In Charles Blow’s opinion piece in this morning’s New York Times, “Our Most Dangerous Weeks Are Ahead” he describes the prospect of violence surrounding the election and the preparations that are underway to combat it.
The piece itself is disturbing, but what I took away from it was a comment by one of the readers. I have taken the liber…
In Charles Blow’s opinion piece in this morning’s New York Times, “Our Most Dangerous Weeks Are Ahead” he describes the prospect of violence surrounding the election and the preparations that are underway to combat it.
The piece itself is disturbing, but what I took away from it was a comment by one of the readers. I have taken the liberty of including it here because it speaks to the devastating personal costs that voter intimidation brings with it, and the efforts some Americans have been forced to take to protect themselves and their families during our Presidential election. The last sentence of the comment felt like a hammer blow to the heart, “This is the America many of us now live in.”
“As a nation, our most dangerous weeks are ahead. But those of us who are minorities and live in Red states are the most vulnerable. I live in a Red state in which seeing white militias is increasingly common. I wish my family had the luxury of considering this election as purely an academic exercise. But we cannot. As Americans of Middle Eastern ancestry, we are literally at risk where we live. So while legal experts will grapple with novel questions never before sent to the nation's high court, my family will have a much more basic concern - how to ensure our own safety. Last year we had planned on being out of the country during the election. But the pandemic put an end to these plans. So we plan not to leave our homes for some time, perhaps weeks. We have a group of families, all close friends (and minorities) whom we've shared housekeys. We have safe words should we need to contact each other in a precarious situation. We know that if one of us is threatened, the rest of us will reach out and try to shelter each other as much as humanly possible. So while we may well see the very real spectre of this Trump Supreme Court extending his term in spite of a Biden win (both popular and electoral vote), families like ours just can't devote much intellectual attention to such weighty matters right now. Our small group has prepared the best we can - and our only aim is to protect ourselves from white supremacists. This is the America many of us now live in.”
This is the way Blacks have been treated through intimidation and threats for centuries in America. Other minorities have always suffered this ugliness. The myth of America is being exposed. I am so, so sorry you are subjected to so much fear and threat that you must organize protection for you, your family, and your friends. It is a crushing understanding that the promise of America is as shallow as it is. That underneath the ideals, monsters play deadly games with the lives of Americans.
I'll state the obvious to say the difference now is that many white people are seeing and experiencing what Blacks and other minorities have been living under lo these many years.
I have to say, and I hate it, I’m beginning to despise Republicans as a group because all of them seem to go along with whatever outrage others are perpetrating. There MUST be Republicans out there who deplore “law enforcement” pepper spraying people walking to the polls and crazies claiming ballots handed over in a drive-through aren’t valid. I am also beginning to resent those who gave us trump in 2016.
Beginning to resent? I started the day of, knowing what a dreadful mistake it was to elevate this creature to the highest office of the land. Every atom of his being is despicable and has been all his sick life.
Ditto to that. I disowned long-time friends and on family member who supported The Asswipe on Nov 9, 2016. And ppl keep misspelling "The Repugnant Party." If you are still a member of that party you are repugnant - no excuses.
No. If they are Republicans and voting for Trump they are not decent or principled. If they are Republicans and voting against Trump and speaking out against Trump they are decent and principled. There is no middle ground on this. Why? Because Trump is advocating violence, election tampering, civil rights violations, hate speech, not to mention promoting the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. I don't know of a single decent, principled human being in any party anywhere who would support the behaviors the Republicans and Trump are advocating.
The distinction is this: Republican Party (RIP) vs trump republicans. So our loathing targets the latter. For sure. The RIPs are staggering at least as much as the left re "what fresh hell is this?!" Joe Biden will be tasked with clearing the wreckage, healing the people, and digging the economy out of its pit. I suspect that authentic RIPs get that. But they have no idea who they are since their party was hijacked and turned into Sedition Swamp. Their original and most egregious sin was blindly voting for party rather than country in 2016. What seemed like a very bad choice has morphed into a national catastrophe. I'm guessing there may be a lot of guilt among sentient RIPs.
It is sad. But the same talent-filled, Republican orgs that have worked so hard to help take back our country from the Pennsylvania Avenue Pandemic-Spreader will be working to resuscitate/rebuild/reframe their party. The Lincoln Project has been clear about that. They are not Democrats. I view them as principled RIPs. And we can be damn sure they haven't voted for trump--possibly neither time, but definitely not in 2020.
