My family and I had barely been in our Lisbon Uber for ninety seconds when our gregarious driver Nuno, recognizing our accents asked, “So… are you pro-Trump or anti-Trump?”
I love the recent headline in the Toronto Star “Trump launches golden age of stupid”. It’s reassuring and encouraging to know that the world knows what we know. Unfortunately the spineless ass kissers in Congress refuse to do a damn thing.
The Fourth Estate has failed America and normalized this very dangerously abnormal man since 2015. The NYT, Washington Post, New York Post are unabashedly pro-Trump. Every once in a while someone commits an act of journalism but mostly it's by accident and it doesn't make a dent in the American conscious. Objective and investigative journalism are dead.
Yes! It seems that overnight, we became the Country is no longer other Countries look up to!! Now we are considered a shit County, as trump would say!!😴
John, gald you and your family had a chance to get away. I wish me and my partner could. We live is a fairly liberal area but as we witness the plucking of the eagle one feather at a time, we are very worried and even afraid more often than we'd like to admit. We know we are on the list of those deemed dangerous to America, we are queer, been together 29 years and have bene married 11. but we can see that our civil rights are in danger. We belong to a very kind open and arffirming church, they are so decent and loving (UCC). Thank for so often speaking out. I frequently repost your commentaries.
I recently spent about a month studying Spanish in a very rural area of Mexico. I was basically the only American in town. What I experienced at least once a day was not just empathy and commiseration, but astute political analysis, just like John’s cabbie in Lisbon. No cynicism, but honest support and understanding from kind, gentle people who certainly have coped with their own political chaos and fears, and who extended personal concern and prayers on our behalf. There is goodness in the world. Hang onto it, my friends.
A soft-spoken restaurant server from Mozambique said, “We Africans know all about being led by unstable, corrupt, violent men.” This about says it. And it does behoove people who can afford to pick up stakes and mover to Portugal, Canada, or any other safe place to start making plans, identifying tripwires that announce when it's time to go, etc. But what about the rest of us who have to stay and start living in fear that some kind of Federal Agents will snatch us off the street and ship us off to El Salvador or, if enough time has elapsed beforehand, to one of the new prisons Trump is already planning to build to supposedly house more illegal immigrants. Who else might they house? Inquiring minds want to know.
It seems like just the actual, realistic ability to go to another country isn’t something that is available in Real Life to 99.999 percent of people. It takes money and there are income minimums. There are many obstacles and it feels like a wealthy person’s discussion and a waste of time.
We are in our late seventies. Middle class. Retired. Worked hard to have no debt. Despite our best efforts, we've experienced Texas become a fascist state. Eight million registered voters don't care enough to vote. Financially we cannot leave. So whatever time we have left, we will vote, protest and fight back.
Exactly what I was going to post, Rita! The encouraging thing is that most of the retired Texans that we know feel the same way...we all plan to survive the seventies twice :)
I love the stories from other countries! Bette Dangerous (substack) had a piece lately about a man in a Paris bookstore who told her something like, Smile, life is beautiful! I cried like a baby. I’m just saying that most Americans are here and we can’t or won’t leave. It’s us, together, and our common humanity will save us in the end.
Just don't do that when others are around, as it will be taken as permission for the administration to move to stop you, and maybe others, with their own bullets. Or worse, to use your acts to declare Martial Law and call out the troops to make mass arrests. I wouldn't want that on my conscience. If some kind of agent crosses the threshold into your house you have the right to defend yourself, I believe. Make sure your family is in another room.
