I dropped my son off at the local Catholic church for a cub scout meeting. We were 10 minutes early, so we sat chatting in the parking lot waiting for his cub scout leader to arrive. A pickup truck soon pulled up in front of us with a big Trump 2020 bumper stick on its side extended cab window. Out stepped a woman carrying a Tupperware container of cookies for the other event at the church tonight. I sat there stunned---then simmering. The woman walked around her truck and then past my truck. I don’t know what came over me---I stepped out of my truck and said: “excuse me”-- she turned towards me—I continued, standing 15’ away--” I am offended by your Trump bumper sticker”. She shrugged her shoulders like she didn’t care and continued her way into the church.
I don’t know what came over me—I have never questioned or stated anything like this to co-workers/acquaintances, wayward in-laws-- no less strangers who have had Trump paraphernalia on their trucks/hats. I will see this woman again I am sure--we are in a small town. My son was horrified--"why did you do that dad?" He then jumped out and ran into his meeting. Why? . . . . . . because I was offended! It hit me like a mix of a confederate flag/white elitist chant/religious intolerance/bullying/ignorance and so not in the Christian way. Over dinner with my other teenage sons and wife, they all said I was wrong and inappropriate---- I may have been—but after listening to Trump's PA speech the other night I have been overcome with horror and sadness that there were so many people standing behind him and cheering him on—so, so sad. So---resolve: I have not been active in politics--other than reading the news and blogs for years--but going forward, starting tonight, I will channel my rage into supporting candidates who actively defend and champion the ideals of freedom and equality for all. I want my sons to look back at this time as I recall reading about the rise of Charles Coughlin-the priest/ or the McCarthy era—a reminder of how easy it is for hysteria and fear to undermine tolerance and freedom.