Updated, Nov. 7
Donald J. Trump, surviving a criminal conviction, four outstanding criminal indictments, and two assassination attempts, was declared the winner of the presidential election early Wednesday morning, capping a remarkable comeback from four years ago when he refused to admit defeat to President Joe Biden.
On the Island, it was a different picture. With turnout at 71 percent — helped by a high amount of early voting — voters overwhelmingly supported Kamala Harris. More than 8,000 votes were cast for the Harris-Walz ticket, compared with about 2,700 for Trump-Vance. With about 75 percent of the vote going to the vice president, the Vineyard far outpaced even the rest of Massachusetts, where about 61 percent voted for Harris.
A breakdown of votes by towns is available here.
Reaction from Islanders waking up to the news has been a mix of disbelief, worry, and hope. Some Democrats were still in shock; others, while maybe less surprised, were saddened and distressed about the future of reproductive rights for women, and fearful that the country could slide into a dark period of authoritarian rule under a Trump presidency and Republican control of Congress.
Retired 75-year-old Greg Coogan was taking a walk on Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs Wednesday morning; while saddened by the results, he said he holds out hope for the country and the Vineyard.
“I have said on more than one occasion today that the sun will rise tomorrow. It rose today,” Coogan said. “I think we have a different way of looking at things here,” he said of the large support for Harris on the Vineyard.
Some registered Democrats were at a loss for words. “I really have nothing to say that would be fit to print, except that the American people have spoken,” said Jonathan Chatinover, president of the Democratic Council of Martha’s Vineyard.
In Vineyard Haven, ArtCliff Diner owner Gina Stanley, whose eatery is a gathering place for many in town, expects politics to dominate the discussion when the diner opens on Thursday morning.
Stanley was still processing the electoral outcome on Wednesday morning, with the diner closed. “[I am] discouraged that people vote with their wallets, and they always will … More than caring about other human beings, they care about the price of frigging eggs and bacon.”
She also acknowledged that Vineyard voters on the whole have different perspectives than in many other communities. “This is a blue bubble. People who live here are very lucky and successful. I feel that [of] most of the people.”
Also in Vineyard Haven, Rodney Bunker has voted for Trump three times; he said the country has had enough. “A lot of people voted with their wallet. Lots voted silently for Trump, I believe,” he said.
Bunker, who grew up in Chilmark, also saw literal signs that Harris would lose. “The enthusiasm was there in 2020. [This year] you barely see yard signs for Harris. That was a local barometer for me that she wasn’t qualified,” he said.
Trump, on the other hand, resonated with Bunker. “Who else jumps in a garbage truck? He almost got his head blown off. Look at what he can accomplish, what he did accomplish last term.”
Outside of Mocha Mott’s in Vineyard Haven, others felt apathetic. Paul Currier, a Vietnam veteran, said he didn’t vote for a president this year. “I was a Trump supporter the first time around, but I didn’t vote this time around, because it’s fruitless in this state,” he said. “I didn’t like any of the candidates, but we survived his other four years. It’s not going to end us.”
And as for all of Trump’s outstanding criminal indictments, including two for his calls for an insurrection on Jan. 6, and his attempt to steal the 2020 election — there are differing legal opinions on how these cases will unfold. But there is a consensus among legal scholars that they are likely to be moot, as Trump can exert executive privilege as the president of the U.S.
At the polls on election day
At the polls through the day on Tuesday, voters were anxious stepping into the booths to cast their ballots. Pollsters in key swing states had been reporting a neck-and-neck presidential race.
“I’m dreaming it’s a landslide so we don’t have to deal with fights in the streets,” said Pierre Guerin, casting his ballot at Edgartown Town Hall along with his partner, Susan Guerin, on Tuesday morning. Both said they voted for Harris-Walz.
“We have to save democracy and women’s rights,” Susan Guerin said. “The Republican Party has gone to hell in a handbasket. Maybe we need more than two parties.”
Joe and Marianne Carter voted for Harris-Walz as well, noting that they were “way more” anxious about the outcome compared with prior years.
“It’ll be nice to get back to a day where we can have a rational discussion of issues without people getting too emotional,” Joe Carter said.
On the other side of the aisle, there were some expressing enthusiasm for another Trump presidency. Anthony Lorenze said he voted for Trump-Vance to “make America great again.”
“A lot of things are about to change in the world for the better,” Lorenze said after stepping out of the town hall. “I just don’t understand how people can vote for liberal government — when it’s not their money, all government should be conservative.
“The outcome of the election, when all is said and done, will be biblical,” he added.
Others at the polls expressed excitement. Ursula Kreskey didn’t share whom she voted for, but said she felt “fantastic.”
“I’m so excited to be in this country, and I wouldn’t miss a chance to come out and vote for what I believe in,” she said. “I’m excited that so many people are getting out, that they care about what’s happening for this country for the next four years.”
In Oak Bluffs, town clerk Colleen Morris said the polls have been “steady all day.” As of about 1:30 pm, 922 ballots were cast, or more than 50 percent of voters.
“Everyone’s just quietly voting,” Morris said, noting that there hadn’t been any interruptions or disturbances.
Jeff Glasser, who came to the Oak Bluffs polls with his dog Angel, said he has friends on both sides of the political aisle, and many people are not comfortable voting for Harris or Trump, including himself. He declined to say whom he voted for. “I’ve never seen so many so seriously far apart,” he said about the polarization of the country.
In Tisbury, Vineyarders moved smoothly through polls at the Emergency Services Facility.
Couple Jack and Joanne Connolly had just cast their ballots for Harris-Walz. Speaking to The Times, Jack Connolly shared that he showed up particularly fueled by “anxiety,” compared with past elections.
If Harris had won, Jack Connolly had pledged to his family that he’d go for a swim outside, a pastime of sorts: “I made a promise before the [2020] election that if Biden won, I would go swimming the day after the election results, no matter what the weather was … I made the same promise this year. If Harris wins … I go swimming, even if it’s 40°,” he said.
On other ballot issues, the Connollys also voted to keep the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Test as a graduation requirement for students.
“I feel that it’s important that there be a standard,” Joanne Connolly said. “Hopefully for the kids that don’t pass it, they’ll come up with another alternative.”
Election night
As the day turned to evening, the anxiety did not subside, but grew greater for many. Some watched the results come in on their own, some in local bars, while many gathered at election parties.
For the Democratic Council on the Vineyard, Jonathan Chatinover and his wife Beth O’Connor had assembled a nerve center of sorts at their home for under a dozen guests. MSNBC was on TV, flanked by Harris-Walz banners, a jumbo notepad with the closing times for swing-state polls, and a “ROAD TO 270” easel that Chatinover updated throughout the night.
The couple provided guests with an offering of pizza, appetizers, and beer, but not everyone felt like eating as they settled in.
“I’m a little sick,” said Leslie Craven, swim coach at the high school, as results from some swing states started to filter in.
Around 10:30, half of the partygoers remained, and O’Connor hadn’t seen much to be happy about. “It’s not looking as good as I was expecting,’ she said. “I think the hope was that she would be closer in Florida and Texas, not that she would be smashed.”
