How Dare They?

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I am now feeling angry, frustrated, and frightened, all at once. My wife and I went out for what was supposed to be a short afternoon trip. The day was going to busy, with just a short afternoon diversion.

There was a Trump rally at the intersection near our place, and that is not an issue. Everyone has the right to protest in the U.S.A, but some were carrying automatic rifles (perhaps semi-automatic, but that really doesn’t change anything) and standing right at the edge of the road and screaming at cars. This should not be allowed–when I saw this, I immediately thought–they would have been at home in Nazi Germany. They are bullies, and they are not supporting democracy. How dare they try to intimidate people that way.

The election is over, and Trump lost. That is what happens with elections; sometimes your candidate wins, and sometimes your candidate loses. I learned that a long time ago. Trying to influence an election through intimidation is the tactic of a would-be totalitarian government.

We are supposed to be The United States Of America.

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75 thoughts on “How Dare They?”

  3. I agree and I am praying for a peaceful transfer of power, but recognizing 70M people did vote for Pres. #45 and they are of course, quite upset he did not win. As you said, as Americans we all have rights to assemble, which is also a right of those I don’t agree with to ulitize and that includes different hate groups. During the campaign/my town had a right wing lady coming down with her cell/followers every week. And then rival/anti-protesters to the protesters. Our town counsel did not like it but said they could not force them from showing up as was their right to gather in public/public town square. Police had to break things up on occasion when both sides got too close/things got too heated. I don’t live in an open carry state-, so no guns on display. And because of Covid-19 no children nearby in the school yard. Slim silver lining. Unfortunately I have a feeling things may get much worse, before they get better– that bad feeling that I get and/when, I don’t want to be right, but sadly usually I am.

    Liked by 4 people

  7. Thomas

    Amen. I sometimes think why this surprising wide-ranging group, that resembles the limited concept lemmings of Nazi Germany, exists, is due to a primordial reaction deep within humans that may be a “mistranslation” of simplistic survival necessities from many millenniums and previous from the past. It’s like a hook. And, once hooked, theyll justify it by a single issue. It is the only way I can make sense of this. I’m surprised at every turn to see another person that would have normally never been caught up in the unamerican rhetoric of this individual. At times, the resemblance is bone chilling, and so sad.

    Liked by 6 people

  9. Ever since Tiananmen Square we have been awed by the power of democracy when one unarmed citizen stands up to armed bullies. This is our turn, though it may not seem so dramatic as man versus tank. We will not run. We will not be intimidated. And we will not abdicate this democracy to terrorists. We will never know when our name will be called. But we can give a good account of ourselves…

    Liked by 7 people

  11. This sounds like the conversation that conservatives were having about liberals four years ago. Sad, but he’s kind of people represent extreme groups, and not the average citizen. Time to move forward, and let the past slide by. Besides the holiday season is approaching.

    Liked by 2 people

  12. I don’t understand the point/logic/principle of open carry. Yes, yes, the Second Amendment grants the right to bear arms, but no one NEEDS to carry a weapon to Walmart, the doctor’s office, church, onto school grounds… or anywhere. I see this all the time here in AZ and wonder about the mindset of someone who feels the need to have a semi-automatic weapon strapped to his back as he strolls the aisles of Walgreens. Intimidation or cowardice, it’s not a good look.

    Liked by 3 people

  13. There’s an essay in “Cultural Amnesia” by Clive James in which he talks about authoritarian regimes. I grossly paraphrase here: the wannabe strongmen give a perception of power to people who are known to be “the family dolt”, people not bright enough to realize they’re being used. The wannabe strongmen give the dolts more percieved power than they’ve ever had, or are likely to ever have, promise them the moon and in exchange they will do unspeakable horrors in service of their strongman/hero. They’ll do it ineptly and harm their own cause. Plus they never realize that they only harm themselves in the process. They may register the difficulty or the harm but they willingly blame whatever group they’re told to blame. Self-reflection is not allowed. Nor are questions.

    End of paraphrase.

    It some ways that’s too simple an explanation for the Trumpkin and his ilk. But there’s something in it that I keep thinking about.

    Also I keep remembering my time as a biological illustrator and during one project a biologist was explaining that red ants and black ants will live peacefully more or less in the same jar. But if you shake the jar slightly they will begin to fight each other to the death. Never once will they blame the jar or the jar shaker. The jar shaker can put a hand in the midst of the ants and they’ll be so busy fighting each other that they won’t harm the human jar shaker.

    We humans would do well to learn to look for who is shaking our jar and ask some questions.

    I am sorry you and your wife encountered that scene. Please stay safe.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Joe Biden will be sworn in as President, and then Trump will be a trespasser in the White House. If he does not leave voluntarily, then I suspect the Secret Service or the Police will escort him out.

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  16. I really feel for you – this awful. What has happened to the world where so many people are so easily filled up with hate and fear. True democracy is speak truth to power, we need to ensure in societies that the powerful, whether they are individuals, institution or company need to be accountable. These are very sad times – remain hopeful decent and compassionate

    Liked by 2 people

  17. As someone living out with the US, I’ve always found that strong feeling so many people profess to have for the second amendment really peculiar. My right to scare you counts more than your right to feel safe, etc. On Saturday night, I watched the celebrations in the States with tears in my eyes. With any luck, hope and decency will prevail. I doubt Mr 45 will leave gracefully or without a lot of fuss and baseless claims, but I think the majority want the return of sanity and this will prevail.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Hi Emma, I do think democracy will prevail, but I agree with you about the oddness of the feeling so many have for the 2nd Amendment, especially since I doubt they have read it and parsed the writing.

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  20. Like other commenters, I’m worried about how these next several weeks will play out. Trump is a bully, and other bullies naturally flock to him. Unfortunately, aggression – even outright violence – are behaviors that have been celebrated in the US for far too long. Hopefully whatever happens will help more people realize that we need to revise our dominant cultural values in the US – and do something about all those guns in the hands of dangerous people.

    Liked by 2 people

  23. Open carry doesn’t give the right for people to wave weapons. That is a threat. So sorry you have to deal with this kind of situation. No one should be afraid to walk through their neighborhood. It’s time to get rid of the hate. I hope we can heal our nation.

    Liked by 3 people

  27. This sounds terrifying:((. It’s difficult to comment from across the ocean and I think those of us who don’t live in the States need to take care not to be offensive. But it always struck me how Trump very rarely had anything positive to say – on any subject, or anything. It was always when he was busy on the attack that he seemed to come to life. And now you are have 4 years of all that hate and negativity… I just hope that those folks who got swept up in that toxicity will appreciate that they live in a democracy.

    Liked by 2 people

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