The other day, someone at work went there, upset over what "your liberals" are violently doing at the UC Berkeley campus. First off, I don't take kindly to getting pulled into a heated political discussion at my workplace unless it has something to do with what my job is at that time. I went nuclear, and the person quickly realized this wasn't the appropriate time and place. All is well on that score. Unlike Mr. Trump, I'm not going to war with every person who may disagree with me. These days, I would lose half of the best people I know in my life. That's not the American way.
It's also un-American to lump everyone with an opposing view in with the most reprehensible extremes of our society. Yes, liberals should stop calling every Trump voter ignorant or racist. How'd that "basket of deplorables" comment work for Ms. Clinton? I admittedly don't get the Trump supporter mindset because they seem to give him a free pass after every outrageous tweet. Dismissing them as a group won't advance my understanding one iota. We have to stay or get engaged in the discussion. These are critical times. I know that can be uncomfortable and inconvenient to many, but it's essential.
The violent elements who forced the cancellation of the right wing extremist's appearance at UC Berkeley were not protesters any more than the masked limo-burning, Starbucks-trashing thugs were in DC on Inauguration Day. The were criminals who competed for airtime with millions of peaceful marchers since Trump took office. Fox News, Breitbart and talk radio conveniently ignore that while railing against an out of context Madonna quote. If there were some legitimate alarm over her remarks, a visit from the Secret Service would be warranted, but Newt Gingrich wanted her arrested. He's feeding the fire just like Trump did with the "lock her up" crowd.
Here's the thing: what possible benefit can the protesters get out of fiery scenes on TV? This, like Trump's every action and comment, only serves to galvanize the opposition. Trump has been quick to denounce the Berkeley riot, threatening to withhold federal money from the school while claiming politically correct liberals bar free speech. Wrong. The school actually allowed the radical right winger to speak and only cancelled because of an obvious threat to public safety.
Who does gain from the violence of the few? Donald Trump clearly loved any disruptions at his rallies, and he hasn't changed his combative, authoritarian tone as President. Who ARE these masked protesters, anyway? What do they want? The anti-Trump peaceful vast majority should be leading the charge weeding out these thugs. They are so harmful to a cause that it makes me wonder who they really are. Nobody's telling us. Just as good cops should be the first to want bad cops off the street, liberals should be the first to expose whoever the hell these rioters are. Go on the offense!
