(This is a semi-uncensored rant I could not refrain from sending out today so beware!)
Former Republican Steve Schmidt tweeted on Friday:
“Discontent with leading the most inept and lethal response to a life and death crisis in American history, Trump reached for a new low today by igniting what will soon be known as a “liberation movement.” The ‘Libbers’ are here. A new chapter of crazy in American life is born. (1)
“Soon we will start to see repeats of the lunacy in Michigan and Ohio all over the country. Get ready for the noxious blend of Confederate flags, Semi-automatic weaponry, conspiracy theorists, political cultists, extremists and nut jobs coming to a state Capitol near you.”(2)
The scenes of these protests made me angry.
These people are arrogant beyond anything we know about arrogance, stupid beyond anything we know about stupidity, divisive beyond anything we know about division, self-righteous beyond anything we know about self-righteousness.
This is what I would like to ask them: “Who in your family do you consider expendable? Is it your wife, husband, son, daughter, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, grandchild, sister, brother? Throwing the economy-wide open means more people will die than would otherwise, so who in your family are you willing to sacrifice?”
They will say no one, of course, because they don’t want to sacrifice anything, They want ME or YOU to sacrifice, but for damn sure not themselves.
Or they might respond by saying they’re just trying to protect their job, or someone else’s job, because they will lose everything if things don’t open it.
I would answer them this way: “No, you won’t lose everything. You won’t lose your life. You won’t lose your spouse or a child. If that should happen, then, yes, you can say you lost everything. Not before.”
Well, they might say they just want things to open up in a safe way.
My answer would be: “So how self-righteous are you to think you and the idiots standing close to you giving you the virus you can go home and give your family are the only ones who care about opening up the economy carefully? Do you think your behavior gives the rest of us any reason to trust your judgment, trust your motives, believe you want the best for everyone and not just yourself?”
Of course, we know where all of this is coming from. Donald Trump.
“Liberate Virginia”
“Liberate Michigan”
“Liberate Minnesota”
These were Trump tweets just after he said opening up was the responsibility of the governors, as if they didn’t already know that.
In my last blog I said I thought I hated Trump. Well, now I know. I do.
Indeed, even though I do not know what evil is, I do know it is not good, and for that reason I believe Trump is evil incarnate, set on sacrificing the nation in whatever way he thinks will reap him the greatest personal and political gain.
The protesters are helping him, so I hope they will suffer the justice they deserve. I hope they come down with the virus.
There, I said it, I said it because that is how I feel about them, that expresses the level of contempt I have for them.
I realize that would put our amazing healthcare professionals at risk so let me add a caveat. I hope they get miserably sick, cannot get tested and are forced to stay at home, and then survive after having learned first hand just how awful this thing is.
Maybe that would open their eyes to their arrogance and self-righteousness, but probably not. They’re too much like Trump for that to happen.
At least the rest of us would enjoy some satisfaction knowing they had to suffer the consequences of their foolishness instead of us. That’s always the problem with people doing stupid things, isn’t it? Others suffer the consequences of their foolishness.
Maybe this time it will be different and they will be the ones to get sick,
If that happens I will have to change my theology and start believing in a vengeful God who is making them pay for fomenting their arrogance, stupidity, divisiveness, and self-righteousness on the rest of us.
linnposts.com 
The MI protest was funded in part by an organization connected to Cruella DeVos. Other organizations included were The Proud Boys Street thugs. The one in OR was connected with the Koch Brothers. Locally, besides Jason Lewis in full exploitation mode, an acquaintance looking at the photos recognized several far right “citizens.”
Small businesses have legitimate worries about their survival and many need to see a way out of this mess. But it looks as if the right wing is attempting to re-create the Teabag Party, aided and abetted by an incompetent rabid orange squirrel.
And while I heartily understand your hatred of said rabid orange squirrel, I am trying not to go there myself because he’s just not worth the investment. Better to usher him out of office & and into a jump suit that matches his skin tone.
