notes on a common malady

It's full-blown now – the new bigotry I predicted. Hilary Clinton made it official by labeling us “deplorables.” By “us” I mean we must stand with the oppressed. When the KKK comes to town we all should be black, where there are Nazis we must be Jews as the Danes did and yes, when U.S. citizens scorn those who exercised their right to vote for Donald Trump, we all must be Trump supporters. Anything else is cowardly, remaining safe in our cocoon of acceptance. Revilers of the president must join hands with his fans because people choosing a candidate is not the problem. The Democratic National Conjob with its Stupor-Delegates, and the complicit information outlets which derailed Bernie Sanders is the problem. 

It's time to admit we're in this together, that we're all earthlings subject to the same crappy whims of government. Freedom – that would be a nice form of government but we got Democracy instead. Freedom actually is free. Democracy ain't. When did Americans forget that it's us against the man? The man being anyone sitting back in the lap of luxury on our five-day work week. Our values rarely mesh with those of the wealthy because, unlike us, they have actual value. Values is a consolation prize we get for staying at the bottom of the pyramid. The chronically wealthy have little use for values as Donald Trump has candidly demonstrated to us, let the cat out of the bag so to speak.

There they are – isolated and exposed. What greater strength than to identify the true culprits and get to the heart of the matter instead of the red herring; find the one who stands there smugly tormenting you in your last moments of life. Gouge the matador, not the cape.

Soon Trump will be gone; but Trump supporters will walk among us for decades as people who supported him and thereby earned our scorn and mistrust. They can leave it behind but they can no more alter that stain than a person can change color. Lacking outward clues, your 2016 election choice may become a standard question on job applications. Affirmative action may have to be afforded these Americans.

Or not. What say we wise up? Twig the game. Refuse the bait. Stick together. Stick it to the man.