Back in the 1980’s a good friend from our college days married. We enjoyed the wedding, then visited the couple in their new home a few months later. The living room included a beautiful floral couch with coordinating love seat and chair – all encased in heavy plastic. This did not surprise me. A couple of years earlier I’d visited the bride at her parent’s home where the furniture was similarly covered.
The groom, alas, hated the plastic, going so far as to sit on the living room floor during our visit.
I thought of our friends when a TV commercial showed people excited with the hi-tech protection bought for their new SUV: a laser-cut mat to cover the cargo area, sheathing over all the seats and even inserts to protect the cup holders and console. So, you spend tens of thousands of dollars for a nice vehicle and then deny yourself the right to sit on the comfy seats.
Reminds me of Trump voters.
Post-election reporting and what I hear from folks points to wanting to protect “the way things were.” While not explicitly endorsing white nationalism, they want it to succeed. Behind the plastic they see the Leave It To Beaver world where mom cared for the house while the dad provided for the family with a well-paying white man’s job. They lived in a pristine neighborhood not bothered by crime nor minority neighbors. And, everyone (apparently) was a proper Christian.
Of course, that was never reality but it is what many want to remember.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Trump’s voters means oppression of white Christians. The rage over saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas forgets that America always included a wide variety of faiths and backgrounds. (It also forgets that several Christian denominations don’t support the commercialization of a religious day.)
Back to my college theology classes, specifically the lifeboat scenario…
The ship is sinking and the lifeboats can’t hold everyone. As a parent and husband you’re justified in pushing to get your kids and wife onto a lifeboat. Except, you can’t pull someone else’s family off the boat to make room for yours. That’s immoral.
Today if the boat is full of people from “shithole countries” Trump’s morality says ‘you’re better than them,’ pull them out of the boat so you and your family survive.
The other day at Costco an older woman and her ancient husband seemed very perturbed that the family in front of them spoke, excitedly, amongst themselves, in an Asian language. If I had engaged the pair in conversation I know they’d complain about those people “coming here” and then not speaking English.
According to scientists, even the Native Americans emigrated to the Americas many years ago. We are a continent and nation all descended from immigrants, the only differentiation being when we or our ancestors got here.
Yet, too many believe in the America behind the plastic, a perfectly preserved version of the past they want to remember when things were the way they ought to be.
Me, I figure I paid for that upholstery and plan to enjoy it.
A Few Words About Missouri’s October 2024 Benefit Report…
The October 2024 Monthly Management Report for the Family Support Division and the MO HealthNet Division of the Department of Social Services is now online. [ www.dss.mo/re ]
The reports tracks very small increases in the number of citizens getting food stamps (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance. Medicaid {aka MO HealthNet) continues to shed patients: The total number enrolled stood at 1,303,352 at the end of October 2024 – 151,577 fewer citizens than at the end of October 2023. Sadly, the number of our disabled neighbors run off the rolls dropped 21.7% in that year, meaning 34,495 people with a high need for care aren’t getting it from the program designed to help them.
Remember how His Accidency’s administration effectively nullified the will of voters who passed Medicaid Expansion as the Kehoe team’s coming actions against Amendment 3 and the minimum wage/sick leave election items appear.