On Tuesday morning, the council released a statement on Facebook.
“We gave it our all, dnd we thank Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for their campaign of unity, joy, opportunity, and freedom. Thanks to everyone who held a sign, made phone calls, wrote postcards, knocked on doors, wore a button, and voted for Harris-Walz. We are sad today but will keep moving forward.”
Daniel Greenman, Eunki Seonwoo, Nicholas Vukota, and Sam Houghton contributed to this report.
The post was updated to reflect a change in street name.
The nation is not fractured Trump won the popular vote and delivered a substantial victory and now has a mandate by the populous. I would like to thank the Amish for saving America.
Is the Island fractured?
Is winning with the Electoral votes, the Popular votes, getting shot once in the head, surviving and almost Assassinated a second time considered to be one of the most remarkable comebacks in political history and Biblical?
My guess would be “Absolutely, No If Ands or But`s, without a Doubt, YES”!!
Becoming shot in the head is not a reason to vote for Trump.
Bible Babble
68+ million Americans do not want Trump to be President.
Was it a legitimate win?
Was 2020 a legitimate loss?
What happened to the approximately 15 million people who voted for Biden that did not vote for Harris?
Joseph– perhaps they voted and corrupt election
officials burned their ballots.
It’s at least worth investigating, don’t cha’ think ?
The headline on this story is so indicative of the tone deaf Liberals on this island. The country is not “fractured”. Read the room folks, Republicans have fostered an atmosphere of inclusion for ALL voting blocks. Working class union members, Latinos, women, African Americans and people from all races, creeds and colors walked away from the party that has failed them for decades. Most importantly this landslide victory was the result not of identity politics but the affirmation that all voters identify as Americans. This election has not fractured us, it has brought the country together.
Let’s hope so – a 6% majority of the popular vote, when you consider that many Republicans ended up voting for the Democrat, while many more Democrats voted for the Republican, does not make a united country – the work is ahead and that’s a job for someone else who sincerely asked to be responsible. Personally speaking, I’m at peace with the outcome.
The headline of this story is indictive of the Island you live on (What keeps you here?).
How did the Democrats fail African Americans?
Did the lot of African Americans improve during Trump’s term?
Is the BLM primarily African Americans?
Landslide?
Did Biden win 2020, by a land slide, with 4.5% more votes than Trump?
Did Trump win 2024, by a land slide, with 3.5% more votes than Biden?
Pants on Fire
A land slide is at least 60% of the vote, some say 2/3, like in the Senate.
Was our country fractured?
Is it now healed?
68,183,380 people voted for Harris.
Thank you.
Just put in Harris for Paulson……..https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv2obkTu-l8
. What should the FED rate be?
Regardless, I definitely wouldn’t say this island is united.
75% is united. Far more united than the country.
Life here, both in America and on Martha’s Vineyard is a fortune. If Trump can get prices down, god bless him, but I think it’s a complete delusion. The signal his election sends to the markets and to businesses is to de-regulate, tax cuts, and to maximize profits, even more so than the crooks in business like supermarkets and restaurants during Biden’s presidency. How voters are fooled into thinking that the values I outlined, from profits to tax cuts and deregulation, not to mention tariffs, are somehow going to lower costs, is, well, confusing because it doesn’t add up logically.
I don’t know that it would have been better under President Harris. I will say one thing, though: The quote from the owner of ArtCliff, that people vote according to what they can afford, shows a total lack of respect for those of us whose salaries haven’t kept up with the cost of $50 breakfasts that consist of omelettes and coffee. Most of us can’t afford it, even when we’re of the same policy views as she is—imagine charging the maximum the market will bear and then add on more has been Vineyard businesses answer to our paychecks—chickens come home to roost when people believe someone can change that, but it won’t change, anyway. It’s rotten at the core, there have been few indications otherwise here. If you want to make excuses for these places, be my guest. You can foot the bill the next time we go out.
Disclosure: I voted for Harris-Walz, would never countenance forgetting that the incoming president sexually assaulted many women and cheated on his wife, tried to steal the last election, and grifted many over his long career in going bankrupt several times while being a celebrity. Everyone who did pull the lever for him accepts those facts along with their politics, they could look in the mirror and say: yup, I can live with that. Four mire years, indeed.
Now it’s his chance to show he’s not just full of hot air, and later JD Vance can be held responsible at the ballot box in 2028 if he fakes it. The midterms are just two years away for any other problems and there are no liberal SCOTUS justices which are going anywhere, so nominating justices to the highest court is clearly moot in the next four years.
The bond markets are already responding to Trump’s intention to borrow money on a massive scale so he can spend on a massive scale.
Always respect your opinions, Dean, even though we voted differently this time around. Nice to see you on these pages.
Kamala Gave you dangerous people that Ice had to remove just remember that and
you will see more soon when it gets cold . A wide open border is ok ?
Did Trump have any dangerous people removed.
More than came in?
This newspaper is a comic
This newspaper is an accurate reflection of the Island.
You must be be very lonely here in this pit of Liberalism.
What keeps you here?
Is it the wonderful people?
Alan, our democracy is gasping it’s last breaths and may not survive a Trump presidency.
It doesn’t feel comic.
Democrats seem to have this moral superiority complex about themselves. They tell themselves they care about other people. They don’t. They have their list of politically correct compassion-worthy groups that include something about public toilets, illogical and ungrammatical pronouns, and aligning themselves with terrorist end-goals. If you’re not on one of those lists of profound correctness, sorry, Bub, you and your wrong feelings are stupid, garbage, maggot-like, frothing, etc, etc.
Dems sure don’t care about most Americans—you know, the ones who voted for the convicted felon and not for the appointed puppet whose no-plan plan for America was even scarier than the felon’s. This is especially true for many Jews who went to the “dark side”, which, by the way, welcomed us with loving arms. The Americans who do not march lockstep with the dictatorial views of the morally superior telling us to buy solar panels are pilloried and hated with a venom that surely contradicts the grandiose untruth that liberals have compassion for the “oppressed”. And I was told to look up “fascist”. Have you heard liberals speak about conservatives? Read the MVTIMES online comments and the moaning, bereaved cries on individual FB pages who had nothing to say to support, you know, Israel’s right to exist. Now they’re crying. And REALLY angrily hating millions of Americans.
Should I be the one to tell them this is why they lost?
People who normally vote Dem, turned away from the party in droves— Black men, Hispanics, and lots of Jews. And the good, hardworking working class who used to reliably vote with the dems. We’re all too stupid to see what blind people see, I guess.
When someone’s feelings are discounted as wrong or stupid or Jew-hole-like, you’re gonna lose an argument. When whole swathes of Americans are told their feelings have no more meaning than a maggot’s, you lose an election. (It’s been explained, right here in these pages, not all Jews are Jew-holes, you see. Antisemites distinguish the “good” ones from the bad.)
I abandoned the morally superior because they are, in large part, antisemitic. That was my personal reason and certainly not the case for most Trump voters. Democrats are blind to their schtick of moral superiority which, as I hope they come to realize, is a real turn-off to most Americans who do not live in their coastal bubbles. I’ve separated myself from many friends who supported Harris and are now devastated she didn’t win. My heart goes out to some, the truly compassionate, but frankly, my dears, I don’t give a damn about the lot of you crying in your locally sourced, gluten-free, morally superior soups.
