Nazis Don't Tip

An Uber Yom Kippur:

Seems odd to be talking about Nazis and White Supremacists AND the holiest day in the Jewish faith in one post. For those not of the faith, today is NOT Yom Kippur. It has two meanings for me: a day of not working and reflecting and the other, atoning.

I decided NOT to work today as the City of Phoenix welcomes President Trump. He is not the reason for taking the day off. It's what may be in store for this city-and country-that has me taking pause.
I know what some of my R friends are saying: Damn, Kluger! We loved your blog UNTIL today when you made it political. To them I say: I made it political the first day, with my views on people, society etc.

Well, I'm not alone in my concerns as an Uber driver today. The ride-share company issued their own statement a few days ago on where they stand on Charlottesville. 

There's a big difference between protesting and a gang-mentality. We've seen that in the past two weeks. Violence is not to be tolerated. It's ugly, and it can be fatal. Someone may say: "Well, the 'other' side was just as violent." If someone calls for my annihilation, well I'm not sure what I would do. The first thing that comes to mind is to stay away. That's not cowardice, that's common sense.
And it's not about protesting from the comfort of my couch--or my Mac for that matter. Words can be destructive, but they can also be powerful, which is why I have used my gift to inform, enlighten and yes, sometimes sway people to my way of thinking. But no one who disagrees with me can deny I let the dialogue go on.That's the only way we learn.

If it appears that I am dismissive of the hate we may see today in Phoenix, you're dead wrong. We cannot ignore any of these voices, the ones of hate and the ones of love. You CAN still be a Trump supporter but reject those who take to the streets, saying they are doing it in 'his' name-him being POTUS.

While I admire the idea of 'hate the sin, don't hate the sinner,' I hate the sin AND the sinner. I'm not that benevolent. They have not transgressed on just themselves, they have transgressed against humanity. They are as American as Weinerschnitzel, and I mean no disrespect to Weinerschnitzel. Their version of America is not..American.

I am conflicted however on the issue of free speech.

There's a great quote in the movie "The American President." In it, President Andrew Shepherd says: "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free."

Nice words but that's Hollywood. Our blood does boil when we see these haters and while we know it's the right thing to do to celebrate their right, it doesn't mean I don't want to see their asses kicked.
The bigger schism in America is those cowards who are sidestepping the real racial divide in this country. Many of them are called politicians.

President Andrew Shepherd again: " We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, (fill in name of your elected official) is not the least bit interested in solving it.They are  interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections." 

We are living in a new normal, where people are emboldened to crawl out from under the rocks and call for overthrow and death.

I'm not driving today because it's just not safe. That is enough of a deterrent. There are many ways to exercise your voice, your opposition, your point of view. This is mine.

I'm not alone. And as far as atonement, while I'll save mine for the holiday this Fall, i won't hold my breath to think those who plan to spew hate this evening, think they are sinning. They think they're American and that couldn't be further from the Truth.