A woman I know, only by often seeing her on my daily dog walk, professes the strong beliefs of those on the Christian right. The day after the election I saw her and, because she brought what a beautiful day it was because Trump was elected, I couldn’t just say I disagreed and walk away. I had to find out why. I wasn’t confrontational, judgmental, angry. I was just curious. But her many comments about Trump (“Trump is the only one who can return us to a country based on the 10 Commandments) left me so dumbfounded and lead me to feel such anger that I finally turned around and walked away and avoided her whenever I saw her again. BUT, two days ago I saw her and she made a point of greeting me and saying she’d been doing a lot of thinking and that maybe I was right in the things I brought up to her. We talked for hour and, even tho she’s still very much a Christian conservative, i believe she may not be such a black and white thinker and may be a bit more of a critical thinker. Perhaps a small step but maybea step forward? Thank you, John, for confirming that we need to talk to others and hold strong in our believes but in a positive non - confrontational way.
Yes, I admire Valerie. It is really hard to be loving towards meanness, but in this case, it seems it was ignorance. I hope one small victory was made. It heartens me that people in other countries don't judge all of us. I have said it before in this venue...I am surrounded by people who are horrified with how this government is going. I guess that's lucky, but it just makes me question...who ARE these people who support such obvious cruelty? I worry that I am out of touch. But all the people I run into don't like this. Thanks to all you good hearted, spiritual people out there. Bless you. And bless you John!
Portugal ppl are wonderful. Encountered a similar situation in Scotland with a cabbie. The USA is on full display with the world laughing at the orange exuse for a human being. The USA is not a good neighbor. We ignore the poor, marginalized and care only about profits. Sick kids and elderly be damned. Erase our horrible history of racism, colonialism.
Hi John.. I love your post and agree with them each and every time...Since Trump seems to be "punishing" anyone who dares talk against him, are you afraid he will target you next? I am an American living in Canada, I have dual citizenship. I ususally go visit my family in the states a couple of times a year. This time, for the first time, I am fearful about going home. Are they going to demand my phone, or ipad?? Should I delete everything off my phone? Should I get a burner phone. Only because I have said things on social media that "HE" probably would find offensive. Its a new feeling to be afraid what I posted, or said. And I dont like it..
I understand exactly how you feel Diana. I, too, am an American living abroad and travel to the States at least once a year. I am afraid as well and I never ever thought that it would be traveling to the States that would produce this anxiety. I say save yourself some time and get a cheap burner phone.
Today's newsletter arrived just as our family struggles with the momentous and heartbreaking discussion of do we stay or go. To think that my grandmother fled with her family from Eastern Europe to come to America at the same age as our granddaughters are now; that to protect them, their parents (our daughters) may now need to leave their cherished home and take their children to live a world away. I am filled with rage - it does not have to be this way. Rage, and deep sadness.
I am now in my third year of traveling most of the year outside the US with only a backpack and a small electronics bag with my laptop and iPad. Last fall I spent two and a half months in Australia (their spring). I was in Canberra when the election took place (took my absentee ballot to the US consulate there to be mailed). The friends I was staying with provided some scotch and beer to help, but it didn't work. I was grateful to debrief the experience with them. One of them made the observation that some good would be likely to come out of it and countries will realize they can no longer count on US support. She said they will need to strengthen their relationships with other countries, especially with China. Since mid-January I have lived in Porto, Portugal for six weeks, Vienna, Austria for a month, Helmstedt, Germany for a weekend. and I am now spending a month in Tivat, Montenegro. On the flight from Vienna to Tivat I asked a couple women who were speaking English where they were from. They answered, "Canada". I immediately apologized saying simply, "I'm sorry." They laughed. Almost everyone I have encountered has been understanding. Unfortunately they have been drawn into the circle of harm he is doing. We have been commiserating. They all consider him to be crazy, wondering how on earth so many people could have voted for him. Most of the people I have encountered can see even more clearly than too many in the US what an incompetent buffoon he is.
Our daughter has lived in France since 2011 so we travel there each year to visit. In 2009, Obama was the new President when we found ourselves lost in the French countryside, GSP stuck on circling, and so desperate to find our daughter we flagged down a young Frenchman out for a jog. We spoke little French so communication was iffy but when he discerned we were Americans he thumped his hands on his heart and said "Obama." We returned the gesture, "Yes, Obama!" Our new friend had us drive him to his home where he could call our daughter, then escorted us to the tiny town she was staying in. Our allies may never trust us again, but it's been our experience over the years in France that most can absolutely separate Americans from Trump. My French is better now and next trip, when the occasion arises organically, I'll do my best to spread the word that many of us see what's happening and are doing our best to fight back.
