Monday Morning Thoughts: The World Has Changed

Donald Trump protest

I want to start off with this comment: the world has changed.  Right now, I don’t feel that battling land use issues in Davis is my calling.  That doesn’t mean the Vanguard won’t still cover important issues that are facing our community, but the world has changed.

A commenter yesterday made the comment, “Obama was his guy.  In fact Obama has been for the most part a taboo subject on the V.  Interesting that David has probably had more presidential politics articles in the last week than he’s had in the last 8 years.”

While I believe that Obama in the last two years of his administration did a lot of good things, for most of his time, I was disappointed in his administration.  But, at the same time, I never felt that the very things I have fought for in my adult life were under fire then as they are now.

Someone else said, “So much for the ban on national politics.”  There was never a ban on national politics, but the world has changed.  Yesterday’s article was written about three groups that live here locally and the impact of the new president on them. We don’t live in a bubble, unfortunately.

I did not go to the protest or vigil on Saturday night.  I will explain why shortly, but someone recorded Mayor Robb Davis’ words and they bear repeating here: “(Grandson) Jaime came home after the election and said to my daughter, mommy, when does Mr. Trump take office?  He’s in second grade.

“She said why do you want to know?  He said, I want to know when papa has to go back to Mexico.  Jaime’s afraid.  He has fear.  Jaime’s fear is justified.

“Are the fears of our Muslims brothers and sisters who may not even feel comfortable to come into this space tonight – are they justified?

“Are the fears of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters – are they justified?  Are the fears of the immigrants of this nation, some of whom are undocumented, some of whom were born and raised here – are they justified?  Are their fears justified?

“Are the fears of those of us who fear global climate change and the projection of our planet, are they justified?”  he asked.  “I don’t say lightly, that yes, those fears are justified.”  He said, “We cannot succumb to those fears, but make no mistake words have consequences.  And words were spoken, not by accident, not with the slip of a tongue, but words were spoken during this campaign with meaning, with intent, and those words have consequences and the consequence for us today is that there is legitimate fear within our community – we have to acknowledge that.”

I think Robb Davis lays out very eloquently why the fears that people have are legitimate.

People have said that Mr. Trump deserves a chance – he has a chance.  He is the president-elect.  He will take office.  That doesn’t mean we sit back and say nothing.  That doesn’t mean that we let down our guard and hope that things will work out all right.

In fact, to me it means just the opposite – we push back and make it as hard as possible to enact the worst of his campaign rhetoric.  We make enacting things politically painful and difficult, in hopes that he will take the path of least resistance.

I am mindful of a lesson by one of my teachers on the holocaust, that Hitler when he encountered resistance would often back down.  But too often, the opposition crumbled in his face.  That is why we have the famous statement from Pastor Martin Niemöller on the cowardice of German intellectuals in the face of Nazi oppression.

He said, “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Socialist.”  He ended by saying, “Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

That is not just a lesson about Nazi Germany, it is a lesson about bearing witness.  The term white privilege is often used as a pejorative but it doesn’t have to be.  A few weeks ago when I was meeting with a group of Latinos in West Sacramento, one of them told me that I need to speak out as a white person, because no one was going to listen to them.  White privilege means that those of us who can speak out without fear of retribution, must speak out.

I respect Mayor Davis and the people who organized the event, but I decided early on I was not going to go to vigils, I was not going to attend protests.  I am not even going to cover them for the most part.  I understand a lot of people are in a process of mourning, or grieving a loss.  But I don’t want to feel better about what has happened.  There will be no acceptance here.

This is about pushing back and making sure that the rhetoric of the campaign is just that – empty rhetoric without words.  That is not going to happen by giving President Trump a chance – that is only going to happen because he knows that if you are going to go after one group of people, you are going after all of us.

To me the biggest news yesterday was twofold.  First, he named Stephen Bannon as a chief strategist.  That’s pretty telling.

Second, he said that his plan was to deport the two to three million undocumented immigrants who have criminal records.  To some, even on the left, that has been met with a “that doesn’t sound that bad.”

The problem is – and maybe he just doesn’t know – that is not so easy.  The way the system works is that when you commit an offense, regardless of whether you are an American citizen or an undocumented immigrant or even a legal immigrant – you face “justice” in our country.  After all, do we really want to let a convicted murder loose in Mexico?

