SheilaNaGig
Break requested
Yes of course. But I’m talking about porch conversations, the day to day chatter rather than political discussions.
I have noticed how people became far less circumspect in the way the talked as soon as Trump appeared.
Another story I've told on here before, but perhaps it bears repeating:
I was in the South during the first Trumo election. The night of the first debate, my stepmother suggested that I go watch the debates at J’s place because she didn’t think it a good idea for us to watch it together, our politics are so different (all done with many smiles and compliments, and an offer to drive me over there and bring food and drinks along too : charm and hospitality while telling me to get out of her/ my father’s house because she dislikes my politics). So I watched the debate with my Democrat family. The following day I went to visit other family and we spent a lovely afternoon visiting on the porch, many differnt aunts, uncles, cousins and their kids coming by to say Hey and sit a while. By the end of that afternoon I was absolutely certain that Trump would win. We talked about the election, we talked about Trump and his policies. Whenever I said “But he’s....” one or another would say “Me too, us too. Yes, I agree.” My first instinct was shock because it was so brazen; a moment later I realised they were telling me what I’d always known about them. I challenged an aunt, I said “But that’s racism” and she said “Well. I don’t like to say it but I’ll admit it, I’ll admit it, I guess I am a racist”, at which point others jumped in with qualifiers and caveats. A cousin said to me “Well I don’t want multiculturalism, I don’t want to come out of my house and see all these people from all over the place, do you?” to which of course I said “Yes! I love it. That’s why I love living in Brixton”. He sat back in his chair and went “Huh!” And oh how we laughed at our differences. He teased me abiut being his L’il English Cuz’n, and then an uncle reminded everyone about how my mother is an Arab and how strange she looked when she’s visited, but he was hushed up by his wife, who reassured me with a pat on my hand and the words “Well, that don’t matter, you’re kin”. This had never been said aloud to me before. And I knew for certain sure that Trump would win.
So it’s somehow not about politics, or not quite, or not exactly. It’s more about Trump giving them licence to speak freely.
