I note with a soupcon of interest that some pundits have picked up the argument that Democrats must be careful to follow their etiquette guides and advice from Miss Manners when dealing with Trumpster voters. All this lest their tender feelings be assaulted and they demure from future liaisons with the Democratic Party. Perhaps we should note that this question only arises when the Democrats are in the minority in Federal offices, and practically never when Republicans are ascendant.
Democrats are urged to be polite, respectful, and never stoop to holding loud protests, engaging in emotional arguments, and indulging in blatant partisanship. Republicans can engage in these behaviors and the media pundits describe them as “enthusiastic,” or “active,” or as “representing the grass roots.” Thus yelling “Lock Her Up,” is rude, but nothing to make the chatterati clutch their pearls. So, I will be polite to all those Trumpster voters:
(1) By all means, keep your hats on. Let those bright red MAGA hats on your heads remind you that you supported a candidate who can bellow “Hire American, Buy American” while his brand manufactures his stuff beyond American shores.
(2) Proudly display those Trump/Pence stickers on your vehicle. They serve to remind me that you may be lacking a bit of empathy which I interpret to mean that no matter the number of vehicles at a four way stop, you will consider it your God given right to go first. I appreciate the warning.
(3) Fly your Trump Flag or a Confederate Flag with all the enthusiasm of a junior high boy with a new leather jacket. It’s the best indication I can think of that you are a racist, white supremacist, whatever… and that it would be best for me to avoid your company.
(4) Go ahead and tell me you voted for the Trumpster because he was the lesser of two evils. I’ll be silent in the face of your admission that you could not tell the difference between a candidate with a record of significant public service and a rank amateur with a record of bankruptcies, discriminatory practices, and remarkable misogyny.
(5) Please feel free to be as hypocritical as you wish. I’ll simply smile internally as you demean all those people in town meetings and on the streets as “paid outside agitators.” The charge that the opposition to Republican policies must be “outside agitators” is replete with associations with White Supremacist history. Again, you are telling me who you are, and I appreciate that heads-up.
Grandma’s ancient wisdom applies: You are known by the company you keep, and if you don’t wish to be associated with this present company then either apologize or accept the fact that the life long Democrats among you aren’t particularly sorry to see you go.
However, when you can no longer drink the water or breathe the air; when you can no longer eat the fish from polluted streams; when you can no longer find a job that pays a living wage; when you can no longer get health care necessary for yourself or your family; when your small businesses are squeezed out by large corporations; when your tax bill goes up but the millionaire on the hill is banking his or her tax cuts; when your infrastructure crumbles around you because it’s deemed more important to finance new projects than invest in maintenance; when you’ve been unable to vote because you are too old, too young, too dark; please remember…
The Democrats will still be fighting for you.
Desert Beacon 