The day after one of the greatest political shocks in world history, I dug up my July 2016 exchange with “David,” a retired left-wing Ohio law professor I once considered my best friend. He wrote:
“Larry,
“Donald Trump – shouting, red face, gesticulating, constant references to family ties spilled by outsiders, vowing to deport 3 percent of the American population.
“The demonization of our current leaders as stupid, delicate, corrupt, criminals, traitors, non-citizens and non-Christians.
“The false portrayal of our country as broken, suffering, crushed by foreign forces.
“The claim that only He can save us…
“This is unique to American politics, Larry. But the world has seen it before.
“If you can’t see that after yesterday’s speech, I’m afraid you never will.
“You’ve spent your entire career denying that racism still exists. You were wrong. Racism is a powerful force, a dim and tempting lure that a fanatical leader can apply to intimidate and manipulate crowds. Now you have a racist, maniac, a crazed Republican candidate. What will you do? Will you continue to support him? Will you remain mute? You are a man of great influence, and I believe you will do the right thing and facilitate save our country.
“David”
My answer:
“David,
“Name one time to deny that racism still exists! One. I have never written anything like that, said anything like that, or believed anything like that. This is beyond offensive.
“There is still not only racism in America, but bigotry. And you are the epitome of that. You are bigoted against conservatives, against people who think government is too massive, against people like my father, who grew up in the Jim Crow South during the Great Depression, who believed that racism, sexism and all the ‘isms’ you want to promote are no longer major forces in America.
“By making such an idiotic statement, you reduce yourself to the subterranean level of credibility that you claim Trump possesses.
“After this, I do not have to and will not respond to anything else you wrote in your email.
“But I’ll say this. Get used to it. You’ve just heard about the next president of the United States. He’s going to be elected. And in no compact part because of the hysterical, unfair, demonic characterization of him by you and others who are vilifying so many Americans who will soon vote for Trump, who feel they’re working harder and longer hours and making less money as a result of the policies of the last eight years.
“When he gets elected, go to the nearest mirror – you played a massive role in this.
“I’ve been doing this a long time. I have a much better idea of what America feels and thinks than you do. You think you do, but you don’t.
“I’ve seen the Trump phenomenon divide friends and families. I never thought it would happen between you and me.
“But this is the first time I’ve ever felt truly insulted, humiliated, and caricatured by you—simply because I see things differently. I have many, many left-wing friends. I live in California. Honestly, how many conservative friends do you have? I bet the answer is—after this letter—none.
“Larry”
David’s response:
“This kind of division is inevitable when people face such momentous choices. Americans faced similar choices in the 1850s, Germans in the 1930s. I told you before that Trump is a categorically different candidate. He is not (John) McCain, or (Mitt) Romney, or George or Jeb Bush, people I disagree with, but who are honorable, decent people, and none of them support Trump. Trump is a demagogue and a racist. He openly admires dictators like Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin, and if the reports that he keeps a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bed are exact, so is he. He openly appeals to violence, and has explicitly vowed to imprison his main political opponent if he wins, and implicitly called for her murder if he loses. He rejects the Western alliance of democracies in favor of doing business with a Russian kleptocracy.
“I am not deceived about Trump’s popularity. You are right that many people love Trump. I had hoped you were not one of them. His level of support does not change his fundamental character; it makes him dangerous. I deeply mourn our friendship. But this conflict is only just beginning, and the choices we make will define us all.”
This is indeed “just the beginning of this conflict” – the conflict between those who have condemned Trump as a racist and bigot and the American voters who see him and his vision in a very different way. Deal with it.
