Ben Palen, Kansas Reflector

The canvas of Kansas is painted with fields of golden wheat, sometimes as far as the eyes can see.

Children who have chosen paths in life that have taken them away from their rural upbringings return to help with the harvest. While the pace is hectic, there is a peacefulness that prevails as we realize the fruits of our labors. From that peacefulness, perspectives often emerge, whether about one’s own life or the bigger picture of which each of us is just a speck.

In the course of a life and career that has taken me to several corners of the world — and that has allowed me to cross paths with folks from all walks of life — a basis for reflection on America’s situation has emerged. I have seen the best and the worst of humanity. But not even Webster could have imagined the words for his dictionary that would be apt to describe the current state of these United States of America.

I had the opportunity, perhaps I should say the privilege, to listen to remarks made at the dedication of former President Obama’s presidential center. Those remarks reminded me that governing means bringing people together, not tearing them apart. My thought was echoed in a couple of the songs that were performed at the dedication: “Higher Ground” and “Land of Hope and Dreams.”

On many occasions during the months since January of 2025, I have thought of the famous words uttered during the McCarthy era of the 1950s. “Have you no sense of decency?”

While the context then was different than now, those words are applicable every day — in fact, multiple times every day — as more pronouncements flow from President Donald Trump’s administration. We also need to amend the quote to include “no sense of decency or truth.”

Just when one thinks that Republican officials trawling through the barrel have found a bottom, we realize that that is not the case.

Sadly, our Kansas Republican congress folks have no backbone to speak out. All of them are old enough to know better. Cruelty and incompetence are more and more apparent as the days pass. Those who behave in that manner are given a free pass — time and time again.

During the wheat harvest, I find the time to be alone with my thoughts. I can spend time to, shall we say, contemplate the universe. I say to myself—this cannot be. Yet, it is.

I also ask myself how any decent person can continue to support a man whose only agenda is enriching himself and his family, at the expense of America’s standing in the world. Forget the labels — Republican, Democrat, Independent, whatever — and ask the Make America Great Again disciples why they have left truth and decency at the door.

There has never been a period in my lifetime when I have had serious doubts about the future of America. Up until now.

The foundation of our democracy is being destroyed, one day, one act, at a time. Yet so many stand silent. In the heat and dust of a Kansas wheat field, it is all so crystal clear. We must look in the mirror; we must speak out. And we must do the right thing. We owe that to future generations.

Ben Palen is a Kansas native and a fifth-generation farmer and agriculture consultant in Colorado and Kansas. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.

Kansans now confront a “big, beautiful bill” approved by 218 Republican puppets in the U.S. House, and then signed into law by a convicted felon who was found guilty of sexual abuse, and who has faced multiple criminal cases over the past few years. Many of his indictments went to the core principles of our democracy. Unlike the average American, he has been given free pass after free pass by a Supreme Court that exists primarily to do his bidding — never mind right and wrong.

Is all of this part of a bad dream? If only that were the case.

We are bombarded by distortions perpetuated by hundreds of millions of dollars of “dark money” used via social media. Our reliance on that device in the palm of our hands has become a seductive tool to manipulate the masses. It’s how our president was bought and sold. Those devices supposedly foster connections, but the reality seems to be that they fuel isolation, especially at a time when we need to talk to each other.

How to make sense of the absurd? How to square any of this with the founding principles of this country, or with the role that the United States has come to play in an increasingly troubled world? I am not certain that Camus and Kafka, working in collaboration, could put all of this madness into words.

We now confront darkness.

For those of us old enough to remember, words from one of the most memorable Simon and Garfunkel songs come to mind: “Hello, darkness, my old friend, I’ve come to talk to you again.” Darkness leads to isolation, and that leads to lack of communication, along with feelings of hopelessness. There is much darkness now among a large segment of the population as we see actions, and hear words, that we know reveal a lack of morality, of decency, among many of our elected officials.

How to cope with these feelings? How to figure out how to make a difference?

For me, strength comes from being in a place that brings good memories, comfort and perspective. That place is in the midst of an ocean of wheat on one of our farms. I stand alone with my thoughts, in the presence of earth and sky as far as my eyes can see. I realize that I am but a speck in the universe, but I gain strength in knowing that, by my actions, I can make a difference.

Darkness is countered by light. By speaking out, and speaking the truth, we can begin to bring about change. There is fear among the populace about speaking out, because we have already seen some actions from this administration that are eerily reminiscent of tactics used by prior and current fascist regimes.

A student whom I am mentoring asked me about taking a summer job with a law firm that had caved into demands from the Trump administration.

She asked: “How do I decide?”

I said the answer is simple — look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are doing the right thing. Your conscience will be your guide. That basic idea applies here, too. My mirror is my wheat field. For others, it may be an actual mirror, or it could be some other place, another person or a certain event in your life.

Just remember that, in these dark times, silence in the midst of what you know is wrong will lead only to more darkness. Remember that we have a limited number of days. Why speak out? Because it matters.

Ben Palen is a Kansas native and a fifth-generation farmer and agriculture consultant in Colorado and Kansas.