Tag: trump violence

The Trump Divide

I read a USA Today article about recent poll results and what each party says it values.

Divided nation: Republicans prize patriotism, Democrats equality – poll

The article carefully tiptoes through the results of recent polls that show a growing divide in the United States. Republicans value ‘patriotism’.

I’m not surprised. Republicans like to bark things like, “These colors don’t run.” Funny that they support noted draft dodger Donald Trump, isn’t it? Donald Trump, also known as TACO – Trump Always Chickens Out.

Just as interesting, Republicans in this poll valued ‘responsibility’ and ‘honesty’ as the second and third highest prized values.

And they select Trump as their leader.

It’s headshaking to me, but that’s probably why I’m not a Republican. How could I prize patriotism, responsibility, and honesty, and then support someone who doesn’t exhibit any of those traits? It’s like those traits are virtually meaningless to the GOP.

In a way, it is. What the GOP — especially the MAGA component — has done is change the way those words are perceived. To them, Trump’s lying is ‘unvarnished honesty’ because he says others will not and ‘shakes things up’.

This is because of the ‘framework’ through which they view things.

Yes, I call bullshit. They’re okay with Donald Trump making billions but they were in a tizzy over the idea that Hunter Biden — who is not an elected official — made money through Daddy. Yet they’re fine with Jared Kushner and the Trump children getting richer and richer off of Trump.

That’s why there’s a divide in this country.

This fascinating paragraph is in the article’s middle:

“But the inclination to see the other side as lacking basic principles − even as being a danger to democracy − has grown over the past decade, studies have found. The assumption that the other side is acting in good faith has been eroded by the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, attacks on the legitimacy of elections, allegations of the weaponization of governmental powers and more.”

Hmm. Interesting. Riddle me this, AI.

  • How many times has Donald Trump claimed that elections were stolen or manipulated? How does that compare with other politicians and leaders?
  • Who was POTUS during the Jan. 6 assault on the capitol?
  • What White House occupant uses the DOJ to persecute political opponents? Which one has purged Federal employees and asked for loyalty oaths to him?

Donald Trump calls himself a unifying president but uses incentives specifically designed to divide the country via his support me and vote for Republicans technique. But that’s okay, I guess, because that’s the GOP framework: all for them, nothing for Democrats.

Trump likes to vilify Democrats, reporters, other nations, the news media in general, and anyone who doesn’t agree with him. Donald Trump, who wants to be remembered as a ‘peace president’, gleefully cheered when a protestor was punched at one of his rallies.

Trump also said multiple times, “I would never condone violence.”

Under the GOP framework — supported by their values of patriotism, responsibility, and honesty — these competing views of approving and encouraging violence and claiming he would never condone violence is acceptable.

Of course, we have seen MAGA and the GOP break with the framework several times. They broke when they voted for immigrants to be deported only to find themselves or their family to be one of the deported. They broke when Trump’s war increased gas prices. They broke when Trump said that he doesn’t care about Americans’ finances. They broke when they found how much more things are costing them as the affordability crisis grows under Trump’s economy.

That’s how their framework works. It’s ironclad until it personally affects them.

Republicans say that Trump is demonstrating peace through strength. Sure, and he’s showing unity through division, honesty through stealing, and responsibility through lying.

Republicans in the poll then expressed the view that Democrats were more immoral. That’s funny in a darkly bitter way, given that the person who leads them is a convicted felon who has been documented lying tens of thousands of times, and who promises the world and delivers little.

That person is Donald J. Trump.

Hey Republicans. Get Trump to release the Epstein files, end the Iran war, and give back the billions of dollars he’s made since taking office in 2025. Get him to stop lying and breaking his promises.

Then we can start a conversation about good faith, morals, and values, and the divide in this nation.

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Sunday’s Theme Music — Run

Ashland, southern Oregon. Sunday, September, 27, 2026.

A full-fledged fall day here — cool at 63 degrees F, warming to 73 today, with sunshine breaking through cloud blockades.

All quiet with Mom today. My sister, Gina, called Mom to see what was needed and she could help. That seemed to mollify Mom. Not to make light of it, or anything, because Mom’s needs are real. But she becomes fixated, and it often seems to stem from her sense of helplessness and isolation.

Today’s theme song is “Run Like Hell” by Pink Floyd. The song was on the album “The Wall”, released in 1979. My younger cousin was so into Pink Floyd and tremendously excited when this album came out. I was stationed at Randolph AFB in Texas at the time. He lived not far away, in San Antonio. We had a lot of fun when we could hook up. Sadly, he passed away from cancer a few years ago. I can’t hear any song off “The Wall” without remembering him.

The Neurons plugged the song into the morning mental music stream today after seeing a Robert Reich Bluesky post.

“I feel optimistic about the midterm elections, just over five weeks away. But my stomach aches when I think of what’s at stake. Call me nauseously optimistic“

Yes, that’s me, too. And if Trump loses, many will see it as validation that Trump is wildly unpopular and unsuccessful. Angry as hell, Trump will probably tilt more into authoritarian ignorance and violence, while shouting, “Cheating! National emergency!”

“Run Like Hell” is about a rock star who orders an attack on the riff raff, so it’s appropriate as hell for my feelings today. I’m optimistic, nauseous and anxious, and quite ready to metamorphically run like hell.

Sample Lyrics

You better run all day
And run all night
And keep your dirty feelings
Deep inside.

I hope you have no need to run like hell today unless it’s because you decide to run out and get a favorite treat for yourself. Remember to treat yourself kindly and try to do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.

Back to coffee, writing, hopes, and dreams.