My first reaction to the stunning loss of Harris was to indulge in a bit of gloating, but I caught myself, knowing that if I had my way, Americans could reach out and come together and move forward. But then I read what liberals are saying.
Dear Jackie,
In few words you captured it all perfectly. Too bad we couldn’t see your essay in The Atlantic or The New Yorker, or The New York Times as their dwindling readers might actually increase in number with such a dose of reality. Americans who pay the bills are indeed tired of subsidizing insanity, and the election results scream it. Enjoy your wee bit of “schadenfreude.” You deserve it.
Jackie– that’s so nice of you to take the time to
show us how to be kind and considerate.
” if I had my way, Americans could reach out and come
together and move forward.” — Mendez–
But then you did a wonderful segway from claiming
to be all for coming together, unti the liberals
who eat locally sourced gluten free soup that you
separated yourself from and don’t give a damn
about made you fall immediately
back into your usual hateful rhetoric.
And you only used words accusing liberals
of jew hating or anti semitism 6 times in 6 paragraphs.
Thanks for your efforts at healing the divides.
Jackie, I agree with your commentary. Kamala’s concession speech late in coming and poorly written by a one of her leftist lackeys. The speech was highly partisan copying TRUMP’S “FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT” after being shot. She was divisive not unifying. Biden, Kamala and the Dems failed to disclose that Biden was not mentally and physically capable to be president. Kamala and the Dems should have acknowledged his mental disability years ago by invoking the 25th amendment. Dems waited too long to force out Biden and illegally installed a weaker replacement. Liberals should accept responsibility for their corrupt actions and failed campaign.
Thank you.
R. Sims – whatever you think and where I agree, let’s watch the word “illegally” — while there was no primary after it was primarily the media which “forced” Biden to step aside — ANY candidate would run for the Democratic nomination and none did — whether you dislike her or the process we are not going to discuss the law until we all understand what freedom we have and let go of the weaker accusations of the past, like tossing “illegal” around when politics isn’t happy for you.
R. Sims, it’s stunning that you call Kamala corrupt—yet it’s Trump who stole pianos, lied on banking forms, lied on tax forms, disclosed top secret security documents, mishandled top secret documents, raped his wife, raped an acquaintance, laundered money 💰 for the Russians, would not sell real estate to blacks, would not rent real estate to blacks, and on and on.
Jackie do know that some people are allergic to gluten ?
Trump faced the ultimate trial , the American people. He was resoundingly acquitted.
How about this time around democrats try to work with him instead of using every roadblock they can.
Do we really want the precedent going forward to be investigate impeach jail and bankrupt your opponents?
If democrats want power again, win back voters, don’t just try to destroy your opponents
Well, I wouldn’t call a popular vote victory of about 6% “resoundingly acquitted” and as reasonable people we could both agree that Republicans created as many, if not more, roadblocks in Congress for the president – and he is still president – so let’s not call the kettle black if we’re going to play the part of the pot. Winning back voters is right, you are right about that, but the “ultimate trial” still has not been adjudicated, that comes later on, although he might not agree, depending on the sincerity of his religion.
All the above said, you hit the high points and I largely agree.
John– Interesting idea– don’t try to destroy your opponents with
anything factual– just use derogatory nicknames like
heels up Harris , Comrade Kamala Sleepy Joe , crooked Joe,
and such things…And lie and lie and lie, until ignorant people believe the
lies– Yeah,I have to admit. that seems to win elections–
I for one like the idea of the rule of law–Commit the crime, do the time.
And really, John, do you not see the irony of using the word
“bankrupt” when referring to the opponents of trump ?
And since you also use the term
“destroy your opponents” are you disagreeing with the
Trumfeurer ( my word) who has been alluding that
they will be ordering the military
to execute Liz Cheney for the high crime of criticizing
the most superior dear leader on the planet ?
Or do like that idea ? — came on, be honest– the election
is over, the dogs will soon be released, and they won’t be
after you–
Nine guns shooting her in the face should shut her up, don’t
cha’ think ?
Don
Kamala claimed without evidence that Trump had an enemy list and she had a to do list
Name me one person Trump went after in his first term?
They are saying he might do to them what they did to him
On the bright side , Kamala’s to do list is now down to 2 things
Rent a u haul and buy some boxes
I don’t know about that, John– I hear Joe is considering
resigning as president so Kamala can have the honor of
being America’s first female president. — She deserves it.
I wonder what you call “going after”?
I know– he never said “hang Mike Pence”
But since you asked–
here’s a short list of people trump “went after” .
https://www.justsecurity.org/98703/chronology-trump-justice-department/
Don, the American citizens would renownedly object to the ploy of anointing Harris President. It’s not only insulting to this country it’s insulting to her and to the office itself. One is elected to the Presidency. You are doing exactly what you accuse the other side of doing which is not accepting the results of the election. It would demean all woman and send the message that they aren’t capable of winning the Presidency on their own. The first woman President should win it fair and square. Let the first woman to win it be the first woman to claim its rightful title as the first woman elected POTUS. If you want to hand titles to people I would suggest perhaps moving across the pond. We elect our leaders here.
A half-baked idea, but I’ll play along. Making Harris president for a couple of months just for the sake of it—after she lost the election on both fronts—is perhaps the most foolish, anti-feminist move they could make. Which means it just may be in the pipeline.
It’s the highest office in the land, not a glorified participation trophy to be exploited for giggles and optics. This would smack of, “Ladies actually aren’t doin’ it for themselves, so we handed one the keys for a meaningless spin.”
When we have a woman in the Oval Office—and we will—I want to be able to tell little girls that she got there through merit alone. Through actual votes, too. A stunt meant to thrill the losing side would ruin what should be an earnest, hard-won moment of achievement.
Women, whether blue or red or independent, don’t need to be patronized at work. That’s one thing that unites us. And nobody deserves to be president without majority support. That would be the opposite of democracy.
Other than those minor snags? Brilliant.
The ultimate trial is a crimminal trial.
Trump lost.
Who is Trump working with?
Gold plated MAGAs?
Was it wrong to try to impeach Joe Biden?
Why did the impeachment fail?
Why was Trump impeached, twice?
Is impeachment just a political thing?
Unrelated to high crimes and misdemeanors?
The Democrats will have power again.
We take a step to the right and then a step to left.
Is Naziism to the left or the right.
It’s so confusing.
Let’s just call it a single strong man form of government.
My way or jail.
How many people will Trump have arrested by by March 1?
John, there is no way to “work with” criminals.
I agree with you, John
Three percent is not resounding.
At least this time he got popular vote.
He is a two time loser in that department.
Your first paragraph was unnecessary. Just mention he made a comeback and it was not the outcome you wanted. We know of your liberal bent but as journalist could you not so overtly show it?
andy– the truth hurts, I guess. Better for the Times
to just praise the Fuhrer before he comes after them and
shuts them down.
