I drove home late one night and saw 20-odd bright wooden crosses on my front lawn, “burning” with fluorescent paint. I’d been to the climate march in New York and was feeling exhilarated, until I saw them. I parked, stared, pondered, took photos. I texted my son in Beijing because he would be awake, asking if I should call the police. “M…
I drove home late one night and saw 20-odd bright wooden crosses on my front lawn, “burning” with fluorescent paint. I’d been to the climate march in New York and was feeling exhilarated, until I saw them. I parked, stared, pondered, took photos. I texted my son in Beijing because he would be awake, asking if I should call the police. “Mom,” he said, “there are burning crosses in front of your house. Yes, call the police!”
We never found out who put them there, or why. After much prodding, the police did trace the wooden posts, bought in a nearby town and assembled and painted. Some neighbors tried to make out that it had “just been kids” or “something to do with the climate march in town.” But burning crosses mean something, and maybe some day I’ll find out why they were placed on my lawn.
It was pointed out that the corner they were on has a neighborhood bulletin board so maybe the message was intended for all of us. But most people refused to believe that it was anything but high spirits.
Occam’s razor is a saying that means the obvious answer is almost always the correct answer. And a Nazi salute is a Nazi salute.
Musk supports the AFD in Germany. He gave the "Sig Heil" Nazi salute to tens of millions of Americans. Now he is invoking Hitler, Goering, Himmler and Goebbals, arguably the 4 worst humans to live and breathe in the 20th century, to make a "joke". This is not a difficult one, and every American should be outraged that such a person is the "co- president".
You're so right! That's no joke, not even a very dark one..
Witnessing from Germany the development in your country and seeing someone like Musk supporting the AFD instead of condemning it, is horrible.. I've never thought that such things could happen (again..)
Good lord, Karen, that’s awful. And the police and neighbors reactions are dispiriting. If “just kids” hanged an effigy in a tree would they only tut tut? You have fortitude. May whatever support you need always be near.
Your experience resonates with me cuz my mom told us of her childhood memories of crosses burning in front of homes of Italian neighbors in her little Appalachian town. No black folk there so klan harrassed the foreign “heathen statue worshippers.” Made a lifelong impression on her, tho not aimed at her family. She passed the emotion of that along to us. I’m grateful
Karen - people don't want to admit what's right in front of them because that requires action. Best to say "Oh, he really didn't mean that!" He did.
The "resistance" is muddy because there are too many people who won't call a ball or a strike. I saw this over and over again in workplaces rife with sexism or overt egregious behaviors (showing up drunk, while having a clearance).
I say all that to end with a quote my mother taught me: "If you teach a child disrespect, the first person they will disrespect is you. "
Republicans/MAGA think they are safe, when they are all in a pit of vipers.
I drove home late one night and saw 20-odd bright wooden crosses on my front lawn, “burning” with fluorescent paint. I’d been to the climate march in New York and was feeling exhilarated, until I saw them. I parked, stared, pondered, took photos. I texted my son in Beijing because he would be awake, asking if I should call the police. “Mom,” he said, “there are burning crosses in front of your house. Yes, call the police!”
We never found out who put them there, or why. After much prodding, the police did trace the wooden posts, bought in a nearby town and assembled and painted. Some neighbors tried to make out that it had “just been kids” or “something to do with the climate march in town.” But burning crosses mean something, and maybe some day I’ll find out why they were placed on my lawn.
It was pointed out that the corner they were on has a neighborhood bulletin board so maybe the message was intended for all of us. But most people refused to believe that it was anything but high spirits.
Occam’s razor is a saying that means the obvious answer is almost always the correct answer. And a Nazi salute is a Nazi salute.
Why did they do that to you?
Musk supports the AFD in Germany. He gave the "Sig Heil" Nazi salute to tens of millions of Americans. Now he is invoking Hitler, Goering, Himmler and Goebbals, arguably the 4 worst humans to live and breathe in the 20th century, to make a "joke". This is not a difficult one, and every American should be outraged that such a person is the "co- president".
You're so right! That's no joke, not even a very dark one..
Witnessing from Germany the development in your country and seeing someone like Musk supporting the AFD instead of condemning it, is horrible.. I've never thought that such things could happen (again..)
If something or someone looks like, speaks like, or acts like a Nazi then maybe there's a Nazi nearby.
It's not difficult to recognize - they usually show who and what they are..
Whoa. When was this? Like, recently? (In the last 10 years?)
September 2019.
Holy Sh--! Has Everywhere USA gone that far downhill while I have been living in Europe?
Yes.
Cindy, your answer made me gladder than ever to be an ex-pat.
Good lord, Karen, that’s awful. And the police and neighbors reactions are dispiriting. If “just kids” hanged an effigy in a tree would they only tut tut? You have fortitude. May whatever support you need always be near.
Thank you, very kind. I haven't written about this before because it was so creepy, the crosses themselves and afterwards. I appreciate the comment.
Your experience resonates with me cuz my mom told us of her childhood memories of crosses burning in front of homes of Italian neighbors in her little Appalachian town. No black folk there so klan harrassed the foreign “heathen statue worshippers.” Made a lifelong impression on her, tho not aimed at her family. She passed the emotion of that along to us. I’m grateful
Karen - people don't want to admit what's right in front of them because that requires action. Best to say "Oh, he really didn't mean that!" He did.
The "resistance" is muddy because there are too many people who won't call a ball or a strike. I saw this over and over again in workplaces rife with sexism or overt egregious behaviors (showing up drunk, while having a clearance).
I say all that to end with a quote my mother taught me: "If you teach a child disrespect, the first person they will disrespect is you. "
Republicans/MAGA think they are safe, when they are all in a pit of vipers.
I am sorry that happened to you. No one should turn to threats or violence as a way of punishing others for having different views.