Purgatory is waiting
The Purgatory scene of Dante’s masterpiece, the Divine Comedy, is a perfect match for the current political arena of the United States. In this section of the epic, the Italian poet describes the passage from Hell to Purgatory Mountain. During the ascent alongside his guide, Virgil, souls are seen praying for their misdeeds before being allowed to enter the path to Paradise. The contemporary soul most suited for this analogy is surely the representative of American society: Donald “the Fiend” Trump. His mastery of avarice, pride, and child lust places him squarely upon the rocky terraces of Dante’s vision.
From his 34 felonies, the Epstein Files to the bombing of boats in the Caribbean and military strikes in Nigeria, Venezuela, and now Iran; from the militarization of U.S. cities to arbitrary ICE raids and commercial conflicts with the entire world, and all the benefits that he and his family have won with deals during his presidency, Trump’s record is staggering. Impeached during his first mandate and formally accused following the january 6th 2025 insurrection, yet returning to power regardless, his private reflections must be haunted by how history will judge him. If there were a new title to bestow upon him, it would be “Master of Dodging Justice.” He remains effectively untouchable, seemingly having bribed Lady Justice herself to overlook the classified documents hidden within his Miami home.
Nevertheless, he’s dragging the entire country into an era of profound distrust and division. It’s worth remembering that this 79-year-old is facing the twilight of his life. While others his age might enjoy their grandchildren, take group trips to Europe, or seek the comfort of a retirement home to ward off loneliness, Trump has chosen to keep his engine of greed running until his body collapses.
His inner circle will not stop him; they’re accomplices in these deeds. Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, the Attorney General and FBI Director, respectively, are the principal partners in this shady political era. Though sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution, as power climbers and puppets, they merely say “yes” to Trump’s every whim. Bondi continues to deny ties to Epstein, while Patel oversees the very classified documents Trump allegedly mishandled.
The Purgatory is now set, terraces and all. Epstein is waiting for Trump and his associates to answer the questions they so desperately avoid in life. In the meantime, society continues to suffer from this grand diversion. Social media and national networks are flooded with polarization while wars, economic crises, and climate change denial are manufactured just to evade accountability.
This is where we stand. It will require you to step outside your room and move beyond your Facebook comments to send this fading, greedy patriarch to the Purgatory circle of the Late Repentant. There, negligent rulers wait for their final moment at the Creator's door to answer one question: do you regret the deeds that caused so much harm and sorrow during your time on Earth?
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