But, you know, if this publication was really as biased as you say,
they would have had three or 4 HONEST paragraphs and
included things like the fact that he cheated on all 3 of his wives,
and likely every other girlfriend (or boyfriend) he ever had,
paid off a porn star and a playboy model after having had sex with them
to influence a federal election, with campaign funds btw,assaulted
dozens of women ,was sued numerous times for racial discrimination,
stole money from his charitable foundation, used campaign funds to
pay his legal bills, cheated
thousands of contractors out of billions of dollars,
cooked the books of his company in order to criminally evade
paying taxes. And — (I’m not done) –he has insulted Jews,
people of color, veterans, gold star families,
handicapped people, called immigrants rapist and murders,
“animals” –hmmm- I guess technically maggots are not animals ,
I guess “scum” is better… he has lifted verbatim quotes out
of Mein Kampf
considers ruthless dictators to be among his best friends,
supported neo nazis in this country by calling them
“good people”, is all in favor of allowing Europe to
fall under the rule of a communist dictator, and has vowed
to empty the prisons in this country of convicted felons
who brutally assaulted police officers while they were in the
line of duty.
And let’s forget the tens of thousands of outright
lies he uttered during his presidency and other campaigns,
in clear violation of # 9 .
Yes, andy– if the times had shown that kind of bias, I might
agree with you
I think they were rather restrained and just stuck to a few
basic true facts.
We are a Liberal Island.
There is no Conservative newspaper.
Not enough market.
Capitalism.
The journalist is like the the Island.
Big time, landslide worthy Liberal.
You want him to fake it?
Knowing his liberal bent why do bother reading, and commenting, on his writing?
Have you successfully brought any journalist around to you way of thinking.
The Joy of Masochism?
Will you lead the way in establishing the Island’s first Conservative newspaper?
Do you know any one at the Washington Times who would be willing to give you hand for the start up?
What about Tucker Carlson, he loves being on the water in New England, he seems to have some spare time.
What about Bill O’Reilly, you don’t see much of him these days.
Since Fox went Woke.
.
Do you ever have comments? Or just questions? Most of your questions could be answered with a quick google search.
Jerome– why would a conservative go to that liberal biased google
thingie?
I don’t think google would actually know any of the answers that
Albert is asking andy anyway.
But I will speak for andy, since he always informs all of us
about what I am thinking.
So answering Albert’s questions in order from andy’s thinking ;
1) I’m miserable and want everyone else to be also
2) no– in fact I have probably done just the opposite
3) no -I don’t even live here and could care less about that liberal cesspool
4) no-
5) Tucker is a great guy– he’s a;ready too busy sucking up to
Putin and trump anyway.
6) Bill O’Reilly is too senile to find his wallet.
7) fox wnet woke ?????
There, andy– aren’t you glad that I took the time
to answer all those questions for you ?
Best comment yet. Thanks Jerome you gave me my laugh for the day.
Andrew, somehow the lying in the republican party needs to end.
Democrats lie just as much.
Anna, please give an example. I’ve given several examples (Alex Jones, Joe Rogan, Trump).
Somehow, the hijacking of the democratic ticket with an appointed candidate no one voted for in the primaries was not a lie– to liars. “Joe Biden is completely fine, there is not a thing wrong with him.” Who do you think is running the country now, before Trump is sworn in? Who was running it while Harris was traipsing around the country campaigning? Who screwed up royally over aid for the hurricane victims? Who gives mixed messages on the Middle East? The lying in the democrat party need to end.
Jackie — usually when someone quotes a phrase, and I copy and
paste it into a google search, it comes up and gives the author credit
for it. So I just copied “Joe Biden is completely fine, there is not a thing wrong with him.” and no results came up.
You put it in quotes, Jackie, but offered no information about
who said those words– If anyone– so let me play nice and ask you
politely to verify when where and who said that phrase-.
I don’t think anyone said it– but here is your opportunity to
prove me wrong–
Why is the vineyard so out of touch with the rest of the country?
Why are you living in a place so out of touch with the country?
Why don’t live among your own kind?
The average American lunch bucket worker doesnt want identity politics, doesnt want WOKE. He is tired of being called a racist or a white supremacist. He doesnt believe in Tampons in mens bathrooms and men playing womens sports. He doesnt want Oprah telling him that if he votes for Trump he may never vote again. He doesnt want Michelle Obama telling a black man that if he votes for Trump he is ”not with us”. He doesnt want 11 million illegals swarming into the country with no vetting. He doesnt want street gangs of illegals raping and murdering. He doesnt want EV’s, elimination of fossil fuels, and he doesnt know why we spend 178 billion to Zelensky. He doesnt want free handouts and hotel rooms and iphones to illegals while he lives in Cabrini Green as a poor black man and gets nothing. He doesnt want to be guilt tripped into doing what the elites want. He has common sense. He doesnt want the LGBTQ Alphabet people ramming down his throat their disordered ideology. The Dems dont read people well. She was an unremarkable candidate who could never clerk for say , John Roberts they way Usha Vance did. Tim Walz added nothing to the ticket but subtracted. If Josh Shapiro was the Presidential Candidate for example even though he is liberal, he would have won. Trump has the pulse of the people and left wing ideologues do not. MV is not America. One can make all the technical selective arguments on inflation and grocery prices and gas and immigration to try to prove a point but its all in the wind for the average hard working American. Ms Cooper who is an articulate and knowledgeable voice for the left should understand that at some level.
I think there’s a lot of shock going around and the gist of your points are logical, if not technical. Presidents are figureheads only to the degree to which they can or cannot accomplish what they promise me and you — if his incoming administration can match up to his advertisements as a political candidate, more power to him. Those of us who remember 2016-2020 accurately remember a mixed outcome. Biden has had many achievements domestically and beyond historians and those paying close attention to legislation, so I’m going to hold his feet to the fire for everything you describe, he’s the one who asked for the job, he got it, good someone else other than me is doing that, like you say, it’s his job now.
The average American does not want to carry a lunch bucket.
They want professional employment.
Leave manual labor to the immigrants.
Did you ever carry a lunch bucket?
Were back at your work statin when the whistle blew?
What harm does having Tappoons in boys bathroom cause?
Do we have to spare delicate boys the knowledge of natural body functions.
Why are sports segregated by sex?
What about by ability?
If you are going to segregate by ability then the Blacks should be segregated from the Whites.
Like it pretty much is in basketball, and to some degree football.
A lot of people who voted for Hitler never voted again.
How many illegals came in under Trump
How many kids were were put in dog cages?
Our domestic street gangs rape and murder at a rate ten times(?) higher than than the illegals.
How many illegals came in under Trump?
EVs?
Elon Musk?
There will $10,000 rebates.
Solar panels?
Elon Musk?
Andy, do you remember the Cold War?
How much did we spend?
Was it worth it?
Russian attitude has not changed.
It has shrunk, in land mass and population, it is now back in acquisition mode.
Who will Putin focus his attention on after Trump hands him Ukraine.
Finland would be a good fit.
Anything Baltic.
Who gets to decide what is proper ideology?
Kamala is not a Conservative, has Roberts ever had Liberal clerk?