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the Department of Homeland Security, then can issue a hold on undocumented inmates which keeps them in custody after they have served their sentence and then they can initiate deportation proceedings.  Sanctuary cities like New York, LA, San Francisco and others will not hold undocumented inmates in jail at the request of ICE unless the detainer request is accompanied by a judge’s order.

So when Trump starts talking about two to three million people who are walking around with criminal records, we have to start by trying to figure out just who those people are.  The most serious offenders are not going to be released – so are these, that he talks about, people with minor infractions or drug possession offenses?  Who are they?

Second, how would this work?  It is one thing to deport someone after they are arrested and are in the system, but to deport right now they would have to identify and locate the people, and then initiate proceedings and deport them.

I don’t see that we have the resources or manpower to do that.  I think this would be much more intrusive than anyone is suggesting.

I don’t see any way this could be accomplished on a large scale without huge roundups and disruption to the country.  Trump has not thought through the mechanics of this, and that is why people have fear.

Eight years ago Obama probably foolishly stated that “elections have consequences,” now we’re going to learn that words do too.

—David M. Greenwald reporting

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  • David Greenwald

    Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

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159 comments

  1. I want to start off with this comment: the world has changed.”

    And this is how I felt also. But then my daughter gave what I think  is a  more realistic assessment. She said ” The country has always been this way. Now it is just out in the open again where we can see it and fight it.” I think she is right. I think that prior to the assent of our president elect, these views of the white supremacists, religious intolerants, misogynists …… held an aura of plausible deniability. But that does not mean that they were not there. I heard many in interviews voice the opinion that “he is just saying what I have been thinking”. He himself said “I am your voice”. He was clearly targeting the audience that harbors these views since he clearly was not speaking to me or anyone who does not choose to claim superiority to others. One poster here has repeatedly said that racial discrimination n the country today is “de minims”. Well I guess we can all clearly see now that he was incorrect since a clearly racist message has been propounded by our president elect.  And no, I do not see Ben Carson as proof that this is not true.

    In fact, to me it means just the opposite – we push back and make it as hard as possible to enact the worst of his campaign rhetoric.  We make enacting things political painful and difficult in hopes that he will take the path of least resistance.”

    I see two areas for action. 1. I agree that we must push back as hard as possible when the worst of the agenda is being advanced. 2. But the president elect has demonstrated that the most powerful motivator for him is attention and praise. Therefore I see a window of opportunity in openly praising and supporting him when ever he makes a positive move such as supporting the possibility of retaining the provisions of the ACA preventing exclusions for pre-existing conditions and allowing parents to keep their children on their health plans until age 26.  As much as I despise the rhetoric and ideas of our president elect, I would never stoop to the tactic of hoping to see him fail simply because of how he has chosen to live his life ( both personal and public) is the antithesis of all I see as admirable.

    I do not fear for myself , except emotionally. But then I am a woman of privilege. I am white and have of course had this advantage my entire life. I am relatively wealthy and successful, although of course ,not in the sense that our president elect would recognize. But I fear greatly for our women, our minorities, those not of the Christian faith, and our economically disadvantaged.

    So for myself, my plan is to support vigorously any step in what I see as the right direction, and push back as hard as possible against what I see as harmful.

    1. Good points, but when I say the world has changed, what I mean is that we (for what ever we means, as it is not all of us but not me alone) have gone from a president that has perhaps too meekly defended our values at times to one that will attack them whenever he can.

      1. David wrote:

        >We have gone from a president that has perhaps too meekly defended

        > our values at times to one that will attack them whenever he can.

        Do you really think that bombing more countries than GW Bush and deporting more people than GW Bush is just “meekly” defending your values?

        The main reason I voted for Obama is that I was convinced that Romney (as a big neocon) would get us in to more wars and never close Gitmo.

        Just like I told my conservative friends not to worry after Obama got elected I’m telling my liberal friends not to worry now that Trump is elected.

        P.S. It is funny that Tia is making a big deal and calling Trump a liar (since she is positive he “must” know David Duke) but I don’t recall Tia or David calling the president a liar who said this (on his second day in office almost 8 years ago):

        “Guantanamo will be closed no later than one year from now”

        1. BP

          Snag?  Much of the electorate look at that as a positive.”

          And I wonder if they would feel similarly about a lawyer with no legal experience, or a pilot who has never flown a plane, or a surgeon who has never seen the inside of an operating room.  Wow! Which one of you wants to sign up for any of those experiences ?

