If you have any question about what the future of America will be like in a second Donald Trump term, please look carefully at what transpired Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. The racism, the xenophobia, the misogyny, the hatred, the anger, the division. This is where the road leads.
Up until eight years ago, I would have described myself as extremely partisan in my personal life but extremely respectful of those who don’t share my opinion. I had, and still have, friends across the political spectrum who I respect, who are decent and good people, who just view the world differently and have priorities that are not my own and who are not hate-filled or racist.
I only began to speak boldly after seeing the writing on the wall, political norms being shattered and abhorrent rhetoric being normalized. My lifelong conviction to stand up for human rights compelled me not to be silent in the face of demonization of the other.
The rally was the culmination of eight years of an increasingly lower bar of political discourse and a glaring example of what people emboldened by ignoring hate will say and do.
If you like that vision of America, which no longer is the melting pot of wonderful diversity but a place where people are demeaned, degraded and demonized for having divergent views and where racist tropes and Americanized quotes of Adolf Hitler (“America is for Americans and Americans only”) are cheered, by all means vote for Trump.
But if it gives you pause as a person who has core decency and doesn’t relish supporting hate or promoting violent rhetoric that leads to action, if you see your neighbor perhaps as different than you but not your enemy, realize that a vote for Trump promotes what was on display at that rally and that you promote what you permit. The rally was a case in point.
I keep hearing people say, “I don’t like his character, but I liked the economy better.” That may have worked in the past, however now this is an existential choice. A vote for Trump means that the rally is not something you can ignore but something you have embraced.
I know for some to vote for Kamala Harris is a bridge too far, but in that case, recognize that a vote for Trump is a vote to endorse seeing your neighbor with whom you disagree as an enemy who must be silenced and destroyed.
We may not agree on a lot of things as Americans, but I hope and pray that we can agree that we are better than what we saw on display Sunday night and that at long last we cannot look the other way.
May God have mercy if we don’t.
2 thoughts on “PAULA MEHMEL: Shoot The Rapids — A Vote For Trump Is A Vote Against Basic Human Rights”
Al Aamodt October 28, 2024 at 2:10 pm
Excellent column–tragically. I say tragically because it is beyond sad, we even have to have this discussion
Replynaturelover55 October 28, 2024 at 3:37 pm
Hi Paula. Thanks for this.
I, too, have wanted to respect that different people have different views so I haven’t put political posts on Facebook, etc. My own thoughts on politics have changed over the years, so I don’t think I should be pushing my views on anybody. After all, we are all at different stages in our views of the world, and we all have different life experiences that bias those views. However, I believe basic human decency should not be up for debate.
We are in a different time now. The stakes for our immediate and long-term futures are too high. How can I hold my head high if my grandkids (who will inherit our mess) find out that in 2024 I didn’t stand up and speak out against this political nightmare we find ourselves in. The only power I have is my voice and my vote.
We cannot allow Trump to destroy everything good America stands for. The MSG rally yesterday was the last straw.
As you say, if people can’t bring themselves to vote for one of the smartest, bravest, most competent woman in history for President, the least they could do for the good of the country is not vote at all.
It has come to the point that I am reconsidering the character of acquaintances who actually cast a ballot for Mr. Trump. We aren’t voting for our favorite “team.” This is dead serious. This person will have 4 years of absolute power over the American people, our foreign policy and nuclear codes.
AND. . .If one more person brings up the economy I will SCREAM. Obama had cleaned up the mess that he inherited from Busch, i.e. the Iraq War, the Afghanistan War, and various aspects of the War on Terror, and the Great Recession. He then handed Trump a thriving economy, so the economy was pretty good for a while. And then it all went to hell. Do you remember the chaos, confusion and collusion we had during Trump’s administration? Do you remember people dying by tens of thousands every week because COVID was a “hoax” and it was “nothing?” Do you remember life without basic supplies (toilet paper, bread, etc.)? Do you remember how scared we were as we waited for the scientific community to give us a vaccine? Do you remember finding out that someone you know had died from COVID? I do. It was horrific.
Trump cut taxes to the wealthiest, which resulted in the national debt rising by $7.8 TRILLION. When he lost the election (yes, he really did lose), Biden inherited an economy in ruins with 10 million unemployed people. A horrible GDP. All the numbers are out there for everyone to see. Here’s just a couple “easy” reads, because I know many people don’t want to be bothered by “the facts.”
https://www.forbes.com/sites/sarahhansen/2021/01/19/biden-is-inheriting-one-of-the-worst-economies-in-recent-history-these-5-numbers-show-how-much-he-needs-to-fix/
and
https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/trump-inherited-booming-economy-handed-biden-nation-shambles-n1255033
If you think either of these is “fake news”, go to a source that has no skin in the game. Maybe from a different country, if that’s what it takes. The Financial Times is based in London and their reporters are amazing. Or how about a non-partisan fact-checking site? So many ways to get the truth if you really want it.
I am exhausted and frankly pissed off at people who won’t take time to find facts to back up their claims about our economy under Trump. The naked truth is he was given a healthy economy on a silver platter, and he poisoned it. And even worse, he ripped our families and friendships apart with his rhetoric. I will never forgive him for what he did to our country.
I am praying that Trump and his ilk are never, ever allowed back into power. If he wins the election, we don’t deserve this country which has given us so much.
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