Last night, I woke again at 3 a.m. I attribute this trend to rising anxiety — my thoughts on the signing bonuses offered for unqualified and poorly trained ICE officers, who will soon don masks and begin pulling people off the street.

In this culture of fear, violence and hate, created by Donald Trump and his administration, I imagine even these officers feel a creeping anxiety knowing the only thing preventing them from being the next targets is the whims of a president whose actions reflect the sole goal of making himself, and his toadies, richer.

I’ve found that smiling helps calm my agitating thoughts enough to let me sleep. Forcing a smile feels insincere, but my thoughts do drift to the people and things that make me happy: my partner and I walking along the Eastern Prom; neighbors and friends meeting in my brother’s backyard to carve pumpkins; and Mainers gathering at Deering Oaks Park in Portland to demand “a government of the people, by the people and for the people.” I realize that — against this administration — joy, connection and transparency are acts of resistance.

At some point, ICE agents will realize they won’t find “greatness” with an administration that believes Americans don’t deserve food, health care or a say on how the country is run. Take off the masks, join the people and let’s build a nation where everyone is created equal and has the right to life, liberty and happiness. Wouldn’t we all rather live in that world?

Gus Wellin
South Portland