I’ve been absent from writing because I took a break and went to the French Open for two weeks, both out of my appreciation for tennis and as a much needed respite from the unrelenting absurdity of our politics. Unfortunately, my trip was a virtual one, watching the matches on television and keeping up with the tennis pundits online; no oversized buttery croissants or chicken rillettes at Roland Garros for me. From my desk, I revelled in the drama of close matches, the courage of the young athletes in face of adversity, all free from the buffoonery and bombast of the Trump reality show. I lived the ups and downs of the players and successfully rooted for Carlos Alvarez during his epic win over world number one Jannik Sinner in five sets. It was a grand time.
I also cheered wildly for Coco Gauff, the young American phenom who, against tough odds, came from behind to beat favored Aryna Sabalenka for the title. Both Gauff and Alcaraz are idealists who exemplify grace and humility beyond their years. But it was Coco, the young Black woman, who was carrying the burden of being an American in the age of Trump. Later in an interview, she shared her disappointment with the outcome of the 2024 presidential election mentioning that it was a real downer for her. She discussed it with her mother and they agreed that she should win to show her defiance, to win for “people who looked like her” and those who supported her issues. Trump’s emasculation of DEI protocols affect people like her directly. For her, diversity, equity and inclusion principles were not an abstraction; she lived them.
Coco, in her words, is proud to be an American. In my words, she correctly took up the cudgel to challenge what is happening in our country. She is, after all, an American hero on two fronts.
We are living in unprecedented times, staring at the possible demise of time-honored traditions, threats to our democracy, the rule of law and constitutional government.
It is past time that we all stand up and add our voices to what is happening regardless of profession, job or role in life before it is too late. We can’t stand by and wait for the “other guy” to speak up; Coco, at the young age of 21, didn’t!