Here in the library world, there is a distinct slant to the left among staff and supporters, and the Donald Trump election victory has resulted in some paranoia. Some concerns are valid, but most are based on a caricature rather than reality. Project 2025 is not his own idea, and he hasn't embraced it. We aren't looking at a theocratic dictatorship or literal fascism. He is far from above criticism, but keep criticism in the realm of reality and what Trump actually does this time around, please.
Trump has been divorced many times, and is known for associating with prostitutes and porn stars. He isn't about to impose a puritanical regime of monogamy or abstinence-only education. A lot of folks don't like the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, but based on the nature of the US Constitution, their ruling sending the matter back to the states made more sense than maintaining the status quo or establishing a nationwide ban.
Trump's daughter Ivanka converted to Orthodox Judaism some years back, and is married to Jared Kushner. Kushner and Trump's support for the Israeli government has been consistent to the point of distrust from the Palestinians for fairness. Trump is not a neo-Nazi anti-Semitic racist. Comparisons along those lines have zero basis in reality. I doubt he will even promote reverting to pre-'67 borders for Israel and recognizing an independent Palestine outside the green line, but if he did, we might actually have progress.
"Trump wants to cozy up to dictators," people say, because he wants to actually talk to Putin and bring an end to the death and destruction in Ukraine instead of funneling arms and money into sustaining the bloodbath at taxpayer expense. How is this bad? Please, explain it to me like I'm 5, because the war hawks have led us down a dark road for the last several years.
Good ideas from the recent campaign include finally pardoning Ross Ulbricht, Julian Assange, and Edward Snowden. He also floated eliminating income taxes on tips or even basic wages, which would be a long-overdue reduction in political invasion into our everyday lives.
I'm not arguing Trump is good overall. His economic nationalism and border wall proposals are problematic. He's an economic ignoramus. His habit of following the lead of bad advisors is somewhat mitigated by a slightly better set of advisors now, but there is no guarantee he won't change his mind and tell the better ones, "you're fired!" But that said, the worst fears being promulgated on social media and in various opposition echo chambers have little foundation. Keep criticism in the realm of what we can actually see.
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