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Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

I'm both bewildered and angered by the politically savvy people my age (I'm almost 73) who support the crackdown on college students and others who are demonstrating for a ceasefire in Gaza and an end to U.S. support for Israel's military machine. They claim that the young people have no stake in the conflict, that it has nothing to do with them, therefore there must be "outside agitators" involved. I remember the same charges being leveled against those of us organizing against U.S. involvement in Indochina in the late '60s and into the '70s. (I do remember being asked more than once why I cared about the war, since as a woman I couldn't be drafted.)

Several of these people (whom I follow on Substack and elsewhere) seem to be traumatized by 1968, specifically by the debacle of the Democratic convention in Chicago, which they believe threw the 1968 election to Richard Nixon. I share their concerns about a repeat in 2024, but I point out that other things were going on in 1968: Nixon's undermining of the peace negotiations, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (and the riots that followed), and the assassination of RFK. Their inability and/or unwillingness to see that today's student protesters are our direct descendants -- and I for one am proud of them.

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Melissa Ryan's avatar

Most of the backlash is what people usually say about protests and protesters. Which is why I think it rings hollow to so many people. In the longterm, as we learn more about college Administrations who worked with law enforcement to break these encampments up, I think there's going to be a backlash.

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Stacy's avatar

Any advice for someone who has to work with MAGA people? It's hard for me to be mean, but I feel such contempt for them. It's constant cognitive dissonance.

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Melissa Ryan's avatar

No advice but a lot of compassion. I know that's a tough situation to be in. Especially when you feel outnumbered.

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Mike Hammer's avatar

I imagine them as kids I knew in high school where everyone more or less got along. It really works for me.

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G G's avatar

Being mean would only make things worse. I try to establish a "politics out of the workplace" demeanor, but when I hear one of them repeating something for days I research it, and then if they say it to me I know how to phrase my rebuttal ( that's true but misleading in this way - or - that isn't really what they said - something like that).

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G G's avatar

I feel like Maga recognize the "tone" or "feel" of what Trump is planning, things that counter the left, but if they really knew what it would be like they wouldn't want it. For those of them that don't have significant power now things will only get worse for them under Trumps ideal. He's not in it to benefit most of his voters, he's in it for the "robber baron" types.

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Melissa Ryan's avatar

I wish that were the case but authoritarian holds a lot of actual appeal for some people. Especially if it involves those the perceive as their enemies being punished.

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Stacy's avatar

Good advice. Thanks.

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