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Kill 'Em with Kindness

9/11/2018

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Picture
by Roberta Reavey
​

​So, I think I figured out how to get a toenail in the closed door of Trumpster thinking. For the football fans, anyway. 
Giving up football to show the NFL their "principles" has GOT to be killing them right around now, right?    It may very well be the first time they've actually felt the pain of their terrible choice.  Let's give them a way to alleviate their pain . . . and take a baby step toward the light at the same time. 
The Svengalis of the Trumpsters have them believing that kneeling during the National Anthem is disrespectful to the flag, the troops, motherhood, apple pie, picket fences . . . whatever.  They are completely convinced of it and staunch in their defense of that “principle.”  Nothing could possibly change their minds . . .except  . . . it hurts.  It’s our job to show them how to feel better by helping them to adjust their thinking away from their “alternative logic.”
The chief problem with their contention is that at no time—NO TIME—in human history has kneeling ever been a sign of anything other than respect and a request for protection from the object of the kneeling.  Never.  Ever.  In all of history.  What we need to do is to ask the Trumpsters this simple question:  what changed? What’s different about this situation that the opposite is now true?  How did that happen?  (Okay, that’s a bunch of questions.  You can pick and choose.)
When you ask your question, the Trumpster will most likely respond as they’ve been unknowingly trained to do, with a deflection. 
Samples:
You:  How is Kaepernick’s kneeling different from kneeling in prayer?
Trumpster:  You’re supposed to stand during the National Anthem.
You:  What’s different now that kneeling is suddenly disrespectful when it’s been a sign of respect for all time?
Trumpster:  Our troops fought for his right to do that disrespectful thing.
 
DON’T LET THEM DEFLECT, and don’t be dragged off course yourself by attempting to respond to the deflection.  Just keep firing away with your original question.  Make them consider it, even if they never answer you.  Keep at it until you can see in their eyes that they’re actually trying to formulate an answer, because there is no good answer! The only answer is that Kaepernick is black and the request of the players is for black people’s lives to be spared. They must realize it themselves. They NEED to realize it themselves.  Even though they’ll likely never admit it to you in a million years, you will have done them two favors:  you’ll have helped straighten out their logic, and you’ll have given them a way to watch football again. Yay, you.
The closer we get to the impeachment, the more necessary it is that we begin to look for ways to reintegrate Trumpsters into civil society again.  It’s not going to be easy, and there probably won’t be any big wins, but we have to keep trying for the sake of civil society.  Babies don’t give up trying to walk, and neither should we.
Baby steps.


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    Authors





    Roberta Reavey
    began her teaching career as a  high school English teacher in both Massachusetts and New Jersey before becoming a faculty member in the Writing Arts Department of Rowan University.  She is also a consultant for the College Board's Advanced Placement English Language Exam and a past president of the New Jersey Writing Alliance, an organization which seeks to bridge the gap between high school and college writing teachers.


    Shevone Torres 
    is a single, disabled, queer mother of 2 children. She is the proud grandmother of a 2 year old. She is also a core member of Black Lives Matter NJ. She grew up in South Jersey in a single parent home, with a sister and brother. She has been fighting towards liberation for some years. Recently, she took up writing as an outlet for herself to help deal with the daily struggles she comes across and only recently decided to share her stories with everyone else.
    ​
    Casey Olesko
    ​
    serves as the Communications Director for Planned Parenthood Action Fund of New Jersey, a nonpartisan 501(c)(4) non-profit social welfare organization that advocates for access to essential health care through education, activism, voter engagement, grassroots organizing, and legislative advocacy. For more information, visit
    www.ppactionnj.org.



    Emily Devenney
    Emily is an activist from Hainesport interested in education, housing, and socioeconomic justice. She has been active with South Jersey Women for Progressive Change since the fall, particularly with the Racial Justice Study Group.

    Amy Durr
    is a lifelong resident of New Jersey who currently lives in Medford Lakes.  She is most passionate about racial justice and advocating for people who have special needs.

    Karly Grossman 
    is an activist and attorney who brings an intersectional approach to her advocacy for the rights of frequently marginalized and mistreated communities. Her areas of interest include healthcare, harm reduction, disability rights, LGBTQ rights, racial justice and criminal justice reform. She is a resident of Maple Shade, NJ. ​

    ​Summer Maher 
    is a sophomore at Moorestown High School. She is part of the student council, Model UN, and Urban Challenge Club. Summer enjoys writing, reading, playing tennis, teaching ESL and at her Sunday school and doing community service. She hopes her writing makes people act in favor of a safer, more inclusive America!
    ​
    Jennifer North
    is an activist, writer and nonprofit consultant. She co-leads SJWPC’s Racial Justice Action Group and lives in Merchantville, NJ.

    Kathleen  Strykowsky
    is semi-retired and works as a nanny. She is the founder and President of the Mt Laurel Women's Club, a Democratic Committee Person, and involved in several progressive groups. She is a married mother of 2 daughters who are both nurses and in grad school to be nurse practitioner

    Melissa Tomlinson
    is a public school teacher who became interested in politics after a confrontation with 
    Chris Christie in 2013. When Melissa asked why the governor called the state's schools "failure factories," Christie shouted at her, "Just do your job!" Since then, she has run for Atlantic County Freeholder-at-Large (2017). Melissa currently serves as the Assistant Executive Director of the Badass Teachers Association and she is the current Acting Chair of the Elections Committee of the Green Party of New Jersey.


    Alissa Wolf
    is an award-winning journalist who covered the entertainment industry, general features and politics for a variety of publications including The Philadelphia Inquirer, Newark Star-Ledger, Asbury Park Press the Robb Report, Philadelphia Magazine, Philadelphia City Paper, Hit Parader, Word Up!, Revolution Metal and many others. She is the author of the memoirs "Punk Rock Princess" from Bear Manor Media. A resident of Maple Shade, NJ, She currently serves on the SJWPC Communications Committee.

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