Yup, like Romney, Murchowski and other decent and principled Republicans who voted to confirm Justice Barrett before the American people had their say on Election Day. It is difficult to be decent and principled if one is gutless, as is the case with most Republicans. When you sleep with dogs, you get fleas, and the GOP is flea-ridden.
I understand your frustration, however I really do think there is danger in categorizing all "Republicans" as bad. We wouldn't want Republicans lumping all "Democrats" into a bad single group. I believe this leads to further polarization instead of finding agreements where they are. If we identify as a Democrat, are there some Democratic ideas we do not particularly like? Sure.
To me the "Good Repugnants" are sounding like this; "I'm a Nazi, who doesn't believe in torturing and killing Jews and homosexuals. But, what can I do?"
Other than those Republicans who are rebelling in the Lincoln Project (and should become the Lincoln Party) all the others are Repugnant and Following Orders.
I fear for all minorities in red states, including members of my own family. Sadly, "the land of the free, and the home of the brave" has been converted to a land of fear led by cowards and bullies. As a citizen, I will continue to uphold my rights and exercise my responsibilities, but as I work full-time, it is beginning to sap every ounce of energy from my 73 year-old body!
I didn’t read the comments though read the article. This takes my breath away and makes me gasp and cry. WTH have we become? I’m so angry with the sheeples that follow this human being. They can vote on one issue...I like his stance on abortion...and overlook the pure hatred he has for America? I think anyone who votes for him is morally bankrupt.
This is so sad to read, as was Blow's opinion piece. Even if Blow 's predictions are half true, the fall of the America I have lived in will be complete. A banana republic for sure....
In Charles Blow’s opinion piece in this morning’s New York Times, “Our Most Dangerous Weeks Are Ahead” he describes the prospect of violence surrounding the election and the preparations that are underway to combat it.
The piece itself is disturbing, but what I took away from it was a comment by one of the readers. I have taken the liberty of including it here because it speaks to the devastating personal costs that voter intimidation brings with it, and the efforts some Americans have been forced to take to protect themselves and their families during our Presidential election. The last sentence of the comment felt like a hammer blow to the heart, “This is the America many of us now live in.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/01/opinion/trump-election-night-violence.html
“As a nation, our most dangerous weeks are ahead. But those of us who are minorities and live in Red states are the most vulnerable. I live in a Red state in which seeing white militias is increasingly common. I wish my family had the luxury of considering this election as purely an academic exercise. But we cannot. As Americans of Middle Eastern ancestry, we are literally at risk where we live. So while legal experts will grapple with novel questions never before sent to the nation's high court, my family will have a much more basic concern - how to ensure our own safety. Last year we had planned on being out of the country during the election. But the pandemic put an end to these plans. So we plan not to leave our homes for some time, perhaps weeks. We have a group of families, all close friends (and minorities) whom we've shared housekeys. We have safe words should we need to contact each other in a precarious situation. We know that if one of us is threatened, the rest of us will reach out and try to shelter each other as much as humanly possible. So while we may well see the very real spectre of this Trump Supreme Court extending his term in spite of a Biden win (both popular and electoral vote), families like ours just can't devote much intellectual attention to such weighty matters right now. Our small group has prepared the best we can - and our only aim is to protect ourselves from white supremacists. This is the America many of us now live in.”
This is the way Blacks have been treated through intimidation and threats for centuries in America. Other minorities have always suffered this ugliness. The myth of America is being exposed. I am so, so sorry you are subjected to so much fear and threat that you must organize protection for you, your family, and your friends. It is a crushing understanding that the promise of America is as shallow as it is. That underneath the ideals, monsters play deadly games with the lives of Americans.
Yes, Yes, Yes ...
I'll state the obvious to say the difference now is that many white people are seeing and experiencing what Blacks and other minorities have been living under lo these many years.
(white grandma raises hand) Yes, that's me. Not that I know what it feels like, just a glimpse. But so, so disturbing.
Me too, S., without the "grandma" part!
I have to say, and I hate it, I’m beginning to despise Republicans as a group because all of them seem to go along with whatever outrage others are perpetrating. There MUST be Republicans out there who deplore “law enforcement” pepper spraying people walking to the polls and crazies claiming ballots handed over in a drive-through aren’t valid. I am also beginning to resent those who gave us trump in 2016.