Trump has the pulse of the poorly educated and the uber rich (Musk).
For the reasonably well educated wages have outpaced inflation.
Zero inflation limits growth.
Negative inflation causes negative growth.
Did your net worth increase over the last four years?
Wages?
andy–I find it really rich that you are telling us about the
hard working average Americans.
You have no idea.
So if the average hard working American doesn’t want
an EV, they don’t but one– If they don’t want to be gay,
they don’t have to be. If they don’t like what Oprah says about
the black vote they can go to their favorite hate media site
and listen to trump telling them about the Jewish vote.
They can also listen to right wing liars who get them all riled
up about all those people who are replacing us and poisoning
our blood. One thing you got right is that you are clearly
identifying the stereotypical gullible racist and ignorant maggot
that trump feeds on. And let’s not forget they are ALL antisemites.
that are forcing us all to eat hamburgers and hot dogs we don’t want.
And forcing increasingly extreme weather events on us that
we don’t want. Those poor ignorant hard working people are even forced
to walk past organic and gluten free food in their supermarkets. Oh, the horrors !
Why are the liberal left owners of stores forcing those things on them ?
At the very least, the stores should have large warning signs that indicate
there may be healthy food in an aisle or covering the offensive foods
so they can be spared the trauma of
actually seeing that stuff.
And of course, trump will pull the broadcast licenses of news orginizations
that disagree with him. It will be so great !!!
Hey Keller I was an average hard working person at age 14 when I came to America and waited 5 years to become one. Gas stations, pizza parlors and ice cream shops while putting myself through University, then Peace Corps Iran then NYU Graduate School on my dime and then Harvard Business School. At age 7 in displaced persons camps in Australia I did paper routes, milk routes and bread routes while still dark in the morning. All of this while people like you bleating ”why dont you go back where you came from?” Single parent since birth and soviet refugee. You dont know much Keller.
Andrew, it takes a blind ignorance not to respect the struggles of others. The irony is that we get this extraordinary lack of respect from the party of “tolerance” and “compassion” for the underdog. Some people would rather sell drugs to get by, and then admit, even in old age, they have no regrets about it. Dishonesty and immorality, matched with a vulgar lack of respect, reign for some, not always associated with either party. But for liberals these days, this lack of respect has contributed to why Harris lost and why the liberal, out-of-touch mindset causes them to carrying on like this. I imagine we will see this behavior, long lists about escalators and prostitutes included, for the next 4 years. Not from all liberals, mind you. There are still some good ones working quietly behind the scenes. No time for this hysterical kvetching for them.
What happened to the comment that I wrote last night?
The country is not fractured.
As for describing Kamala Harris as “brilliant,” then describing the country as “fractured”—the Times has egg on its face.
Brilliant people fracture things.
By fractured they mean pretty evenly split?
We were fractured on J6.
On J20 Trump slunk out of town.
Kathering– I have to agree with you– the country is completely broken
the cities are seething with crime and dirty imigrants
that are murdering us all in our beds– the economy is in
complete ruins and our standing in the world is stinkier
than a lot of S******e countries. We even have a floating garbage
patch that is one of our posessions. At least that was the case 2 weeks ago.
Did trump fix it all already ?
He certainly is
Stock market on a tear
Tariffs forcing companies to come back or not leave
Iran currency in shambles
Putin wiling to talk peace in Europe
Hamas wants a cease fire
Qatar kicks out Hamas
Crude oil price is falling
China economy taking a hit
Dollar is up
I’d say we are off to a pretty good start.
The whole world is celebrating; peace is breaking out all over, all within the first 24 hours. Hallelujah!
Not in Amsterdam, my friend. Up to him to fix two wars, inflation, and a lot more, otherwise he’s a bum like the rest, he made a lot of promises, so you and me both, Sara, he’s got the job and needs to do the real thing.
Sara, peace is breaking out all over? The day Trump gets back in office he promised the world chaos and world war three. The republicans have been pushing a world war three story line for at least six years. It takes awhile to implement, but conservatives all over the world are conspiring to make it happen.
I must of missed where Trump was campaigning on starting WW3. How can you say this Mary but a better question is how does the moderator of the MV Times allow this? The bias echo chamber strikes again
Have the wars ended yet ? I haven’t been on Fox news
for a few days, so I might have missed that story.
Where is peace breaking out all over? And which part of the whole world celebrating, other than Russia and N. Korea?
I guess it’s the Times that is fractured.
Not printing perfectly reasonable comments.
Maybe too reasonable.
Katherine,
First I agree with Mr. Englemans sentiments. And second I agree with yours about perfectly reasonable comments not being permitted. Three of mine have no made it today that were in no way breaking any socials norms. It’s very frustrating when you take the time to gather your thoughts then memorialize them to screed only to have them unceremoniously dismissed simply because the final arbiter doesn’t like your opinion. It’s very difficult to be heard in an echo chamber. Glad to see you posting.
Who gets to decide what is reasonable?
The newspaper owners?
The Government?
The commentor?
That freedom of speech thing?
Kate,
The Overton Window on the Vineyard has stops on its rails that allows it to open only so far, and not an inch wider.
Katherine– and all the others who are whining about their post
not being published, I suggest you copy them somewhere, and
when they don’t get published, try to figure out why.
Then do a few simple edits and try again–
Merely winning the election, getting more votes than your opponent, does not equal a legal exoneration.
It only means more people prefer a twice impeached, convicted felon of 31 charges, rapist, who insists he will rip up the Constitution and replace it with fascism.
Mr Kozak do you believe that sometimes Juries can get it wrong?
andy–of coure juries get things wrong sometimes.
They convicted the central park 5– but too bad for them–
but what else do we have ? I’m sure there are a lot of people
in jail today that were wrongly convicted. Do you think we should
just let every prisoner go free because sometimes juries get it wrong?
Ok–Statistically black people have higher rates of overturned
convictions based on racial profiling and false evidence than white
white collar criminals. So, let’s make a deal–you agree to release every black
prisoner, and I will agree to release every every white collar criminal
convicted of fraud — in principal of course– Agreed ?
Andrew, those juries contained Trump supporters. They had to vote together. How many juries “got it wrong?”
Jurors are the only thing holding our democracy together at the moment.
We need strong leadership.
There are a lot of bad people in the world.
Trump knows them well.
Shows you what a weak and undeserving a candidate Harris was….
What a horrible headline! We just had an orderly, fair, democratic election and one candidate clearly won. You may not like the result (I don’t), but continuing to promote the concept of our nation being fractured is destructive. Also, with the possible exception of Aquinnah, how do the election results show an island united? Did we need a proud headline to know the island has a liberal bent?
I agree with Scott
Anna, Mike Huckabee is pulling a lot of strings. Why?
Mary, anti-Zionism is antisemitism. Mike Huckabee is a Zionist. Antisemities are upset over Trump’s pick for Ambassador to Israel.
Scott, you and I are on the same side. You may not believe that Trump and the republicans are as dangerous as I believe they are. Our Democracy is in imminent danger. You may be right about the headline, yet, I feel the publisher is making the right choice to call attention to the danger our nation is facing.