Obama convinced so many of us that the US had finally lived up to its promise. Unfortunately his election brought the creeps out from under the rocks, which ultimately brought us Trump.
My international friends are heartbroken and bewildered that a majority of Americans chose to jettison democracy. Nobody blames me. Assholes exist in every nationality, but most people realize if Americans are traveling right now, they're doing it to escape the ongoing shit show. Everyone in my expat and native friend groups knows where I stand. While many of those friends don't follow my work, they know how much I've put on the line and respect it.
I have heard this too. However a very close friend explained to me this is a myth :( She showed me how the voting population has stayed pretty consistent over the years and this indeed the majority I fear. I wish it were true, but this was not a small amount of people voting for the orange devil it was consistent with the number that voted for Joe and others. :(
"Trump is a criminal who only cares about himself. He has no idea what he’s doing and everyone here knows it!” I wonder if Nuno would come here to educate the unfortunately large number of Americans who DON'T know it, or prefer to exhibit willful ignorance. Meh!!!
It's great that you and your family took some time together away from the US. You've been on the front line of this nightmare for a long and wearying time. We are grateful for the work you do. Yet, I am aware, it takes a heavy toll.
I love the recent headline in the Toronto Star “Trump launches golden age of stupid”. It’s reassuring and encouraging to know that the world knows what we know. Unfortunately the spineless ass kissers in Congress refuse to do a damn thing.
Where are the US headlines ?????
Buried deep underground, per oligarch owners' orders.
The silence is deafening from the cowardly legacy media, of course owned by billionaires.
Same with issue of the Mump Oligarchy selling federal buildings to billionaires so they make money from OUR government in years to come.
The Fourth Estate has failed America and normalized this very dangerously abnormal man since 2015. The NYT, Washington Post, New York Post are unabashedly pro-Trump. Every once in a while someone commits an act of journalism but mostly it's by accident and it doesn't make a dent in the American conscious. Objective and investigative journalism are dead.
Yes! It seems that overnight, we became the Country is no longer other Countries look up to!! Now we are considered a shit County, as trump would say!!😴
John, gald you and your family had a chance to get away. I wish me and my partner could. We live is a fairly liberal area but as we witness the plucking of the eagle one feather at a time, we are very worried and even afraid more often than we'd like to admit. We know we are on the list of those deemed dangerous to America, we are queer, been together 29 years and have bene married 11. but we can see that our civil rights are in danger. We belong to a very kind open and arffirming church, they are so decent and loving (UCC). Thank for so often speaking out. I frequently repost your commentaries.
I recently spent about a month studying Spanish in a very rural area of Mexico. I was basically the only American in town. What I experienced at least once a day was not just empathy and commiseration, but astute political analysis, just like John’s cabbie in Lisbon. No cynicism, but honest support and understanding from kind, gentle people who certainly have coped with their own political chaos and fears, and who extended personal concern and prayers on our behalf. There is goodness in the world. Hang onto it, my friends.
A soft-spoken restaurant server from Mozambique said, “We Africans know all about being led by unstable, corrupt, violent men.” This about says it. And it does behoove people who can afford to pick up stakes and mover to Portugal, Canada, or any other safe place to start making plans, identifying tripwires that announce when it's time to go, etc. But what about the rest of us who have to stay and start living in fear that some kind of Federal Agents will snatch us off the street and ship us off to El Salvador or, if enough time has elapsed beforehand, to one of the new prisons Trump is already planning to build to supposedly house more illegal immigrants. Who else might they house? Inquiring minds want to know.
