When you suddenly realize you're somewhere you shouldn't be. . .
My first experience at being part of a moving MAGA rally
Yesterday I was returning from the eastern end of Long Island after leading worship at a church I will begin serving in December. This time of year the traffic is quite congested due to an influx of apple and pumpkin pickers. Sitting in a slow moving line my view to the front was pretty much obscured. Suddenly above the cars in front of me I saw flashing blue and red lights. Being a good citizen, I stopped to let what I assumed would be a police car into the slow moving line. My mistake.
As the car in front of me moved forward my presumed police car turned out to be an audaciously painted Trump mobile. It must have cost the owner thousands of dollars to complete the detailing. How the hell are private citizens allowed to have lighting reserved for first responders? I was about to inch forward when a five more cars and trucks sporting Trump flags and MAGA paraphernalia aggressively followed the leader. I suddenly realized that the adjacent field was filled with cars and trucks all decked out in the same manner. I also realized that if I didn’t move forward I would be at the rear of a very long parade. I moved forward, much to the chagrin of a woman telling me to wait from the passenger side of her car, while the driver honked his horn attempting to get me to stop. I didn’t.
I was embarrassed to be in such a line. Even more so when cars moving in the opposite direction honked their horns -I assume to show support. I saw that the cars behind me all had on their emergency flashers. I was in the middle of a MAGA parade! We inched along for about a mile when the Trump mobile pulled to the shoulder and the five cars and trucks who had cut me off duly followed. I passed by, receiving some angry looks and what I assume were some unpleasant verbal protests.
The parade participants weren’t happy with me. Was it the “Bernie Sanders” sticker on my back window? Was it the “Democracy Now” bumper sticker? Was it the “Medicare For All” window sticker? Was it the “Christian Nationalism Is Idolatry” bumper sticker? Surely it wasn’t the vintage “McGovern 72” bumper sticker? I moved by slowly to allow those who had barged in front of me an opportunity to take in my not so subtle political viewpoint.
Although I found the incident rather humorous to some degree, with 22 days until a Presidential election I also find it upsetting. The aggression, the shaking fists, the anger on the faces of my fellow citizens does not bode well for the immediate future. I fear in the words of the former president, “Will be wild!” God bless us, everyone.
OMG! I think I would have had a heart attack. I find this more disturbing than humorous. Finding yourself in the mist of such anger and hate is unnerving. Why is there so much hate and anger? Especially, from suburbanites that live in nice houses that they can afford, along with their trucks and cars. Yet, they complain about the economy when they don’t realize or take for granted what they do have. Where is the gratitude?
Ron, what a very humorous, if not disturbing, story. I cannot imagine what that felt like. Unfortunately, you may see more of the same out on the East End. Prayers for us all, indeed.