It was announced in the news today that Trump is dismantling the Department of Education. This isn’t a joke. It’s real! The origin of States Rights is so that states could have the right to continue slavery. End of story. The KKK evolved from that place of white supremacy and white power. Later, during the Civil Rights Movement, white parents in the South pulled their children out of public school and enrolled them in private school en mass. Ruby Bridges was Alone!
Why did Oklahoma declare that they are: championing parents rights (they even use Civil War Era language!), ending social indoctrination of children in the classroom (are you kidding?! Read Mike Huckabee’s pamphlets. Read the stated goals of the KKK and other white supremacist organizations. Indoctrination is EXACTLY what the republicans want to do!), protecting patriotism in the curriculum (again, the word “patriot” was specifically used by the KKK to attract more members by tricking new recruits with whitewashed language), stopping illegal immigration’s impact on schools, and blocking foreign influence in our schools (that seems hollow coming from Trump and the republicans when they’re playing footsie with Putin).
The problems with this election are much deeper than not liking the result.
“Our democracy is in imminent danger.” No, Mary, it is not.
I’m saddened by the rancorous tone of so many comments here. Do we have to be so nasty to one another?
I agree the nation is fractured. Badly. It’s a pick your tribe, stick to it, and make war on others disagreeing with your tribe.
That brings me to the confusion within the tribe of liberal left, island antisemites about why using an antismetic slur is… antisemitic.
Comments were closed before I could respond to a disturbing and dishonest comment in another thread which was mostly unreadable, but was partly about the excuse for coining and using an invented antisemitic slur. Please allow this brief lesson on the now acceptable level of antisemitism exploding from liberal left democrats– which is part of the unexamined reason why Harris lost the election, even though Jewish Americans comprise such a small percentage of our population. Not all liberals are antisemitic of course, but there’s been a lot of trickling down from the progressives and hard left, what with their terrorist-sourced “news” about Israel, Jews, and the American embrace of a “free Palestine” movement, funded by you-know-who.
I have recently used this newly invented slur, Jew-hole, ironically and sarcastically peppering it around several of my comments, and shockingly, no one objects to what should be seen as highly offensive– especially to liberals who care about not verbally or physically trashing “marginalized” people, even when a marginalized person does it. How unpolitically correct can anyone get?
After months of limiting and disguising a brand of Jew-hatred “only” for the “genocidal” Israeli government, we see the insidious expansion of hate for Jews through the eyes of an antisemite commenting here. Antisemitic comments directed to me and about me began after I dared notice calling Israel “genocidal” in the first week after 10/7/23, before even the DNA from burned Jewish bodies had been extracted from piles of ash, was antisemitic. Then we saw a new and improved brand of reserving Jew-hatred for individuals like me, or Netanyahu or anyone who is part of a Nazi-referenced “brownshirt” officials. It has now has morphed into a hatred of Jews who’ve not voted for Harris. We are to believe that antisemities don’t think ALL Jews are bad, just “the Jew-holes”, the ones who voted for Trump. (The jewish Trump voters along with all Trump voters are also Nazi-like, which is the antisemitic way of denying the seriousness of the Nazi regime, a cause taken up now by the extremist Islamist regime. Jews, simply by existing, are called Nazis by Islamic regime terrorists. And by an island antisemite. Holocause denial or the minimizing of it is the epitome of Jew hatred. And that’s what we see going on.
But back to the slur:
First, when someone who holds antisemitic views explains that when they use an antisemitic slur they are not referring to “ALL Jews”, but only to hundreds of thousands of Jews who they hate, or even to one Jewish person, that is antisemitism. The antisemitic idea of the “palatable Jew” is rife among liberal dems these days. Think: Bernie Sanders. He is always pulled out of his Vermont Home for Grouchy Old Men to explain why antisemitic views, such as his false claims of Israel commiting genocide, are valid. He’s shlepped out because he is a Jew, a palatable one to folks who really do not care much for Jews in the first place.
Second, it is antisemitic to pair the word “Jew” with another word for derogatory use. “Lawyer” eg, when paired with “Jew” to use as an antisemitic slur, is not okay. When someone “innocently” says, “I need a good Jew lawyer,” that person is using an antisemitic slur.
Third, when someone goes further and pairs the word “Jew” with part of a vulgar word, like “a**hole, to create a new antisemitic slur, it is even more egregiously antisemitic, especially when the antisemite explains that he didn’t mean all Jews are Jew-holes– only the ones who don’t agree with his antisemitic views.
Fourth, the word “Jew” itself can be used as a slur. “You Jew” is quite different from saying “Jackie, a Jew, objects to antisemitism in the MVTimes”. Even “chosen people” can be used by antisemites as a demeaning, sarcastic way to portray Jews. Jews have that 6th sense, probably in their DNA after these thousands of years of being hated, to know when using the word “Jew” is said with… an undertone.
Given the Amsterdam attacks, the global intifada, and the harassment, threats, and violence against many Jews in this country, it’s time people educate themselves about why antisemitism is not okay.
The island population that holds itself as special and separate from the rest of the country, has been somewhat educated, I hope, in those micro aggressions against people of color, thanks to helpful, good people speaking out against it and helping us understand why certain words, phrases, or formerly acceptable thought patterns can contribute to racism. Any aggressive language against Jews, much of it “macro” and by liberals, is a lesson still waiting to be learned. And honestly, it will help you all, liberals especially, in our next election if you open your ears and heart to learn about your antisemitic views, even if you can’t yet recognize them as such.
It is not hard for me to understand why a liberal progressive antisemite supporting Harris would think his brand of antisemitism is not biased hate. That’s how loud and proud bigots think and explain themselves, not unlike a buffoonish Archie Bunker-type of character. It was funny in a “wake-up-america” sort of way to see it on TV where the message was that prejudices are ignorant, widespread, and intentionally low-brow. The low-brow part is in itself offensive, since most of Amreica does not have those advantages we have in our bubbles. The island is definitely a bubble. What I do not understand is how so few publicly object to this newly acceptable level often vulgar hate speech coming from liberals, not limited to but certainly included in this newspaper. This is hate speech based on a religion and culture. I am quite sure that if a racist logged on here and used a word derogatorily to identify a Black person who voted against a racist’s liking, and paired that identity with “hole”, the response would be swift and harsh. Why not when it’s against Jews?
I will not again use the word, Jew-hole. It is a disgusting word that not a single person objected to. That’s the level of antisemitism we’ve come to accept.
Well said Scott. It’s time for both sides to stop the nonsense and solve the problems. To do that there has to be some give and take. No idea is right or wrong for everyone.
I have some very close friends who I rarely agree with politically but we have respectfully discussed our differences over the years and usually come to a middle ground that we can both live with. Trouble is, none of us are in a position to influence those in power. But the discussions allow us to have hope that those in power might actually do the same someday.
I’d like to see all this energy go into problem solving instead of bickering over menusha.
The country is not “fractured.”
What nonsense.
It’s an election, remember?
People disagree.
That is the point of elections.
That is, actually, democracy.
Who are these snowflake democracy hoarders who say they own “our democracy” and bleat about “saving democracy” but interpret competition for votes and not everyone thinking the same way as a pathology?
