Sore Winners and a Sore Loser

Beware: jerks on the loose!

Here’s a timely anecdote from my neighborhood of East Rock in New Haven, a stronghold for Kamala Harris. The email, written two days after the election that brought us Trump, stated: “I woke up this morning and the Harris/Walz sign on my front lawn was ripped apart and strewn all over my lawn. I noticed that my neighbor’s sign was also destroyed. Just wondering if others have had the same experience.”

This message, posted on my neighborhood’s listserv, brought forth a second email about an incident that occurred in one of our neighborhood taverns, Contois. It’s traditionally been a hang-out for cops, firemen and attorneys; not particularly welcoming for women. But still — get a load of this: “We had a different but similar flavor of experience last night. My husband and I walked into Contois and asked if it was still open. We were immediately asked by the bartender if we voted for ‘Karmala? Komala? Kerm…whatver.’ I said ‘Yeah’ and said ‘Kamala.’ She aggressively said ‘Fine, I’ll still pour you a drink.’ I felt weird and hesitated and before I said anything she told us to get the F out and slammed the door behind us. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen that type of misplaced anger and aggression. I don’t understand why the anger lingers past the election from a side that won.”

I don’t get it either. What would these Trumpsters be doing if they had lost? Oh, wait, I know — preparing to storm the U.S. Capitol to overturn the election results.

This time they have no need to re-stage that day of “love” and patriotism,” as recalled with deep affection by Trump. But boy, are these guys having fun! Starting the day after the election, racist texts began to show up on the phones of Black middle schoolers, high schoolers and college students across the country. The recipients, addressed by name, were told they had been selected to “pick cotton” on a plantation or be “house slaves.” They were ordered to show up at a specific time and place to be picked up by slave handlers.

“Our executive slave owners will come get you in a brown van,” the message read. “Be prepared to be searched down once you’ve entered the plantation.”

Some of the messages contained references to the president-elect.

Meanwhile, in the normally placid town of Cheshire, CT., our local media are reporting about the ravings of an incredibly sore loser. She’s a special education teacher at an elementary school. (I’m not giving her name because she’s already been the target of Trumpsters nationwide. Maybe worldwide.)

She was so outraged by Trump’s re-election that she posted a video, intended to be a private message to her group on Snapchat, that threatened violence against Trump supporters. But somebody in that group uploaded the video and released it on social media. Then it went viral, big time.

Here’s what the teacher said: If people of color, poor people and gay people aren’t going to be safe in America, then “neither the (expletive) are you guys. Just because you won doesn’t mean we don’t remember who the (expletive) you voted for. You’re not in the clear. And please, please don’t test your gangster on me because you will end on a stretcher, gone forever. So serious, nobody (expletive) talk to me unless you wanna swing. If you wanna fight, text me, call me, whatever.”

Immediately, of course, she was “temporarily” removed from her job by the school’s officials, who had been inundated with angry calls and emails from Trumpsters everywhere. And soon after that, of course, the officials announced that she had “resigned.”

Everybody needs to just calm down.

I know it’s not easy. It’s hard not to go batshit when Trump announces he wants Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz — who was investigated, but not charged, for a sex trafficking case involving a 17-year-old girl — to be U.S. Attorney General. And Trump tapped Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be Secretary of State. And Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense. And another Florida dude, U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz, a Fox News commentator, to be National Security Advisor. Oh, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem — famed for executing her family’s dog because it was “untrainable” — to lead the Homeland Security Department. And conspiracy theorist Tulsi Gabbard to serve as Director of National “Intelligence.” Don’t forget Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will lead the brand new Department of Government Efficiency. And don’t forget anti-vaccer Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who, Trump promises, will “go wild on health.”

It sounds like an absurdly comic nightmare. But it’s all true. And Trump told us throughout his savage campaign that he’d be unleashing this on America. But he got elected anyway. Why? People think he’s “funny.” And he’s macho.

And, as I said last week, eggs cost too much.