I sincerely hope the future is bright. And I honestly think it will be. I really think the power of free individuals will overcome the collectivist control that has marked humanity throughout recorded history.

But no matter how dark things seem, I intend to never let an outside force control my mind.