        2. South of Davis

          “Guantanamo will be closed no later than one year from now”” 

          This was an aspirational statement and a goal. You can call it a “lie” if you like. But I see a qualitative difference about “lying” about the future ( which of course no one can predict) and lying about what you yourself have done in the past.  I forgot one other of my examples of Trump “lies” not misstatements. After having said that he believed the Japan should have nuclear weapons, he claimed that he never said that. Again, don’t take my word, Google it.

          And about David Duke, you are correct. I cannot prove that he does know who he is. But then I would have to severely question his range of knowledge for someone seeking the highest position in our country.

        3. And I wonder if they would feel similarly about a lawyer with no legal experience, or a pilot who has never flown a plane, or a surgeon who has never seen the inside of an operating room. Wow! Which one of you wants to sign up for any of those experiences? 

          Tia Will, does your hospital CEO know how to do a C section?  Probably not, that’s why he hired you.  Does the CEO of an airline know how to fly an airplane?  Probably not, that’s why he hires pilots.  Do you see how that works?

    2. Tia wrote:

      > a clearly racist message has been propounded by our president elect.  

      What is the “clear” racist message that has been propounded by Trump?

      1. For starters:

        Hiring Steven Bannon, of breitbart news, the anti-semitic, white-nationalist, misogynist website as his right hand man, not just for the campaign, but now as his right hand man in the WH.

         

        1. Greg wrote:

          > Hiring Steven Bannon, of breitbart news, the anti-semitic,

          > white-nationalist, misogynist website

          Can you find a link to a specific anti-semitic, white-nationalist, or misogynist quotes from Steven?

          David works at a website that has posted articles by local conservative Republican Jeff Boone but that does not make him a “conservative Republican”…

        2. This is a huge difference between a website handing a crumb to the opposition and the president picking his two top advisors.  You’re really naive about this stuff.

        3. Come on Greg.  You are just repeating the same ugly name-calling crap that got you into this mess.  If Hillary Clinton won and selected Ariana Huffington or Markos Moulitsas as her right-hand “woman” I am sure you would be just fine what that, right?

      2. South of Davis

        What is the “clear” racist message that has been propounded by Trump?”

        One example. His definitive statement that Judge Curiel could not be fair because of his Mexican heritage. This was his statement regardless  of how his handlers subsequently tried to walk it back.

        His statements about the superiority of his German blood. Please don’t take my word for it. Google it and you will see the much younger president elect making this statement about the superiority of his genes.

        Hiring Steven Bannon as Greg has pointed out. However, we can always hear the justifiers defending how he might have had other considerations, or the person might now emphasize other priorities ( other than his overt racism I suppose) now that they are no longer associated with a news association and are instead in the White House. So I prefer the actual tapes of our president elect propounding his racist philosophy in his own words.

        1. Tia wrote:

          > However, we can always hear the justifiers

          > defending how he might have had other

          > considerations

          Interesting that with the radio on all day all I have heard from the left wing major networks (CNN, ABC and NPR) is that Stephen is a “far right wing blogger”.

          No mention that he is a former Naval officer with an undergrad degree from Georgia Tech., a master’s degree in National Security Studies from Georgetown and a Harvard MBA.

          Both statements are true, but it would be not mentioning that Ronald Regan was a former California Governor and a two term president of the United States and just saying he was the star of “Bedtime for Bonzo”.

          I’m not the kind of far right nut ball that reads sights like Brietbart and/or Drudge on a regular basis, but I’m convinced that the left wing spin of just about every major (so called) “news” source is going to kill them.  No one wants to read “news” the is spun to the left all the time (unless it is to protect a right wing advertiser)…

        2. “His statements about the superiority of his German blood.”

          Yes, Trump is woefully misguided here–like most non-Irish, through natural jealousy and envy he cannot publicly acknowledge the manifest superiority of Irish blood; one can only pity the non-Irish.

  2. Agreed that the world has changed, but I wonder whether the Vanguard is really best positioned to effect change on national issues.  The discussions on race I’ve seen here have been extremely unproductive.  At least on local issues we can get into relevant details and have some effect.  I’m all for getting involved with broader issues, but I’m going to do that elsewhere.

    1. Too many here would rather gloat or troll than discuss.  Also don’t understand why there is such a disproportionate number of right wingers on a lefty blog.

