A reader sent the following. It was written by his brother’s stepdaughter and her words says what so many of us think and know but are unable to put into the proper words:
Any one thing he’s done should be enough to have people screaming nonstop in the streets, but there is just so very, very many things it’s all getting lost. The fact that the politicians and leaders who are supposed to support, protect, and answer to us are either standing back or helping it happen is sowing even more confusion.
It doesn’t help that nearly every source that brings us news or what’s really happening also bashes people who supported Trump continuously. We have all, sometime in our life, gotten conned. They were conned with help from billionaires, news networks, social media platforms, and even by their trust in religious leaders, who overwhelmingly supported Trump’s anti-abortion platform and thus Trump himself, by phones and computers that showed them only articles of the kind they liked. They were conned in part because a large number of them believed our government itself needed reform, just as a large portion of us do. Make no mistake, they were systematically brainwashed by trusted media sources and trusted people for years. Pretty much the first principles they were convinced of was “trust no one else”, “fake news”, “make America great again”.
I don’t think there were many people who realized just how isolated and dependent on only Trump supporting news they were. I know I assumed that many of them, most of them were hearing/reading the same news stories I was and were just ignoring the parts they didn’t like but the truth I’m coming to realize is that the news they got was almost completely different from what I read. Also, even if they tried to check by computer/phone search, due to algorithms and cookies, they almost always received articles of the type and from the sources they read frequently, that they trusted. Which just backed up their beliefs, because how many of us would believe an ordinary friend/family member over well trusted official news media?
They, or a lot of them anyway, aren’t idiots (any more than we are), they were systematically betrayed. Calling them stupid isn’t just wrong – it puts them in a corner, backs to the wall, trying desperately to defend themselves from us… usually by defending the world-view they’ve been convinced of. Most of them are NOT horrible people, any more than most of us are, but they’ve been CONNED by horrible people. They are just as desperate to fix things as we are, they’ve just been convinced that Trump will do so.
Just maybe, the next time you talk to one, leave Trump out of it, phrase it more about the things that are happening and the fallout from that.
A conversation such as libraries is a good thing, a right of the American public that gives anyone of us enjoyment and education. Something we deserve, that we’ve paid for, that’s being put at huge risk by pulled funding.
Show them articles that speak of what’s going on without blaming THEM. In the end we should be blaming the conmen who betrayed them, who betrayed us, who are betraying everything good about America.
o0o
To those thoughtful words, I would add that on June 14, there will be a series of “No Kings Day” rallies throughout this great and wonderful nation that was founded on the premise that we shall not be ruled by a king. Several of these rallies will be held across Louisiana. Yeah, I know the middle of June is going to be hot and humid but we need to get off our collective derrieres and let this tyrant in our house know that he’s not entitled to throw himself a $92 million birthday parade as long as there one homeless person, one hungry mouth, one sick person going without medical care or one disable veteran unable to get help. Find out where the nearest rally to you will be and ATTEND, make some noise.
It’s noteworthy, too, to mention that a Washington Post story on Tuesday that deep personnel cuts at Veterans Affairs is crippling employee morale. Wonder what it’s doing to the morale of veterans in need of help?
Even more telling, the stories says, and this is a direct quote, “Many Democrats have already seized on President Donald Trump’s VA cuts as damaging to veterans, and some Republicans worry about the political risks of firings and other reductions at the agency.”
And there we have it. Republicans are concerned about the “political risks.”
Funny, but that sounds like something I’ve been screaming about for years now. They are more concerned about political fallout than they are about the welfare of those who have fought their wars over oil and who now need our help.
Please let that sink in. We have four Republican members of the House, including the Speaker himself, who voted for a bill that allows this reality star to literally ignore a court order. And we have two Republican senators who, I’m willing to bet my retirement check, will vote likewise on the bill.
Just. Let. That. Sink. In.
Louisiana Voice 
Two comments. First, in response to the (I assume) young lady. The first time you vote for Trump you can claim to be conned. The third time you are voting for Trump you are a willing participant in his lies and his megalomania. Allowing Trump to rule by executive order, defy the courts, and deny people their constitutional rights is a willful act of stupidity. So yes, MAGA fascists are stupid to risk our nation in that manner and stupid not to recognize the risk and if calling them out for it puts their back against the wall that’s just too damn bad. Maybe don’t sell out?
Second, I am a veteran and I get my health care through the VA. To date I have no complaints, but Musk’s slashing and burning has probably not had time to trickle down to me yet. I will say the VA serves the individual health care needs of over nine million veterans. There is no way to do that on the cheap or without a certain amount of bureaucracy. But don’t expect cuts to the VA to get through to MAGA supporting vets. Why? See the first comment.
This young lady made a number of insightful observations that we should work hard to keep at front of mind when talking with Radical Right friends.
Specifically, she mentioned “religious leaders”, brainwashing, and “conservative” pseudo-news sources that present propaganda that bears little resemblance to the day’s actual news. I think it is important to note that another important part of the brainwashing propaganda is that liberals, or progressives, are literally demonized. The conned are told that we are evil and certainly not followers of Christ. This is another reason anything we say will have no credibility with them. On the other hand, if you ask them about some of Jesus’ teachings, for example Matthew 25:35-40, they may deny his words or say that they don’t apply today.
One State Worker (Ted Hansen) 23527 Elberta Lane Zachary, LA 70791 Cell: 225-603-4555