Ten years ago, with the initial rise of Donald Trump, a yard sign began popping up in the yards of right-thinking progressives: “Hate Has No Home Here.”
The message was effective, promoting the righteousness of the homeowner while demonizing “the other.” A moral hierarchy was established.
Funny, how that seems a long time ago.
Last Thursday, the Lt. Governor of Virginia, a black woman and first-generation immigrant, was speaking before the Arlington School Board on its decision to let students use bathrooms based on identified, rather than biological, sex.
Protestors surrounded the meeting to protest her speech. One of them held up a sign which stated the following:
In other words, if you don’t agree with our position on “trans” kids in school, we will return this state (and you) to its segregated past.
Political activists say a lot of dumb things. But what was so disturbing about this message was that it was written in big block letters and openly displayed for an extended time in the most liberal community in Virginia — without anybody objecting. (To her credit, Abigail Spanberger quickly and firmly condemned the offensive sign).
How much will you bet that the sponsor, a white woman, has a sign in her yard which says: “Hate has no home here”?
Sadly, this represents a disturbing trend in modern American politics, the tendency by ultra-progressives to patronize, then attack, ethnic minorities who fail to support their agenda.
I’ve seen it personally in the case of progressives who cancel the names and images of Native Americans — then claim it’s being done “in their best interests.”
(On Friday, I received a brief from the NY Attorney General in our Federal lawsuit which stated that the State’s ban on Native names and images for NY public schools was constitutional because it was based on an “anti-discriminatory intent” — no, you can’t make this up)
Wearing the cloak of moral superiority does strange things to people. It’s usually not good, especially when you claim to make decisions “on behalf of” other people. One of my favorite things about the “old” Democratic Party was that we, one, believed in freedom of choice and, two, didn’t take ourselves too seriously. (Could you imagine “Good Time” Charlie Wilson with today’s crowd?)
It’s time for some of these folks to step back and take a deep breath.
People make mistakes and say stupid things in politics. (Believe me, I know!) What is unforgivable is to believe that someone “owes” allegiance to your cause, because of the color of their skin. That’s not America.
And that attitude should have no home here.
JCP Notes: Congratulations to NOVA Rugby which won the men’s national title in Sevens Rugby last weekend in Madison, Wisconsin. It was the first time that the Gray shirts had won “the Natty” since the Greatest Generation pulled it off in … 1996!