      1. Chamber Fan wants a liberal bubble where his/her ideas bounce back with warm and fuzzy validation despite the fact that his/her ideas may be terrible, wrong, bad and destructive.

        Better people seek out others that disagree so that some learning and understand can occur.

        I guess some people have all the learning and understanding they think they need.

        1. If you are a “moderate Republican” why would you post this?

          So you’re saying the Vanguard should stop allowing anonymous posting and it will fix the problem?

          (the problem being what you claim is a “disproportionate number of right wingers on a lefty blog”).

        2. Frankly

          Better people seek out others that disagree so that some learning and understand can occur.”

          And I see that as one major reason for participating on the Vanguard, which Chamber Fan is doing just like you are. What makes you think that you have any right to speak for what Chamber Fan or anyone else who posts here “wants” ?  Why is it so impossible for you to make your own points without telling others what they do and don’t think ?

          And no, before I am bombarded, that is not what I do. I may ask for clarification, or say that I have interpreted something differently. But I have never told any one else what they think or what they want. And if not believed, please provide direct quote.

        3. Because the stuff being posted by some of you on the right is crap.

          You see, it all comes down to one’s prospective because many see the stuff being posted by some of the people on the left is crap.

        4. I don’t know Chamber Fan, and I don’t speak for him/her.  Only reflecting on what is posted.

          Frankly (because I am) I was hoping the political vitriol would subside after the election and we could talk about policy and stop the ugly attacks on the candidates that those that support the candidates.  There was no gloating or trolling here.  The choices were both disgusting.  Even though I am more encouraged with Trump than I was during the election, he is still not the type of candidate I want to see be President.

          However, the lack of introspection and continued status quo behavior from those on the left, and then the riots from their destructive mini me’s… it is clear that lessons have not been learned and they are just going to pick another crappy candidate to run again in four years.

          So the discussion continues in that direction and not one that supports a peaceful and respectful honoring of the election process and our history of peaceful transition to new power.

          1. I was hoping the political vitriol would subside after the election and we could talk about policy

            Which policies would you like to talk about?

    2. I wonder whether the Vanguard is really best positioned to effect change on national issues.

      About as much as the City Council is, but that doesn’t seem to stop them.

      1. Yes Alan Miller, how long before the CC weighs in on the election results?  Do we have some type of new resolution or statement coming?  We already know that our mayor has been quite active with the protests.  I can see more wasted time coming in future CC meetings.

        1. Maybe you could suggest a Trump Statue? The CC lies making Central Park a battlefield for outside issues so they may be up for it.

          When I asked why we had a Gandhi Statue DP said because he represented an ideal. Certainly Trump represents something to almost everybody.

        2. The other day when the Richard’s Davis Gateway underpass project was being discussed I meantioned that a “Love Trumps Hate” sign might be welcomed to be added as part of the project.  My comment got deleted but the next day I read in the Enterprise that someone had actually painted “Kill Trump = Save the World!” graffiti on the walls near the underpass.  I wasn’t too far off afterall.

  3. More than 2/3 the country has been living in fears that have been realized.  These people have been damaged and then ignored by the big city elite liberals and Republicans.  They basically trampled on these people over the last 15-20 years… and more so the last 8 years.  This article is breathtaking in the demonstrated lack of empathy and passive hostility toward those real Americans.  These people took advantage of the beauty of the design of democracy to take their county back.  British took their country back.  This is just the beginning of the rejection of the liberal and corporate pursuit of a new world order.  Ideas that are fanciful but lacking feasibility given true human nature and tribalism.  What frosts me is these elites sitting on their high-horses have just been knocked off and back to shovel the barn,   but instead that are both actively and passively engaging their their temper-tantrum-throwing minions to light the barn on fire.

    This is a movement that is not stopping.  Better get used to it.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/trumps-win-may-be-just-the-beginning-of-a-global-populist-wave/2016/11/13/477c3b26-a6ba-11e6-ba46-53db57f0e351_story.html?wpisrc=nl_rainbow&wpmm=1

  4. Here’s an interesting snag: Donald Trump will be the first president in American history to have no experience in government or public service at any level. He’ll be joined by a chief of staff with no governing experience and a chief strategist with no governing experience.  Think about it, would you hire a CEO with no experience?  So why would you think this is a good idea?