I’m not certain in what context you read my response to this article but I was not holding Lee up as a racist example but an example of someone who showed us grace and honor through defeat for the better of our future democracy, despite his personal views. I also did not make mention of Trump but the acceptance of our democratic traditions and offer our future leader a chance.
I think this tripped you up, didn’t it?:
So which is it? Do you like racist demagogues or not?
You misread it completely.
I inferred that you’re of the opinion that racism and despotism are Bad Things. Which is why your comment was inconsistent. Why support the Presidency of a man who embodies those two things, merely because a minority of American voters elected him President?
I also did not make mention of Trump
Your comment was in response to a post about how to guard against the rise of fascism following the election of Donald Trump. I, perhaps incorrectly, assumed that when you said…
Accept defeat with dignity and honor.
…you were referring to a capitulation to Trump’s vision for America.
—
As to the tone of the author, “subtracts from the amount of time we spend fighting fascists.” “some of us are fighters”, including the use of the swastika to exemplify “Trump fascists” leads a reader to believe it is a call to violence.
I don’t think all Trump supporters are painting swastikas on walls. I do think that all the people painting swastikas on walls are Trump supporters.
I haven’t counted, but I’d guess that 99% of Mike’s post is incontrovertibly, unambiguously referring to non-violent action. If you really think the remaining 1% (if that) is a call to violence then maybe that says more about you than it says about Mike.
I don’t understand how you can find a call to violence in that post, and yet see nothing wrong with playing wait-and-see, supporting the presidency of a man who was elected following a campaign where he appealed to “the 2nd amendment crowd” to do something about Hillary Clinton, who courted people who chanted “hang the bitch”, who lamented not being able to “punch” a protester at his rallies like in the good old days.
This is a hate piece, wrongly misjudging of half the country and extremist propaganda.
Say it is a hate piece. Say it is wrongly misjudging Trump supporters. Say it is miscategorising ALL Trump supporters as Fascist thugs. You’re still wrong. It’s saying nothing about half the country. It’s not even misjudging half of all the people who voted.
46.6% voted for Trump. Less than half. Of the people who voted.
Less than 20% of the US population.
Less than 29% of the US population eligible to vote.
Less than 43% of the US population registered to vote.
Finally, I am completely floored that someone whose response to Mike’s post started…
History is fascinating. We have this unique gift as humans to record history and learn by it to make for a better future.
…would reach back as far back in history as the Civil War for a lesson. Why not the 1930s? A man was elected on a populist platform that scapegoated a religious minority. He promised a return to glory and to take back his country for the working man. Some newspapers openly supported him. Some claimed that he was only using anti-Semitic rhetoric to get into power so he could enact his economic policies.
Oh, and his army “surrendered” with “grace” and “honor” too.