Reality just came along and bit them you know where.
Hopefully our “betters” who tried to ram a totally unqualified candidate down the voters’ throats will reflect and bring some new insight and humility to their positions on local issues.
I hate to be heartless, but the hysterical gnashing of teeth and garment rending in our leading educational institutions such as Harvard, Columbia, and Swarthmore because the unqualified candidate didn’t prevail—where traumatized faculty and students had ludicrous meltdowns, couldn’t give or attend classes, couldn’t prepare for scheduled exams—just makes one laugh. Most of the country is, simply, fed up with this madness.
The Vineyard is significantly out of step with the rest of the country—even the rest of Massachusetts. Remarkably, highly edumacated Vineyarders failed to understand that DeSantis’s locally labeled “stunt” of a few years back was actually very successful and accomplished exactly what he intended.
Completely ignored by the Times and other blinkered news outlets is the red shift within blue states, including Mass. As I posted earlier, the true measure of the mood of the country and the pattern of citizens’ views is the county-level results.
In Mass.:
https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2024/11/06/town-by-town-results-these-are-the-towns-trump-won-in-mass-including-10-he-flipped/
In the rest of the country:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/11/06/us/politics/presidential-election-2024-red-shift.html
We had an orderly, fair, democratic election and one candidate clearly won in 2024 and 2020.
All elections . . .
Honestly, I suspect that most people who voted for Donald Trump held their nose when they did it. His character and rhetoric has been the most divisive of any politician in decades. His embracing of ideas that he doesn’t really believe for political expediency shows that he is a person of terrible character. At the end of the day he’s more comfortable with a lie than with the truth. Those who point out that he won a decisive victory forget that he tried to over throw the previous election and he belongs in prison for that.
Never, ever forget that.
It’s been about a week since the election and things are already turning around, both here and abroad. Meanwhile we learning multimillion dollar debt run up by harris campaign hiring celebrities in her desperation in closing days. Lol
Peter, things are turning around alright, the bond markets are expanding because Trump is going to deficit spend again. Trump spent more during his first term than any president in 100 years. He’s planning to borrow and spend even more this term. Is that really what you wanted? A bigger deficit?
Please point out what’s turning around. To quote Don in an earlier comment, I don’t watch Fox News, so I may have missed it.
Stock market up, Wall Street breathing calmer now, Hamas wants peace, Qatar kicking Hamas out, Israel feeling much better about US/Israel relationship, China on notice, Peace feelers out between Russia/Ukraine, Iran currency collapse and on notice that maximum pressure on the way. Trump’s cabinet taking shape. Full of grown-ups. Musk to begin efforts to reduce government waste, migrant trains heading north in Mexico shrinking as they realize the US will actually enforce its immigration laws, tariffs on the deck for China and Mexico, oil/LNG production ramping up (just in time for our European allies), Liberal MSM and Hollywood shamed, wokeness soon to be routed out of our military, our military budget will increase etc. Not bad for a guy who’s not even in office. Makes a mockery of the current administration that has screwed up from day ONE!
The housecleaning has begun! Out will be leaders at DHS, FBI, DOJ and FEMA. Surely you heard this week about corrupt actions in FEMA relief policies…DEI overrode their stated job. Lawfare has been exposed and will be eliminated. Drain the Swamp!
Jim, support for our greatest ally, Israel, is already being turned around. Bigly. There’s no more of this “Well, you have a point” when talking to those who, ignorantly or not, support the global intifada. Democracies and allies matter, including the imperfect ones, and must be supported without liberal untrue baloney, ignorance of history, and hysteria. Especially impacted by a changing of the guard is the TRUTH (remember that?) about those who face hangings, torture, stonings, beheadings, and women’s enslavement for the crime of being gay, Jewish, Christian, female, or going against the Islamic regime’s inhuman laws. It’s on CNN, too. We haven’t gotten that from the Biden/Harris adminstration, and Harris has shown her colors on what we could expect from her.
Biden/Harris the worst administration in modern history. Thank God we are moving on!
Harris spent over $1 BILLION on her failed campaign! Yikes. What an epic waste of money!
Americans were not fooled by democrats bread and circus campaign. Good for us!!
Beyonce charged dems $10 million for her appearance. Wow!
Oprah cost only $1 million
Oprah says she received no money–
https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/celebrities/2024/11/12/6733d473e2704e60248b459e.html
Beyonce also
https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2024/10/fact-check-no-evidence-kamala-harris-campaign-paid-beyonce-10-million-dollars-to-attend-harris-rally.html#google_vignette
you’ve been snookered, my gullible fellow times reader—
prove me wrong —
Read Mareen Dowd’s new column in the NYT explains why dems were spanked in the election. Go woke, go broke etc…
Here’s a thought…how about these celebrities redeem themselves and donate those millions to charity? I suggest Tunnel to Towers this Veterans Day. A shout out to Oprah, Beyonce, John legend, Emenem, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Lady Gaga etc.
Peter– why should certain celebrities “redeem themselves”
for making money?
or is it only certain celebrities ?
I thought you liked capitalism, the free market, and
unlimited amounts of money going into campaigns.
by the way– Just on a quick look , Oprah says she
never got any money while campaigning for Harris.
https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/celebrities/2024/11/12/6733d473e2704e60248b459e.html Can you prove she did ? or are you just accepting the daily lie ?
Of course– candidates have to be responsible with the donations from
hard working Americans .
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/06/13/trump-criminal-conviction-how-campaign-funding-pays-his-legal-bills.html
Peter –this from Beyonce —
https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2024/10/fact-check-no-evidence-kamala-harris-campaign-paid-beyonce-10-million-dollars-to-attend-harris-rally.html
If you’re not disgusted/disappointed, sickened by this cheap ploy by the Harris campaign to drum up votes, I can’t help you….
I think the definition of insanity needs an additional entry in that diagnostic manual: Insanity is the compulsive need to list a candidate’s failures, perceived or real, with the expectation that enough lists will have an impact on an election—even AFTER a free and fair election is over.
When dems start behaving exactly like those they’ve called “maggots” for the last 8+ years, but have no awareness of it, we’re where we are.
I’m wondering if I need to add a trigger warning to alert any unhinged antisemites at the start of every comment I write here?
Anyone see Rubio’s response to that unhinged Code Pink lady when she asked him if he didn’t care about thousands of babies in Gaza? No more responses of “You’re not wrong” to Jew-hating Hamas supporters by leaders who know who intentionally caused what. Finally. Truth to power. Amen.
(Cue Dems’ compulsive lists about Rubio now.)
We dodged a metaphorical bullet with this election. Only a Democrat could spend 1billion dollars in 30 days, be 20 million in debt and have nothing to show for it. Imagine the damage she would have done to this country. And how embarrassing that she had to pay millionaires and billionaires to support her. Trump spend 20 dollars on a slimming reflective vest and effortlessly hops up into a garbage truck for millions in free tv exposure. Harris spends millions on fake tv sets. And you wonder why she lost?