Charlie, I’m trying to, but losing the battle, it seems.
Hard to avoid getting sucked into ir
Yep.
I agree with you, except for your caveat about them getting the virus and recovering. I hope they die and reduce the gene pool of sub-humans.
I wanted to say that, Denny, but didn’t have the courage, so I am glad you did.
well said and I think you held back, the idiot president a is a treasonous SOB and his tweets regarding “liberate”, were just outrageous
Absolutely!
Jan,
I think I may be leaning toward Denny’s position, at least the reduction of that gene pool of sub-humans! I also like Charles Curry’s “rabid orange squirrel” descriptor for the insane person in the White House!
In any case, your anger is palpable — as it should be for all rational people.
I won’t say more, lest I litter your blog with multi-syllabic profanities.
Bill Blackwell
Bill, in this instance I am of a mind to say you should feel free to “profane” as you desire.
From where I sit in front of my TV (in the UK), those pictures I’ve seen of what amount to private armies on the streets of Michigan’s capital, Lansing and other places is truly frightening, calling to mind the German Freikorps on the streets of Berlin and Munich in 1918. That they’re being encouraged from the top, calls to mind another, just as frightening picture from history – that of Czechoslovakia in February 1948. The armed militias that were told that they were bringing democracy to that country – only to find themselves being ground to pieces in the same machinery that they had helped to set in motion, just 4 years later.
Not for the first time, history is warning us…
Nigel, I echo what my close friend, Bill, wrote. He said it all.
Nigel,
Your UK perspective with historic references is valuable and refreshing! If only our moronic president had that same insight!!
Bill Blackwell
It’s tough for me to verbalize all of this and do it justice. It’s almost like we are in a constant state of discord. The targets keep moving – there is nothing that is solid and tangible. This protestor thing is a classic example and I’m trying to pick it apart with logic (I know … I should have stopped there with Trump).
Governors of States: we need testing, supplies, a clear plan etc. to combat his from the federal level.
President: You need to get your own supplies and your own plan.
Governors of States: We have our own plan
President: Liberate – your Governor has a bad plan
I already know the answer to this – the job requirements of being President is miles out of his reach. I just don’t know why his supporters find any comfort in all of this – it is a constant state of discord and how do you equate that with leadership? It’s like throwing the spaghetti on the wall and see if it sticks – let’s try this, let’s try that. And I agree Jan – it’s not politics or political affiliation or loyalty on my part – this guy is an evil man – period
Tony, You said something I think all of us who oppose Trump are thinking – “I just don’t know why his supporters find any comfort in all of this.” Exactly. It’s the enigma of this time. Thanks.
As always, Jan, I appreciate what your write — and your honesty. I am probably not as brave as you when it comes to speaking what is probably in my heart. Since we are pretty much at home I spent part of yesterday cleaning out a file that I know my sons will just throw when I die. I had a file full of clippings and writings that I have enjoyed over the years — I think half of them were yours! Anyway, I found one that you wrote following 9-11 and you spoke about Jesus calling us to love our enemies. I’m trying so hard to love these “enemies” — to at least pray for them even though I simply cannot understand what Trump supporters see in him and his administration. It does frighten me. So, I’m praying for hope, bravery and common sense. You are providing the bravery.
It is good to hear from you, Coleen. As you can tell, I am struggling to “love my enemy” as well. I have never felt the way I do about Trump. I cannot find anything redeemable about the man, and I am firmly and absolutely convinced that the people who put him in office did a terrible thing to the country. It doesn’t matter what their motivations were, the effect is the same. I guess the only point of redemption for me is that I keep trying to do better toward him, even though I am quite sure such a thought never occurs to him in regard to anyone. Thanks for writing. Stay safe.
