Safe in the nation we’ve made
Someone teach Trump how to say goodbye
So. I have this backyard. It’s fairly narrow but deep.
Grass, unattended, has grown wild for almost four years. An early garden was abandoned and is now fallow. Which is sort of like feral.
There are lovely wildflowers spread like coins in a fountain, perhaps the result of seeds I tossed out randomly, as well as a few fruit trees and bushes, gifts from various friends who have done more work in my yard than I have. Toward the front, a butterfly bush lives up to its name, attracting colorful wings. In the very back, an ancient fig tree offers sweet sustenance.
A week or so ago, I brought the Fox-a-Lago trailcams home for maintenance and on a whim, set them up in the backyard. Thus I’ve discovered several neighborhood cats skulking through the night, as well as a couple of raccoons and opossums, a delightful surprise.
One of the opossums likes fruit, it turns out. I’ve named him “Leon,” in honor of former president and convicted felon Donald Trump’s recent mispronunciation of Elon Musk’s name. It suits him. He’s scrappy.
I’ve got a plan for the yard — well, not really a plan, more a concept of a plan, if you know what I mean. I recently used a friend’s electric mini-chainsaw to cut down some weed trees that had grown too close to the house, as well as an electric weed-eater to clear some space — no conventional lawnmower could handle this kind of growth — and develop the path that neighborhood cats wore through the yard. Cement blocks and pavers are piled in the driveway, collected in imitation of the practice of former Arts Council president and CEO Milton Rhodes, known for picking up construction scraps to turn into art. I don’t want to overdo it, but I do hope to institute some smidgen of order that nevertheless will not require much maintenance.
The highway a mile away offers a constant background hum, but I can still hear the wind rustle through trees and grass; still see the play of shadow and sunshine on the greenery; still smell the scent of unidentified blossoms. I’ve been surprised at the degree to which working or just walking in the yard relaxes and energizes me. Every now and then, the Scripture quoted by President George Washington as he prepared to leave office — Micah 4:4, “Everyone shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree and there shall be none to make him afraid” — flashes through my mind.
I hesitate to pile on to the almost universal recognition of how terribly Trump did in last week’s presidential debate, so easily triggered and turned to incoherent mush by Vice President Kamala Harris’s expert cross-examinations. It’s enough, perhaps, to repeat others’ observations that she walked him like a poodle — or to note that despite his preposterous claims to have won, she’s the one using debate footage in campaign ads.
But no, it’s not enough. The obvious must be stated: If there were any lingering doubts or denial about Trump’s obscenely racist heart, they should be permanently abandoned after his vile, persistent and false claims that Haitian refugees in Springfield, Ohio, are eating people’s pets, cats and dogs — an absurd rumor that sounds like something from the irreverent cartoon “South Park,” but originated as stupid gossip, was amplified by neo-Nazis, and percolated in fetid online swamps before rising to the foul mouth of the leader of the Republican Party. He has since clung to his incoherent claims, even saying now that if he’s elected, he’ll deport the legal Haitian refugees … to Venezuela.
In addition, openly choosing white supremacist and 9/11 “truther” Laura Loomer as a travel companion — where the hell is Melania? — suggests that rather than deny the claims of racism, Trump is leaning into them. He’s counting on “very fine people” who march with torches and wave Confederate flags to deliver a win in November.
If for some warped reason none of that mattered, his assertion that he believes the reports of petocide on the basis of “Well, I’ve seen people on television” — in contrast to reports from Springfield authorities — says everything we need to know about his judgment. It’s an echo of taking the word of Russian President and war criminal Vladimir Putin over U.S. intelligence agents in 2018. Trump cannot tell fact from fiction, and that makes him extremely dangerous.
Despite his many flaws, despite Harris’s victory in the debate, despite the solid hope and joy she’s bringing to Americans across the nation, we must face the absurd possibility that Trump could still win the election. For many conservatives, racism, even blatant and dangerous racism, is still not disqualifying in a candidate. Thus it has ever been and ever will be.
It's exhausting.
Sometimes, conservatives tell us that all they want is to be left alone, to sit in safety under their own vine and fig tree.
“The bottom line is conservatives are tolerant. We are, you know, kind of, get out of your business. You leave me alone, I’ll leave you alone,” Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said on Fox News last December, accompanied by the sound of millions of jaws hitting the floor across the nation. Sure, they’ll leave you alone, unless you’re a dark-skinned refugee. Or a pregnant woman. Or transgender. Or in a same-sex marriage. Or a school teacher. Or a Black voter, or a college student or a Muslim. Or if you have a library card. Then, terms and conditions may apply.
It’ll be worse by orders of magnitude if Trump wins.
