I have my first lengthy discussion this morning as I’m preparing to get on the road again. As I walk to the bathroom and back again, I notice a friendly-appearing older white man watching me. When I get into my truck, he walks by the driver’s side, still smiling affably, continues down the sidewalk and then returns.
I can’t immediately tell if he’s a shallow salesperson-friendly or a genuine friendly.
I roll down my window as he goes by the second time and say hello. He asks me how I am and after exchanging benign travel info, I ask him if he has a few minutes to talk. I should have gotten out of the truck, just so I wasn’t sitting as I’ve got a lot of sitting to do still, but I didn’t.
I ask him what he thought about what is happening in our country. His dishwater grey eyes brighten as he launches into a would-be lengthy explanation about corruption, insinuating the people who voted tRump in did so because of the extreme blatant unforgiveable (democrats understood) political corruption.
I ask him to give me one example of that corruption the people were so sick of (that they had to vote in a fascist white supremacist maniac – not spoken out loud of course as we’re just beginning our convo). He launches into another would-be lengthy explanation, gesturing to the highway behind us, saying suppose I get stopped for speeding and get a $10,000 ticket. He raises grey eyebrows pointedly. He continues: then suppose (after the election) the same ticket is only $400. Again the quizzical look accompanying the raised eyebrows.
He looks at me, expecting I should understand this. When I say I don’t get it, he then feels comfortable enough to launch his true agenda: “illegals”.
He has swallowed – and regurgitates – every stereotype, every fucked up concept, every cruel image of immigrants spouted by the fascists who he is content to embrace. He is even amused by the ‘antics’ of ICE and border patrol: after all, removal of violent criminals is a jolly scene.
I do try to counter with facts some of his ‘knowledge’ and let him know he hasn’t said one truthful thing about immigrants but instead truthful things about tRump. He attempts to connect with me by bringing up an old tv show – one I never saw – where tRump was firing workers. John, my engaged ‘other’, tells me at that time he felt angry tRump was doing that. But now he thinks what tRump is doing may be right.
And John knows that he is ‘lucky’ to have been born in this country.
I ask him his ‘luck’ makes him feel he’s more entitled to living such a good life here than an immigrant who is attempting to escape violence and deploring conditions in the country they just happened to be born in – with unlucky conditions most likely caused by u.s. greed and domination.
It’s the one thing that brings him pause. He flushes a little, denying then rejecting ‘entitlement’ and replacing it with deserving. Really? It is his country after all.
I see he’s going to leave soon so I ask him about his humanity, if he has enough humanity left to feel compassion for those people trying to thrive, let alone survive. After all, we live in the richest country in the world and why wouldn’t he want to share some of our resources.
I ask him if any immigrant has had a negative impact on him personally, has cost him anything. As he shakes his head no, I add his community, his church, his job – all “no’s”.
I end with my usual parting shot, I mean missive, I hope will enter his heart “I know you know the christian thing to do and to be. You still have a chance in your old age to expel anti-christian actions. It’s not too late”
He forces a lukewarm smile, waves, and heads back to his vehicle as I hit the road.