As you reminded us Sunday morning during the video Gathering Group discussion, feeling have no morality. We feel things that later, upon reflection, may be perceived as “bad” morally. That’s OK. Let’s not beat ourselves up with guilt simply because we wish ill on bad people. I wake up each morning hoping the President of the US is gone. When I see he’s still there I wish him ill again, and again, and again. It’s like groundhogs day and it wears on me, it’s taking a toll. Nevertheless, I continue to try and make good the day, my fuck Trump thoughts set aside as much as possible so I can function and not rage all day. Thank you for your honest thoughts, Jan.
Thank you for yours as well, Rollie. I think it is time for Christians to stop trying to have good feelings toward everyone. Love doesn’t mean that. It means treating them the way we want to be treated, regardless of how we feel. I could do that with Trump, even as I find him detestable.
I think Mr. Trump is trying to give a nod and wink to his base while trying to appear reasonable in his response to the general public for the sole goal of re-election. I imagine the Trump Organization is taking a massive economic hit as well, so he’s feeling internal pressure to get things going–personal interests subsuming the national good once again. But rather than raging against narcissism and incompetence, we need to focus on what we can do to get the kind of leadership we deserve. I’ve been trying to highlight daily the evidence of blathering incompetence to my Trump supporting friends. I seem some shaking of belief among those who saw Trump as an economic savior and protector.
Loren, good to hear from you. I commend you in relationships with Trumpers. At the same time, I have found that once in a while a good rant is good for the soul.
Jan, once again, I commend you for your honesty, by being courageous enough to publicly state what most of us are feeling, for sure what I am feeling, whatever we call it. But, after reading all of your incredible honesty and correctness, and the response of others here, I am hoping that your last statement to Loren, that you “have found that once in a while a good rant is good for the soul” is really what is happening to you and the rest of us. We are all “hoping” that are own personal rants are just temporary, and that come election time, they will all go away, just like the protestors, his supporters, his donors, the far right voice box will all go away. The reason that we so desperately want them to go away, is that they now have shown that they have complete “power” over us all. And, in the next six months, that power over all of us is likely to increase, not decrease. It appears that the only way that we can release that power over us, is through the ballot box. But, the truth is that we all have the ultimate power over our own emotions, if we truly recognize that what we are really doing at this point in time is truly having a good rant, which is definitely healthy once in a while. But, for all of us, we can not let their power over us rule the day, even if, as Charles says the “incompetent, rabid, orange, squirrel”, lives to see a second term – which is still a possibility. We must now, more than ever, channel our own rage in ways that will assure that the squirrel is gone for good – for the good of all humanity!
John, I agree with what you are saying. I don’t think my emotions are out of control, especially since I have felt much better since I posted my blog last Saturday. The good thing is, at least I believe it to be the case, that we will be amazed at how much better the nation as a whole will feel when Trump is gone at the end of this year and with him the relentless chaos he creates.
Jan, My apologies if this posts twice. It says it is but I don’t see the other one. In any case, I share so much of your sentiment but hoping for the deaths of Trump or his supporters is a bridge too far for me, regardless of their stupidity and ignorance. It just doesn’t square with my fundamental beliefs that all people are redeemable. Having said that I also can’t help but consider my admiration and respect for Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the position he took during WW2. There certainly is a place for resistance. Hatred I’m less sure of. Always wary of becoming as bad as that which I oppose.
Wilbur, I think you misread my blog. I didn’t say I was hoping for Trump’s death or his followers. I really didn’t say anything about Trump even getting the virus. Here is what I said about the protesters after I said I hope they get get the virus: “I realize that would put our amazing healthcare professionals at risk so let me add a caveat. I hope they get miserably sick, cannot get tested and are forced to stay at home, and then survive after having learned first hand just how awful this thing is.” I hope you will read it again. Other than that, I agree with what you wrote.
Jan, Boy I screwed that up. I wrote my response a significant time after I read your blog and I clearly did not remember your words accurately. I sincerely apologize. Makes me wonder, in spite of my words, if I wasn’t actually projecting my own deepest sentiments. Sure would be easy to cross the line.
No problem, Wilbur. Glad we got it clarified. Stay safe.