The Dierbergs on Telegraph Road hosts a good variety of periodicals, followed by a smaller section of hardcover and paperback books. Now, in front of the book rack, is a cardboard display for Michelle Obama’s new tome.
The other day I noticed that all of the books in that display had been turned backwards, so only the back cover of the book could be seen by shoppers: I took a few seconds to restore order.
Today the entire display had been turned to face the racks so only the cardboard could be seen by passers by: I restored order.
One of my recent e-mails came from a reader who lamented my pessimism. As I told her, I do not consider myself a pessimist but a realist.
Oakville – like most of Missouri – remains hostile territory for those who worry about our neighbors, who want to do good. The disrespect to the former First Lady’s book display ought not to be a surprise, no, it simply documents the everyday disdain for civility in Trump’s America.
Too many of our neighbors embrace Trump’s fascism.
To cite another example from that same Dierbergs, that store no longer stocks Hanukkah or Kwanza cards. I asked the manager du jour who blithely blamed the card company…I worked retail, interacting with the greeting card representative. That answer smacks of bovine by-product. Stores get the cards they want. If that Dierbergs doesn’t have Hanukkah cards, well, that means the store decided not to sell things honoring Jewish or African American holidays.
Ironically, I could have bought a Christmas card “From The Cat” there.
You see, in Trump’s America we don’t need to respect the beliefs of “those people.” Jews or blacks or Hispanics or Muslims or foreign-born folks will never be “true Americans.” Just shout “MERRY CHRISTMAS” in their face and demand that they listen. Oakville, like America, only supports traditional Christian values…including letting kids die without medical care.
So, actually, turning a book display away from customers ranks pretty low on the disrespect scale here in Oakville. More than two years after my latest campaign I still encounter dirty looks – and even a woman last week who took her food off the belt when she realized who was ahead of her in line!
More egregious: when I ran for office in 2016 my daughter worked a poll. She encountered several hostile voters, including one who threatened her with physical violence. Don’t worry: the good Republicans working that poll all turned their backs during the encounter. I got used to nasty people slamming doors and condemning me to Hell just for being a Democrat. I smiled.
Again, retreating from Oakville and other places where Trumpettes reign accomplishes nothing. The de facto Resistance needs to maintain a presence, even where “they” hate us and what we hold dear.
I’ll keep restoring order to that book display…though I expect it disappears before Monday.
Glenn