Since this election began, many crazies have come out of the woodwork. I mean, so many people whose beliefs and principles that don’t line up with mine feel vindicated to have voice. Their vile speech is so revolting, it sickens me. I wish they would understand that America is not what they are forcing it to become; there are rights, basic rights, for its citizens.
Because of these people coming out in strong numbers, I’ve been so afraid to stand up for what I believe. I strongly believe my ideology, but I don’t have the fortitude and courage to clash with those who are so scary, so frightening. I lurk. I stay in the cover of night. I hide in the shadows. But I’m still active in my cause working behind the scenes.
The other night I went out and put fliers in the neighborhoods throughout southern Maine. I wanted people to know that I have their back. I’m more of an introvert really, but the passion I have for my cause feels as if it is burning a hole in me. I had to do something. I had to let them know I am there for them. Many call me a coward for doing this work in the dark. Maybe I am, but I believe in my principles.
I’m like the caped crusader, a vigilante doling out justice in the night, a sort of knight. I’ve got your back. I even have a costume. It isn’t elaborate like Batman’s. It doesn’t have armor. It isn’t bulletproof. It really offers no protection other than anonymity, unless someone pulls that mask off my face. Then its function is erased. In fact my hero’s costume is rough, homemade, a sort of spectral ghost.
A bunch of hooligans stopped me the other day and cornered me while I was placing informational fliers. They wagged their fingers at me, yelling such vitriolic statements. Such anger, such hatred was on their faces as spittle flew from their mouths. They told me I was wrong. That I should change my ways. That my beliefs were thoroughly un-American. I was scared. But there was something so comforting to know I was hiding behind my mask. It was nice to know that at the end of the day, I could change out of my costume when no one was looking, and go home to my loving family.
My wife doesn’t question where I’ve been. She knows what I do, and believes it is important work. Placing dinner in front of me, she rubs my shoulder with a quick gesture, and after sitting, bows her head as I lead us in a round of prayer. It’s at those moments, when I look over at my children with blonde hair and blue eyes, that I smile and know what I am doing is right. Even if I have to hide behind a mask.
The state of things have become tricky and I really have to walk a fine line. Since Trump has become president, I have to be careful with what I say. People are quick to jump on me. They know he won and are using it to their advantage to push their agendas. The other day, I had someone tell me that my opinion didn’t matter, because what I said was downright wrong. Can you believe that? Like I shouldn’t get an opinion. This isn’t communist Russia. I have freedoms guaranteed.
Within the last month my wife encouraged me to get onto social media and find others who share my cause; that it might lift me out of this post-election funk. Instantly I found many who think like I do. We even met the other night. No masks were worn. When the meeting concluded, we decided to protest, to rally, to voice our concerns. Anonymity is still an important issue, so we decided to come out in costume and rally to show support. Like a league of heroes, we will enhance justice, ward off evil. We will be amongst like minded individuals. Trump was the catalyst, and we’ve now found reason to have our voice heard in the mainstream.
Alas, it didn’t go well. We met at a Planned Parenthood clinic to show support for our ideals. Anti-protestors came out in droves. The police tried to protect us, but they backed off when the numbers became overwhelming. Some officers even mumbled, “Let the fuckers get what they deserve.”
These anti-protestors came at us with bats, axe handles, tire irons, and tow chains. It was like a scene from The Warriors. Apparently America isn’t as tolerant towards free speech and expression as it would like to believe it is unless it aligns with the ideals of the majority vote.
I limped home to my wife, bloodied and battered. My head was lacerated and bleeding, my ribs broken, my back contused. I took off my outfit when I got home. My wife had a horror stricken look on her face, but not because I was broken, instead because our house was no longer anonymous. I had broken the cardinal rule. What gave my identity protection on the streets, endangered my family in the home and I had now brought that danger right through my front door. As I pulled off the white hood stained with blood, it flopped on the floor, and the two dark eye holes stared up at me with a hollow gaze. My white robe lay next to it, sanguine stains soaking through the fine wool material that my loving wife had spent hours sewing and mending, like the true home domestic she is supposed to be.
