Political division alive and well; voting is important
I had decided to run a social experiment, then blog about it and hopefully have it published in a prominent publication.
I would go into six businesses at random donning my Make America Great Again hat and recording the results — did they ask me to leave, did they put Ex-Lax in my food, did they throw profanities my way, or did they say “right on”?
The experiment had not even begun when I was sitting at my favorite fast-food establishment talking story and politics with none other than The Garden Island’s advocacy and watchdog columnist and good friend, Jerome Freitas, a.k.a., “Da Shadow.”
We were both talking local politics on how we both believe Mel Rapozo would be the best mayor for Kauai when the subject shifted to none other than 45, POTUS, “The Donald.” Shadow was saying unemployment is down, stock market is up. I’m saying, the market closed at a six-month high, unheard of 5 percent GDP being projected. Higher 18-month approval rating than any other president in history — along with an unheard of peace on the Korean Peninsula and the start of bringing home the remains of soldiers lost in battle from the Korean war… And out of nowhere some stranger sitting a few seats away starts a kerfuffle about how the Republican Party itself is not for the common people, only the rich, and how could we even like Trump. He began the rant, tirade and new mantra of the Left, “Shame on you.”
This left-winger did not know us from Adam, yet had the audacity to come into our conversation and start an altercation. He started downloading all kinds of fake news on his smart phone while using the free WiFi at this fast-food establishment, crying “you know Trump is going to take your Social Security and Medicaid.”
I thought to myself, I’m not even wearing my “MAGA” (Make America Great Again) hat and I had a total stranger going postal on us. Roseanne Barr refers to this as “Hatriotism” (sic). I also thought to myself, I sure wish I had a crystal ball to read into the future like this person with Trump Derangement Syndrome who never got over Hillary losing the election.
The Shadow’s advice to me in his island-style pidgin, “Bruddah, you need bodyguard and body-cam if you wear dat hat in dakine, otherwise you no safe.”
Da Shadow is a wise man and I am heeding his words not only about “Hatriotism” (sic) but to remember to get out and vote.
James “Kimo” Rosen, Kapaa