Beginning to resent? I started the day of, knowing what a dreadful mistake it was to elevate this creature to the highest office of the land. Every atom of his being is despicable and has been all his sick life.
Ditto to that. I disowned long-time friends and on family member who supported The Asswipe on Nov 9, 2016. And ppl keep misspelling "The Repugnant Party." If you are still a member of that party you are repugnant - no excuses.
For me it started with Reagan.
Well, as a matter of fact...
There are many decent and principled Republicans who do not like Trump. Many.
No. If they are Republicans and voting for Trump they are not decent or principled. If they are Republicans and voting against Trump and speaking out against Trump they are decent and principled. There is no middle ground on this. Why? Because Trump is advocating violence, election tampering, civil rights violations, hate speech, not to mention promoting the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. I don't know of a single decent, principled human being in any party anywhere who would support the behaviors the Republicans and Trump are advocating.
The distinction is this: Republican Party (RIP) vs trump republicans. So our loathing targets the latter. For sure. The RIPs are staggering at least as much as the left re "what fresh hell is this?!" Joe Biden will be tasked with clearing the wreckage, healing the people, and digging the economy out of its pit. I suspect that authentic RIPs get that. But they have no idea who they are since their party was hijacked and turned into Sedition Swamp. Their original and most egregious sin was blindly voting for party rather than country in 2016. What seemed like a very bad choice has morphed into a national catastrophe. I'm guessing there may be a lot of guilt among sentient RIPs.
"Republican Party (RIP)", exactly, sadly.
It is sad. But the same talent-filled, Republican orgs that have worked so hard to help take back our country from the Pennsylvania Avenue Pandemic-Spreader will be working to resuscitate/rebuild/reframe their party. The Lincoln Project has been clear about that. They are not Democrats. I view them as principled RIPs. And we can be damn sure they haven't voted for trump--possibly neither time, but definitely not in 2020.
Yup, like Romney, Murchowski and other decent and principled Republicans who voted to confirm Justice Barrett before the American people had their say on Election Day. It is difficult to be decent and principled if one is gutless, as is the case with most Republicans. When you sleep with dogs, you get fleas, and the GOP is flea-ridden.
Murkowski is not decent when it comes down to picking a woman justice who couldn’t hold a flag anywhere near RBG.
I understand your frustration, however I really do think there is danger in categorizing all "Republicans" as bad. We wouldn't want Republicans lumping all "Democrats" into a bad single group. I believe this leads to further polarization instead of finding agreements where they are. If we identify as a Democrat, are there some Democratic ideas we do not particularly like? Sure.
To me the "Good Repugnants" are sounding like this; "I'm a Nazi, who doesn't believe in torturing and killing Jews and homosexuals. But, what can I do?"
Other than those Republicans who are rebelling in the Lincoln Project (and should become the Lincoln Party) all the others are Repugnant and Following Orders.
And what are they doing about him? What are they doing about the hatred and anger and chaos he perpetrates?
https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-11-01/bidens-secret-weapon-anti-trump-republicans
Love Kasich.
We are going to need all hands on deck to rebuild, Kristie.
Yes, I know that. Are they speaking up? Where are they?
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-republicans-biden-exclus/exclusive-over-50-republican-former-u-s-national-security-officials-join-biden-endorsement-idUSKBN26M5F3
Has there ever been a time where so many officials of one party have openly endorsed the election of a candidate of the other party?
Yes Kristie - they are called “The Lincoln Project"
Where are they and have they voted? 😞
I fear for all minorities in red states, including members of my own family. Sadly, "the land of the free, and the home of the brave" has been converted to a land of fear led by cowards and bullies. As a citizen, I will continue to uphold my rights and exercise my responsibilities, but as I work full-time, it is beginning to sap every ounce of energy from my 73 year-old body!
I wish I could somehow protect them all. 😞
I am so sorry you have to go through this...it’s truly appalling and so scary for all of you.
I didn’t read the comments though read the article. This takes my breath away and makes me gasp and cry. WTH have we become? I’m so angry with the sheeples that follow this human being. They can vote on one issue...I like his stance on abortion...and overlook the pure hatred he has for America? I think anyone who votes for him is morally bankrupt.
I am so sorry you do not feel safe. That is awful. Please know that there are many of us here in the US who support you.
This is so sad to read, as was Blow's opinion piece. Even if Blow 's predictions are half true, the fall of the America I have lived in will be complete. A banana republic for sure....