Good lord! Trump’s cabinet is coming together quickly. Talented bunch. Already fr better than enemic crew surrounding biden. Wow! Elections have consequences!
Peter, what do you think of Steve Miller? Not a good look.
Given there is still more distorting of reality and blatant lies on this page, the kind of stuff that definitely contributed to dems losing an election, I’ll add this. Anyone’s well-deserved reputation as an antisemite has nothing to do with me, despite any temper tantrums, untruths, and gaslighting. Beginning in october, 2023, and through all our tomorrows, remarks by any antisemites using blood libels, antisemitic slurs, and promotions of lies about Israel and modernized antisemitic tropes,
antisemites have only themselves to thank for their sullied name. The more an antisemite rages against who they’ve shown us to be, the more obvious their antisemitism is to more people. I hope this part of reality of the sad explosions of Jew hatreds helps open the eyes of others who’ve never really thought about what antisemitism is.
There was a demonstration complete with swastikas outside a Detroit theatre showing a film about… Anne Frank.
I had a liberal friend, furious in the usual way, blaming “unworthy-American” Trump voters for the election loss, tell me she was more concerned with what’s happening in “her” country than my concerns over Middle East fallout and worldwide antisemitism. The unconscious micro aggression was that she didn’t say OUR country. I am an American Jew, but the trope is that Jews don’t have an allegiance first to America.
She is able to virtually ignore what’s happening to Jews in our country, and be nasty to me for not voting Harris, but carries on now about how Taliban treat women, careful not to talk about Hamas, raped Jewish women, or any mention of hostages, even though 8 of the hostages still held are American. But they’re Jews. I can’t educate away this blindness. All I can do is notice it and speak out against it and do my best to ignore how hated I am by people I’ve cared about for not agreeing that Harris was the cat’s pajamas. Martha’s Vineyard antisemitism against Jews who speak against it is very pronounced. Every Jew who isn’t a kapo knows it, as do the good non Jewish folks who don’t carry this bigotry. One antisemite wrote here that I am off the rails for not supporting Hamas-sympathizing Harris because she has a Jewish husband (whose children reject and deny their Jewishness). Having a family member who is palatably Jewish has never stopped anyone from hating Jews. I believe hitler, the real one, had a Jewish relative.
FYI, antisemites who foolishly and improperly use Yiddish terms, “goyim” for example, should at least learn how to spell their misused words. Or not. Fools do like to insist on being fools.
In Yiddish as well as in Hebrew, words usually become plural by adding the “im” sound, pronounced EEM, at the end of that word. The word in question, GOY, a derogatory word for a non-Jew, becomes GOYIM when pluralized. I notice that antisemites botch Yiddish words frequently, never bothering to look up a proper use or spelling. The skullcap head covering for a Jewish male is called a “yarmulke” in Yiddish, “kippah” in Hebrew. Someone wrote “yamaka” here as a way of showing his disrespect, yet again, for Jews.
“[I am] discouraged that people vote with their wallets, and they always will … More than caring about other human beings, they care about the price of frigging eggs and bacon.”
Yes, people often vote with their pocketbooks, but not in the greedy sense implied. The goal is to pay their mortgages or rent without fear of defaulting, if they can afford housing to begin with. Many voters have to provide for their families and themselves, a normal, respectable endeavor undeserving of judgment. Nourishing one’s children qualifies as ‘caring about other human beings’ in my book.
There was a period when both parties understood that votes should be earned via listening, planning, and persistent follow-through. Wins weren’t expected on demand. Democratic decision-makers have dropped the ball in recent years, attempting to shame the public into lockstep with claims of superiority. Turns out folks don’t appreciate being looked down upon and insulted by leaders desiring fealty at the polls.
I don’t know whether the new administration will be able to reduce the cost of necessities. Nobody does. We can only hope for success. Either way, it’s important to acknowledge the crowds who went unheard or were gaslit on the issue of expenses, among other concerns. Answers provided on the campaign trail—by our current leadership no less—were lacking, sometimes to the point of obfuscation.
That mistake was bound to be reflected in the final tally. A politician who rejects feedback does so at his or her professional peril. They don’t get to dictate what our fellow citizens deem most urgent. Neither do we. I trust that voters hold dear a multitude of issues, yet they must be narrowed down on election day in the absence of an all-encompassing option.
The Island food pantry has seen a significant increase in need. Elsewhere in the States, such resources are strained, inaccessible, or nonexistent. Financial struggles, including high grocery bills, are deeply distressing and immediate. It’s terrible not to know where your next meal is coming from. Speaking ill of others, then, for exercising their rights in the manner *they* deem fit (i.e. deciding which candidate proposed a better solution for xyz) is anti-democratic.
I can accept the results of any honest race. If we value and invoke democracy strictly when it cuts in our favor, we’ll lose the plot, and cries for its salvation will ring false. As for the Trump-is-orange-Hitler assertion that’s trending nationwide. . . I cannot imagine the real Hitler taking a stand against Jew-hatred. Do people not see the irony?
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp-video/mmvo219757637622
As somebody who remains critical of all pols and goings-on in Washington, the above is one promise I can support without reservation. I’ll be rooting for more positive news to follow, like I have with every incoming POTUS. That is my duty as an American—to balance out my worries and fact-based objections with goodwill towards the country as a whole. I was disturbed to learn that some are praying for Trump’s failure. TikTok is ugly in that regard. I downloaded it to observe unfiltered reactions. A grim, disheartening error.
Disappointment in the wake of a loss is natural. Vitriol is not. Wishing harm on one another is not. Blacklisting conservatives and impacting their livelihoods is most definitely not. These behaviors have cropped up on social media this week. It’s plain wrong. Voters shouldn’t face punishment for utilizing their civic power. “Go out and vote!” has become a cultural edict. They obliged.
I believe the U.S. will endure, just as it did throughout Trump’s first term. There were no gas chambers, no millions of innocents murdered, no Josef Mengele types committing heinous acts of torture. Time to stop with comparisons that trivialize the brutal scope of Nazi Germany. We did not experience that kind of nightmare, and to claim—without proof—that it’s on the way is irresponsible.
Amen, Katie. That “…friggin’ eggs and bacon” quote was the height of arrogant cruelty.
Thank you for the link, too. Liberals have done nothing to ensure the safety of Jewish students in schools around the country. Trump is already changing that. Some antisemities seem to think that curtailing that bigotry is somehow a deathknell for democracy.
Katie,
If Americans’ wallets were not being picked around the clock and even after death there would be no need to vote with them.
Well said.
Katie, I agree with some of your statements and disagree wholeheartedly with other statements you made.
What Trump has planned for our country and the people around the world—here and other countries—is NOT trivial.
Trump has said he plans to deport 12 million people. You’re not aghast?
Trump is not Hitler, but Trump is still planning a pretty horrific future for MILLIONS of people.
Now we are watching as Democrats eat themselves. (See Seth Moulton D/Ma take hits for stating the obvious about transgender men in womens’ sports). The Blame Game is pretty interesting and it remains a huge question mark if the party can learn from their mistakes. The arrogance and hubris of the Left is another matter…
We will get what we deserve, more should have paid attention in school.
Comments are closed.