An odd connection between pro and anti-Trump contingents

After jockeying for position in the Town Gazebo with a Washington Post photographer who had both height and weight on me – just kidding, he was very polite thankfully because he DID have height and weight on me – I noticed a little verbal back and forth between anti-Trump Vigil for Democracy protesters and the smaller pro-Trump contingent across Chester Street on Wednesday, April 19.

Above, Washington Post photographer gathers art for his paper’s pending coverage of Front Royal’s weekly Vigil for Democracy statement against the new president’s agenda. Below, my turn for a gazebo ‘art’ shot of vigil demonstrators. Photos/Roger Bianchini

After getting shots of this week’s signage conveying issues on the minds of about 20 vigil participants, I crossed the street to pick up my conversation from last week with Ralph and Michael Waller, relaxing with their Trump-Pence campaign sign on the bench in front of their pawn shop.  This week their number had swelled by a full third (from 2 to 3) as I noticed another old friend with slightly different political views than my own, John Lambert, had joined the Wallers.

From left, Ralph and Michael Waller are joined by John Lambert on the pro-Trump side of the street.

Well, that explains the cross-street banter I thought as Lambert greeted me by pointing out to the Wallers, “Now here’s the biggest commie of them all.”

“John, don’t tell them that – I’m NOT a communist, I believe in private property, just not too much of it.  You know, when you get into your second billion or so I think you can afford to pay a tad more to support society than those of us struggling to stay in the middle class.  So, I’d say I’m a progressive socialist …”

“SAME THING,” Lambert said as we shook hands and laughed about our decades of friendly political disagreement.

“Just don’t call me a liberal,” I reminded him, “I’ve told you those are fighting words – liberals are too ineffectual – if 2010 and 2016 didn’t prove that I don’t know what ever will.”

As Lambert reengaged the protesters with calls of “snowflake” and “go home, he won” I reengaged Ralph Waller about his support of Trump and the weekly protests against the president occurring across the street from his business.

Trump’s refusal to release tax returns that could reveal any potential international conflicts of interest was on some demonstrators’ minds, as was evidence that as many as 10 Trump advisers or associates had ongoing pre-election meetings with Russian agents or representatives.

He explained that he believed opponents should give the new president a chance to carry through on his promise to “drain the swamp” of the traditional governmental influences that he believes are fundamentally corrupt.

One day after the extended Tax Day of April 18 and several signs protesting Trump’s continued refusal to release any of his tax returns, we discussed how under a previous Republican president a few decades back – over five and a half to be precise, Dwight Eisenhower’s terms from 1952-1960 – tax rates on the wealthy had been much higher.

We agreed on an estimate of about 70% on multi-millionaires in an era when a million dollars or a dollar went a lot farther than either does today.

“But then the government got bigger, TOO big,” Ralph said.

“Well, large bureaucracies ARE a problem, and a consequence of large, modern-day societies,” I admitted, “But is stripping the government down to the bare bones and letting the corporatists run wild without ANY regulatory oversight really the answer? – Do you trust human nature, especially human nature with unbridled wealth and influence to always do the right thing?”

That led us into a slight detour into religion and whether what happens in the world – from Trump’s improbable election to war, famine, the acquisition of great wealth, etc, etc – is done by the design of a Supreme Being or is rather an instrument of human free will outside the control of the Creator all monotheistic faiths, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam, believe in.

We got stuck at the implications of an all-knowing God willing to give at least one of its creations the will to act against His, Her or Its will.

“What are we doing, Ralph?!!? We sound like a college religious studies class out here; and we are not likely to agree, or resolve a dilemma that the greatest religious minds of generations continue to argue about,” I said shaking my head.

Cries of “SNOWFLAKE” and “GO HOME” and some unintelligible replies from across the street brought us back to earth.

These two signs speak for themselves.

“I just think this causes too much division,” Ralph said, nodding at the protesters across the street.

I was somewhat taken aback.

“But Ralph, that’s what they think Trump has done – divide us.  That’s a BIG reason they are over there each week,” I replied.

As I left I found it odd that on both sides of Chester Street that day were people who thought we should all be putting our heads together to work towards a common good.

Defining that common good, not to mention getting on the same page about how to achieve such a thing politically, socially and economically – NOW THERE’S THE TRICK!!!

Wouldn’t it be funny if such a constructive dialogue began right here in River City, aka Helltown, aka Front Royal, Virginia …