It seems like just the actual, realistic ability to go to another country isn’t something that is available in Real Life to 99.999 percent of people. It takes money and there are income minimums. There are many obstacles and it feels like a wealthy person’s discussion and a waste of time.
We are in our late seventies. Middle class. Retired. Worked hard to have no debt. Despite our best efforts, we've experienced Texas become a fascist state. Eight million registered voters don't care enough to vote. Financially we cannot leave. So whatever time we have left, we will vote, protest and fight back.
Exactly what I was going to post, Rita! The encouraging thing is that most of the retired Texans that we know feel the same way...we all plan to survive the seventies twice :)
I appreciated the fact that John could go to another country and share his experiences. We need those perspectives!
I love the stories from other countries! Bette Dangerous (substack) had a piece lately about a man in a Paris bookstore who told her something like, Smile, life is beautiful! I cried like a baby. I’m just saying that most Americans are here and we can’t or won’t leave. It’s us, together, and our common humanity will save us in the end.
Agreed, Tee Ree. But the people who have enough money to go will go on discussing it because they can.
Arm up and do not go peacefully. That's what my plan is. Use your 2nd Amendment rights to defend your 1st Amendment rights. I won't live in a cage.
Just don't do that when others are around, as it will be taken as permission for the administration to move to stop you, and maybe others, with their own bullets. Or worse, to use your acts to declare Martial Law and call out the troops to make mass arrests. I wouldn't want that on my conscience. If some kind of agent crosses the threshold into your house you have the right to defend yourself, I believe. Make sure your family is in another room.
A woman I know, only by often seeing her on my daily dog walk, professes the strong beliefs of those on the Christian right. The day after the election I saw her and, because she brought what a beautiful day it was because Trump was elected, I couldn’t just say I disagreed and walk away. I had to find out why. I wasn’t confrontational, judgmental, angry. I was just curious. But her many comments about Trump (“Trump is the only one who can return us to a country based on the 10 Commandments) left me so dumbfounded and lead me to feel such anger that I finally turned around and walked away and avoided her whenever I saw her again. BUT, two days ago I saw her and she made a point of greeting me and saying she’d been doing a lot of thinking and that maybe I was right in the things I brought up to her. We talked for hour and, even tho she’s still very much a Christian conservative, i believe she may not be such a black and white thinker and may be a bit more of a critical thinker. Perhaps a small step but maybea step forward? Thank you, John, for confirming that we need to talk to others and hold strong in our believes but in a positive non - confrontational way.
Thank you, Valerie, for what your positive approach accomplished.
Yes, I admire Valerie. It is really hard to be loving towards meanness, but in this case, it seems it was ignorance. I hope one small victory was made. It heartens me that people in other countries don't judge all of us. I have said it before in this venue...I am surrounded by people who are horrified with how this government is going. I guess that's lucky, but it just makes me question...who ARE these people who support such obvious cruelty? I worry that I am out of touch. But all the people I run into don't like this. Thanks to all you good hearted, spiritual people out there. Bless you. And bless you John!
Portugal ppl are wonderful. Encountered a similar situation in Scotland with a cabbie. The USA is on full display with the world laughing at the orange exuse for a human being. The USA is not a good neighbor. We ignore the poor, marginalized and care only about profits. Sick kids and elderly be damned. Erase our horrible history of racism, colonialism.
The support from my European and Canadian friends has been precious-sharing posts, humor and encouragement.
I have a t shirt that says I did not vote for him in ten different languages
Hi John.. I love your post and agree with them each and every time...Since Trump seems to be "punishing" anyone who dares talk against him, are you afraid he will target you next? I am an American living in Canada, I have dual citizenship. I ususally go visit my family in the states a couple of times a year. This time, for the first time, I am fearful about going home. Are they going to demand my phone, or ipad?? Should I delete everything off my phone? Should I get a burner phone. Only because I have said things on social media that "HE" probably would find offensive. Its a new feeling to be afraid what I posted, or said. And I dont like it..
