STRAUBINICAL NEWS DIGEST Six.

  I just put on a second pot of coffee, while fully realizing that it will do no good. This is because I was up late recording theme music for the Hot Plate radio show. According to session logs, my colleague Jarrett Nicolay and I spent about 80% of the session talking about politics, but the small amount of music we cut was just what the doctor ordered. (This is to presuppose the existence of a doctor who orders you to pick up a Stratocaster, crank up the fuzz and reverb, and do your best to channel the great and unsung Eddie Hazel on "Maggot Brain.")

  In other news, it is high time for me to talk about something other than talking. The main dissenting argument I get from my friends is, at its core, this-- 

"We are at war with dangerous people who will never change. Look at all the awful things they're doing! And Trump is doing nothing to stop any of it. That's because he wants it/asked for it//caused it/encouraged it and continues to do so. Thus, civility is impossible. In fact, asking for civility from us is more or less a fifth columnist situation-- you are giving aid and comfort to the enemy." 

I've been at some pains to clarify my position, as it is misunderstood by people every day. I agree with the alarm bells about the pestilential brown shirt type activity. And while I don't agree with the rationalization that when swastikas show up in Maryland, it's ok for you to stop talking to your father forever,
I want to say some things about all this. Just so no-one can leap to the dubious conclusion that I'm not aware of the weather out there.   

This headline is in the morning's Post. "Southern Poverty Law Center reports 867 'hate incidents' since election." This organization, doing the Lord's work, is documenting all of it. A few incidents are from Trump haters harassing Trump voters, which I hereby call out not only because it's wrong (deplorable, even), but it's also really really stupid. If you think that will help the cause, you are seriously deluded. 

  About a third of the reported incidents involve the bullies using Trump's name, which has become in recent weeks a kind of "April Fool!" explanation for ugly hateful behavior. Charmingly, some of these incidents involve kids who think they have learned that in Trump's America, grabbing other students by the crotch and yelling ethnic slurs is now ok. 

  To the few people reading this who say Trump has clearly denounced these things, because he's not racist and he's not encouraging racists-- 

  I cordially say this. I'm aware of Trump's TV interview repudiation of the racist activity, but let's please be honest for a minute. I think we all know what Donald Trump does when he has a problem with someone or something. If Donald Trump wants us to know he's against something, there is no possible misunderstanding in the aftermath of his statement. And I can already hear the aggrieved accusation that I'm making a big deal out of nothing, but the actual problem here is that Donald Trump is making a little deal out of something. Trump's low key statement on TV really doesn't satisfy. It's like that feeling you get when you see what a motel describes as "breakfast." It doesn't cut it. 

  If Trump is sincere about being against racism and racist bullying (a kind way to refer to it), let him show it to us with the same seriousness of purpose he applies to a tweet about a fat woman.