Scroll down for commentary by Sharon Lintner, Joel Postman, Jim McCraw and Hugh Hansen.
Breeding Ground of Hate -- The president has created a breeding ground of hate and in doing so, he has made hate acceptable. We are beginning to see the consequences.
The hate is escalating, leading some to commit acts of violence. This weekend, that hate left a state representative and her husband dead, a state senator and his wife severely injured. Horrific acts such as these will create fear among those who desire to run for office, allowing their opponents to dominate and win through intimidation.
When I was serving as vice president of our local borough council, my views didn't always line up with my Republican counterparts. One November morning, after the election, I went out to find my white car splattered with red paint. The sight of this frightened not only me, but my neighbors as well. This act of intimidation left me fearing for my physical safety. In spite of this, I finished my four-year term without missing one meeting or one vote, but I will not run again. Fear can paralyze.
Hate on the national level is filtering down, emboldening local officials and dividing communities. Hate is gaining traction. People say we can change that at the voting booth, but if we can't get honest, sincere candidates due to fear and intimidation then what? --Sharon Lintner
We’re Not Accustomed to Totalitarian Spectacles, Yet -- Trump's June 14 parade — whether characterized as a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the US Army or as a self-thrown birthday celebration for a nascent dictator — failed to deliver the president's anticipated totalitarian spectacle. We can only hope this is because, unlike in North Korea and Russia, where citizens are accustomed to and accepting of such demonstrations, which are frequent and well-orchestrated, the United States is not yet at a point where these displays are part of everyday life. This was evidenced by the well-attended "No Kings" demonstrations in cities of every size (and political leaning) across the country, and by the willingness of people to speak out against the Trump juggernaut. Let us hope we turn the tide and never reach parity with those states that conduct shows of military force and demonstrations designed to remind citizens of their obligation to unerringly praise and support "dear leader." --Joel Postman
Resistance in The Villages -- The Administration’s recent behaviors in Los Angeles, with the National Guard, the Marines, and ICE, and the Trump/Army birthday parade, were met with the largest demonstration so far in TheVillages, Florida, a well known bastion of MAGA Republicans. The lines of protesters were longer and deeper than ever before, and the variety of signage was spectacular, Our favorite sign of the two-hour demonstration, carefully watched by Sumter County sheriffs and wetted down by irrigation sprinklers, was Elect A Rapist, Expect To Be Fucked. This is the largest retirement community in the country, pushing out toward 170,000 residents, with about 20 percent of them retired military, another big chunk of retired cops, firemen and EMTs and healthcare workers, all concerned about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, among so many other things. – Jim McCraw
One-Tenth of Small Town -- I was very pleased with, and slightly surprised by, the No Kings demonstration here in our little northern Michigan town. We had about 300 people, or roughly 10% of our official population. We did not chant or call/response, so as to respect the children's trout fishing tournament taking place behind us. The drive-by traffic, heightened because most Michigan schools had let out days earlier, was at least 20 to 1 supportive (I saw two middle fingers, one thumbs-down, and heard one snooty "Nyooo," while scores on into hundreds honked, waved, and gave thumbs up and peace signs). There were people from my Lions Club and other service organizations, my gym, and several of our churches. If only we could have let Trump be president before the election! – Hugh Hansen