I would not suggest coming to visit in the US. Not worth the risk.
I understand exactly how you feel Diana. I, too, am an American living abroad and travel to the States at least once a year. I am afraid as well and I never ever thought that it would be traveling to the States that would produce this anxiety. I say save yourself some time and get a cheap burner phone.
Today's newsletter arrived just as our family struggles with the momentous and heartbreaking discussion of do we stay or go. To think that my grandmother fled with her family from Eastern Europe to come to America at the same age as our granddaughters are now; that to protect them, their parents (our daughters) may now need to leave their cherished home and take their children to live a world away. I am filled with rage - it does not have to be this way. Rage, and deep sadness.
I am now in my third year of traveling most of the year outside the US with only a backpack and a small electronics bag with my laptop and iPad. Last fall I spent two and a half months in Australia (their spring). I was in Canberra when the election took place (took my absentee ballot to the US consulate there to be mailed). The friends I was staying with provided some scotch and beer to help, but it didn't work. I was grateful to debrief the experience with them. One of them made the observation that some good would be likely to come out of it and countries will realize they can no longer count on US support. She said they will need to strengthen their relationships with other countries, especially with China. Since mid-January I have lived in Porto, Portugal for six weeks, Vienna, Austria for a month, Helmstedt, Germany for a weekend. and I am now spending a month in Tivat, Montenegro. On the flight from Vienna to Tivat I asked a couple women who were speaking English where they were from. They answered, "Canada". I immediately apologized saying simply, "I'm sorry." They laughed. Almost everyone I have encountered has been understanding. Unfortunately they have been drawn into the circle of harm he is doing. We have been commiserating. They all consider him to be crazy, wondering how on earth so many people could have voted for him. Most of the people I have encountered can see even more clearly than too many in the US what an incompetent buffoon he is.
Our daughter has lived in France since 2011 so we travel there each year to visit. In 2009, Obama was the new President when we found ourselves lost in the French countryside, GSP stuck on circling, and so desperate to find our daughter we flagged down a young Frenchman out for a jog. We spoke little French so communication was iffy but when he discerned we were Americans he thumped his hands on his heart and said "Obama." We returned the gesture, "Yes, Obama!" Our new friend had us drive him to his home where he could call our daughter, then escorted us to the tiny town she was staying in. Our allies may never trust us again, but it's been our experience over the years in France that most can absolutely separate Americans from Trump. My French is better now and next trip, when the occasion arises organically, I'll do my best to spread the word that many of us see what's happening and are doing our best to fight back.
Obama convinced so many of us that the US had finally lived up to its promise. Unfortunately his election brought the creeps out from under the rocks, which ultimately brought us Trump.
My international friends are heartbroken and bewildered that a majority of Americans chose to jettison democracy. Nobody blames me. Assholes exist in every nationality, but most people realize if Americans are traveling right now, they're doing it to escape the ongoing shit show. Everyone in my expat and native friend groups knows where I stand. While many of those friends don't follow my work, they know how much I've put on the line and respect it.
A majority of Americans didn’t vote for him. Under 68% of those eligible voted and just under half of that 68% voted for him.
I have heard this too. However a very close friend explained to me this is a myth :( She showed me how the voting population has stayed pretty consistent over the years and this indeed the majority I fear. I wish it were true, but this was not a small amount of people voting for the orange devil it was consistent with the number that voted for Joe and others. :(
Oops, forgot to mention the penguins! 🐧 Flippers up!
"Trump is a criminal who only cares about himself. He has no idea what he’s doing and everyone here knows it!” I wonder if Nuno would come here to educate the unfortunately large number of Americans who DON'T know it, or prefer to exhibit willful ignorance. Meh!!!
It would not matter to the ones who need to hear it. They are both deaf and blind to truth.
It's great that you and your family took some time together away from the US. You've been on the front line of this nightmare for a long and wearying time. We are grateful for the work you do. Yet, I am aware, it takes a heavy toll.