I finally had enough. I shouldn’t have to hide. I am the majority. I am Trumpian. As my wife looked at me in horror, thoughts ran through my still ringing head. I’m trying to make America Great again. See I believe that we are under attack. That America must be white. Must be Christian. That is what our president believes. Those that voted for him knew what he stood for; he didn’t hide it. Trump is a man that will get shit done, and knows how. He will build a wall, keeping rapists and drug runners out of our country. He will ban Muslims, because they’ve perpetrated terrorist acts on American soil. He will solve this crisis of conscience and keep America from Sharia law, and we will turn it back into the Christian nation that our veterans have fought so hard to protect. We will rise again.
This is our nation We won the vote. OUR president is in office. And what, I don’t get to voice my belief? Those crazy lib-tards, they are interfering with our progress into a free America where white’s are the dominant power. It’s not like Trump lost the popular vote. In fact, he won it! He’s proven this over and over again illustrating how voter fraud occurred because so many illegals voted. That’s why we need to wall this place up. Build jobs, keep to immigrants out. The media tried to counter the fraud, but that is run by jews, kikes, so no one can get a fair share with those money grubbing whores. Can’t trust them. It was a conspiracy by Hillary. Why won’t people listen to us? We won. We are dominant. Now it’s our time to own this nation.
My thoughts rambled on in rage.
Word moves quickly in our neighborhood. The residents saw me come home. How could they have missed me hobbling down the streets in my whites robes stained red. I was probably a spectacle to see. They probably got on the phone instantly called all the others. Deep down inside though, they all knew, but just never admitted it. This confirms it.
Out the window, the street is abuzz with anger, and a mob is forming in front of our house. They tell us to march outside and they will spare our children.
What kind of free nation is this? My white neighbors. White! Why can’t they understand I do this for them? That I am securing their future in the America the way it is meant to be.
Marching out onto the lawn with my wife, they rip my shirt off as thread tears and buttons fly. They hold my beloved’s arms, forcing her to watch. Two neighbors who I am close friends with, fling me to the ground, each sitting on an arm, while two other men sit on my legs. I look around in the crowd but none of my brethren are there to save me. I am alone, and while I face my enemies head on, my identity exposed, my cohorts betray me, not coming to my aid in this time of need. I am given to the mob. I am exposed for all to see. I have no mask to hide behind.
With the weight of these men upon me, another straddles my chest. He yells loudly, “Cowards hide behind masks and costumes. Cowards hide their hate behind smiles. Cowards strike terror in the hearts of others, while they themselves will not stand behind their principles unmasked. You are terrorists and we refuse to live in terror. So, neighbor, lets make sure everyone knows you are the coward you are.”
Pulling out a long bowie knife, the tip of the blade pushes into my chest. It hurts. It causes intense pain, and I flail against the weight pressing down upon me, but it’s pointless. The blade is moved across my flesh, up and down, sideways, angled, only the point digging into my body. Finished, the blade glistens with blood, and drips on my mouth as he holds it over my face. Looking down on me, he whispers, “I am not done.”
The blade digs into the bone of my forehead. I feel it penetrate skin and muscle, scrape against bone. This word is shorter than the first. Finished, the men stand up with satisfied smiles. I’m crying, openly weeping. I curl up into a ball as they each kick me. A woman comes over and spits on me, dropping a mirror on the ground. She screams at me wildly, pointing at the reflective glass on my chest, ”Look! Look! You racist motherfucker. Now you can’t trick us by hiding behind a mask like you did. You’re revolting.” I hold the mirror a few feet away from me. Across my chest they have written, “Coward,” across my forehead, “KKK.”
Holding his knife in the air, the carver of words speaks loudly, a natural orator standing on the steps of my own front porch. “You’ve betrayed us, all of us in this community. We do not stand for your principles of hatred. You have enough conviction to strike fear into the hearts of your victims, but you are cowardly enough to do it behind a mask. So live with your scars, just like all of your victims must live with the ones you’ve inflicted upon them. Your kind better be prepared. If you are a nazi, KKK, white supremacist, or anyone else who aims to hurt, oppress, or frighten another person, we will find you. We will take care of you. We will make sure everyone knows who you truly are behind the mask you wear in everyday life. Trump may have brought you motherfuckers out of the woodwork, inspiring you, vindicating your hate speech, but his hateful rhetoric mobilized us to counter as well. Beware. If you want to make America a dystopian landscape, well then so be it. We will rise up and resist hate and bigotry, misogyny and racism, xenophobia and sexism. We will fight!”
Drinkers with Writing Problems 