Cheers

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Thursday’s Theme Music — Driving Me Crazy

Ashland, southern Oregon. Thursday, August 27, 2026.

Another cool morning — 62 F right now — which will see temperatures in the mid to upper 80s again. No clouds are in view, just blue sky over a brown and green landscape.

Had beers with friends last night. Talking about Dolly Parton dominated. All admired her talents and abilities, but we addressed her sense of humor and willingness to support others more than anything. She’s left a tremendous legacy of kindness, a beacon of light in this nasty Trump era.

Mom is sick this week. She’s complaining of being in pain everywhere and freezing. I’ve asked for updates but she’s not responding, and my sisters aren’t communicating with Mom. The assisted living facility won’t tell me about her because security; they don’t know me.

Our conversations last night about what’s going on in the United States often circled back to the same point: Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier, it does.

Then I was reading about a rancher who is upset about Trump’s policies which were affecting her. She defended her vote for Trump, and it’s essentially because she worries about transgender children and her offspring being exposed to transgender children. Yes, oh my!

Which brings me to one of the most ludicrous things Trump ever said, and that’s a long list.

Your Trump Quote of the Day:

It’s an absolutely batshit crazy claim. These weren’t off hand remarks. This was Trump campaigning to lead the nation, feeding their fears and petty anxieties. And they have been absolutely debunked.

Just like Trump’s claims of stolen elections.

Does Trump believe what he said that day in August?

Doesn’t matter to me if he believed it or not. He said it to fuel hatred and divide our nation. We are stronger as a nation if we’re all helping one another and pulling together and was — and keeps — deliberately undermining that critical premise.

And then Trump has the gall to claim that he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker and unifier.

A unifier does not deliberately use hatred to turn citizens against each other. Nor does a peacemaker. A peacemaker also doesn’t start an unnecessary war, as Trump did with Iran (now going into its sixth month). Nor does a peacemaker order the military to kill over two hundred people at sea without going through the legal system.

Yet MAGA seems to generally support this. They foster a “conditional unity”, which is, we will support your and your participation and existence, as long as you’re like or fit into our narrow definitions of genders, sexual orientation, skin color, place of birth, ethnicity.

We’ve learned these lessons before. Under Trump, they’re being dismantled.

Yet, there will come a time when we’ll need to learn and employ these lessons again.

Today’s morning mental music stream inhabitant is by FYC. FYC is Fine Young Cannibals, a Brit group. The song today is “She Drives Me Crazy”. The band released it in 1988 and it’s about love and relationships. Makes it apropos for today. The Neurons fed it to the MMMS after I was thinking about how Trump and his supporters drive me crazy.

Sample Lyrics

I can’t stop the way I feel
Things you do don’t seem real
Tell me what you’ve got in mind
‘Cause we’re running out of time
Won’t you ever set me free?
This waiting ’round’s killing me

Hope you’re rocking this day and making good time on your daily life goals. Be good to yourself and to each other.

Cheers

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Wenzdaz Theme Music

Time to crank up another Wenzda. December 10, 2025 in Ashlandia began with sunshine and blue skies. I blinked and suddenly fog is smashing its gray face against the window panes. 45 F now, a jump the high fifties has been projected.

Today’s music is torn straight from the headlines. Not really. It’s more of a reflection on the many people experiencing cruelty and heartlessness under the Trump Regime. When this song was released in 1973, it was a protest against police violence and a police murder of a young Black boy in NYC. Now, “Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” by the Rolling Stones was brought up by Der Neurons to the morning mental music stream in response to general news as ICE heartlessly chases and attacks people on behalf of Trump’s growing intention to make the United States whiter.

I’d like to tear that Trump world apart. I think there’s growing number of people with that same sentiment.

Alright, coffee jumpstarted the brain and various other organs. Hope peace and grace come give you a big hug. Here we go, world, another rotation. Cheers

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Fridaz Wandering Political Thoughts

Unfettered by good sense, morality, or wise advisors, Trump is more frequently turning to violence for answers. A few months ago, he sent the U.S. national guard to LA on trumped up ideas about ‘restoring the city’. All with half a brain knew we were witnessing political theater and an attempt to intimidate anyone who opposes him. He’s threatened or used the same tactics on other cities, including the nation’s capitol, Washington, D.C. Each time, these are ‘blue’ cities, which means the Democratic Party holds many leadership positions. Each time, too, the facts about crime rates and violence which he cites are absolute lies.

Trump employed the U.S. military to attack Iran to destroy their nuclear weapons capabilities. Its success is questionable. Since then, he used the U.S. military to attack and kill eleven people in international waters. He gave no evidence to justify his actions. Acting like the king he thinks he is, he’s decided he has a divine right to attack and kill others if he deems them a threat. He’s shown the same disregard for intelligence, critical thought, and law as his minions employ armed and masked ICE agents to disappear people, regardless of their legal status, often making up questionable reasons for their actions.

Now, when someone who supported him, Charlie Kirk, a person who advocated violence, was killed, Trump blamed, without evidence, ‘radical left violence’. In his catalogue of political violence, Trump never mentions the violence he has advocated. He never mentions his supporters’ attack on Congress on Jan 6. Instead, he pardoned those people and rewarded one who was killed while breaking in and refusing police officer’s orders to stop. As Robert Reich writes, Trump never mentions Democrats who have been shot and killed. Trump calls Democrats enemies of the United States and treats them as such. He likes to make believe that he’s as strong and ethical as fictional characters like Superman.

But Trump, with his words and behavior, continues to display his brand as a bully, a divider who preaches hate. He’s a threat to common sense, peace, and justice, and he needs to face facts for a change and step up and take responsibility for the rising violence and polarization in the United States.

Before it worsens.

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