Kamala Harris — Trump has no excuse to mispronounce her name, now that she’s schooled him — doesn’t speak that way. She speaks of peace and prosperity for every American and seems to have plans to deliver them. She’s watering the seeds that President Joe Biden planted — better economic policies for the middle class, a cleaner environment, greater access to health care and equality for the underdogs who helped build this country. Despite the enthusiastic support she’s received, her foes, ignorance and racism, are powerful. It’ll be an uphill battle.
Take a break today. Walk in the garden. Breathe the fresh air. Then let’s get back to work.
…….
Overflow:
Following the debate, I tuned in to analysis by the staff of The Bulwark, an organization of smart young conservatives — the kind that neo-Nazis wish to be seen as — who recognize the danger of Trumpism to the nation. Don’t listen to me; listen to them.
“It’s very easy: If you don’t want to be fact-checked, don’t say things that are demonstrably untrue.”
From neighborhood gossip to neo-Nazis to the lips of a presidential candidate:
Trump’s gal pal, white supremacist and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly8y27dwgpo
Our own Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican who has in the past paid the price for criticizing Trump, says he shouldn’t be hanging out with her: “Laura Loomer is a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage intended to divide Republicans. A DNC plant couldn’t do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump’s chances of winning re-election. Enough.”
https://thehill.com/homenews/4878696-tillis-criticizes-trump-loomer-relationship/
The claim that millions of illegal immigrants are registering to vote is a lie — the kind you tell when you know you’re going to lose:
Haitian refugees have rejuvenated Springfield, Ohio:
As members of hate groups converge on Springfield, Ohio, local residents have stepped forward to support the Haitian refugees in their midst:
A very important part of this story is Sen. JD Vance’s attempt to call the accidental death of a child murder and use it as a club against immigrants. The father of the child called him out on it: “Don’t spin this toward hate,” he said:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/bomb-threats-political-vitriol-ohio-114932045.html
Deport Haitians to … Venezuela? Haiti, Venezuela, what’s the difference to racists?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-deport-haitian-migrants-springfield-ohio-to-venezuela/
A reminder: Trump sided with Putin over U.S. intelligence agencies; this is putting America first?
He doubled down last year:
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-trusts-putin-intelligence-lowlife-1777537
Joe Biden is Barack Obama, Nikki Haley is Nancy Pelosi and Elon is Leon:
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-elon-musk-name-flub_n_66de91f4e4b05e7aac7c2edb
Here’s my Leon:
A childless cat lady weighs in:
One final thought before a song and sales pitch, and thanks for reading this far:
After the attempt on Trump’s life, JD Vance and others blamed “overheated Democratic rhetoric.” “I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me,” Trump said during the debate with Harris.
But faced with news about the bomb threats in Springfield schools and hospitals that followed his lies about immigrants eating pets, he shrugged off any sense of responsibility. “I don’t know what happened with the bomb threats,” he said Saturday.
Vance continued to push the lies, adding that immigrants are bringing in diseases. They’re going all in on racism and they’re not done yet.
Speaking of George Washington:
My book, Stardust and Scar Tissue, is available from my friends at Bookmarks, the Book Ferret, the Central Library or directly from Press 53.
At 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17, I’ll be speaking to the Books Ignite Book Club at the Shepherd’s Center of Kernersville. It’s located at 636 Granlin Street, and from there, Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream and Grill on Main Street is about two minutes away. Just sayin’.
The Shepherd’s Center requests registration two business days in advance by calling 336-992-3180, but if you forget, just drop by. I’ll save you a seat.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, I’ll be one of the hosts at the Vanhoy Family Estate Sale at 1228 Charles Conner Court, also in Kernersville. This isn’t directly book-related, but some might like to stop by and help us clear Dad’s house. We’ll have furniture, home goods, books, musical instruments, knick-knacks and who knows what-all. Also not far from Doss’ Old Fashion Ice Cream and Grill.
Oh, one more: The Bookmarks Festival of Books & Authors will be held Sept. 26 through Sept. 29 in downtown Winston-Salem; I’ll be at the Press 53 booth for much of the event, when I’m not rescuing a few stray books that need a good home.
This is such a big event; I’m proud to be a part of it.
If you’re not yet a subscriber to “Mick Scott: Meditations,” you can have my essays delivered to your inbox on Sundays (and occasionally other times) for free; or you can help support me with a small monthly sum; either way is OK with me.
Thanks for being here today, friends. If you know anyone who might like to join us, please send them this way.
Leon is the best!
Knocked it out of the park, as usual. I've been looking for more outrage with the overt racism of the pet-eating claims. Thanks for calling it what it is!