Returning from a few hours of enjoying a Saturday afternoon in one of our favorite cities in the world, Paris, my splendor was interrupted.

In my rest period following a visit to St. Sulpice's wonders of religion, architecture and art, then a salad and glass of Bordeaux, ending with a visit to a fabulous patisserie where my wife picked up some masterful pastries, I kept getting interrupted by thoughts I had sworn to suppress during our working vacation.

Even in Paris, or maybe I should say especially in Paris, one could not escape the seemingly endless embarrassment of our president’s actions.

Just a glimpse at a newscast in another language revealed the outrage of the world at Trump and his simple sidekick JD Vance ambushing the leader of a sovereign nation who heads a heroic effort to save his country.

Outrage masks fear throughout the world

I have tried to ignore or at least not be overwhelmed by constant depression from the weeks of plunder and oafish butchering by Trump and his UCP Elon Musk (Unelected Co-President). But more than 4,000 miles could not separate me from the embarrassment of the disaster that occupies our Oval Office. Maybe because of the distance, and watching the reactions from afar, I feel that embarrassment evolving into fear.

I am beginning to see outrage masking actual fear throughout the world. When the supposed leader of the free world lambastes our (still) freedom-loving allies while he panders and kisses the posterior of an avowed Russian dictator, it is more than ridiculous shenanigans, it is actual danger-filled fanaticism.

Many who viewed Trump’s first term as an amusing reality television show, now they are alarmed, realizing this stuff’s for real.

So, I am afraid, not for me personally but for everyone. What does one do when fear strikes? Either hide or fight back I think. Without a sword, my only weapon I have is this keyboard relaying these thoughts.

More learned and articulate words are flowing from many others, but our words and our efforts must result in actions. Actions, by whom? The other (equal?) levels of government are pretty spineless right now, fearfully weak as I see it.

But that is where the action must come from.

Overcome fear and fight for civility and decency

We must eventually embolden enough reasonable and principled officeholders to become patriots and have the courage to do what is right.

Fears must be overcome. The fears of being insulted, of being “primaried,” or even physically attacked by the likes of pardoned Proud Boys,  must be dealt with, or the world we live in now could vanish.

Our very existence may depend on the courage of a half a dozen House of  Representatives members, a dozen senators, and a couple of judges. This is not a battle between Democrats and Republicans or conservatives and liberals, it is a battle for decency and maybe a scintilla of civility.

God help them, and God help us all.

Bo Roberts is a Nashville-based marketing consultant and an author of two award-winning books, “Flaming Moderate” and “Forever Young.”  bo@robertsstrategies.com