The writing on the pick-up truck

   One day when I was out last week, I saw someone drive by in a small, white pick-up truck, the kind made by Chevy and Toyota. On the side of the truck, in big, red, block lettering, was written, “DEMOCRATS ARE DESTROYING AMERICA.”

   Really?  Wow! 

   After this initial reaction, I had two thoughts:

1. 1. This person made a real commitment and probably paid a fair amount in having this statement painted on their automobile and, thus, no doubt has a considerable amount of anger and fear. 

2.  2. How can this person and others like them be made to see that they don’t have to be so afraid and angry?  How can those who believe otherwise, who are perhaps Democrats, reach out to and engage with him? 

   I have seen plenty of pro-Trump bumper stickers and flags and also t-shirts that say things like, “Biden owes me $$$.” But this was different. 

   As I said, having such a statement painted on one’s vehicle is quite a commitment and probably a costly one.  It’s quite a statement, as my dad would say.  That’s not all, though. 

   It’s one thing to denounce a policy, to say that somebody is wrong about something.  It’s one thing to say that an idea is bad and even to say, for example, that a president owes me money for the expenses incurred by his programs.  These are things that can be discussed, that can be debated.  Perhaps a few minds are changed or at least a compromise can be reached. 

   But it’s another thing entirely to say that a group of people, those who you don’t agree with, are destroying society, are destroying the country.  This is saying that these people are evil, that there’s nothing good, nothing redeemable, about them, that there’s no point in even trying to debate or persuade them. This is saying that, because they are destroying us, the country, these people should be - or have to be - destroyed. 

   What I saw the other day was very dangerous and very scary.  “DEMOCRATS ARE DESTROYING AMERICA.” As we used to say, them’s fighting words.  Clearly. 

   Yes, clearly.  With all the guns available and all the mass shootings we have seen, and with what we saw in the January 6 insurrection, where people ended up getting hurt and killed, not to mention our democracy imperiled, it isn’t too far-fetched that people might see this as a call to arms – and whatever that leads to.