There’s a Little Gus Walz in Every Family
And the Worst of Donald Trump in All Racist Bigoted People
How many of you have ever been picked on or bullied?
If I could see a show of hands through my computer screen, I’m certain it would be almost everyone. Whether you’re tall or short, skinny or overweight, young or old, just about every person has had someone unfairly judge them. Some people are bullied unmercifully. Far too many have taken their own lives because of it.
Everybody has a little Gus Walz in them.
Gus Walz is Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz’s son. He’s a senior in high school. He was diagnosed with a non-verbal learning disorder as well as anxiety and ADHD. He has difficulties picking up on social cues and certain types of communication.
He’s proud of his Dad, Tim. So much so, that during the Democratic National Convention, he was moved to tears, shouting “That’s my Dad!” when Tim was announced on stage. It was a wonderful, proud moment.
It didn’t take long for Ann Coulter and the far-right, Trump-loving MAGA crowd to make fun of this neurodivergent teen’s proud display of love and affection for his father. The mocking and bullying of Gus online started immediately. When Ann’s cruel tweet was discovered and started spreading like wildfire online, she immediately deleted her horrific post.
But it was too late. She was exposed for the horrible human being she is. Though she claimed she didn’t know that Gus was neurodivergent and had a learning disorder, it didn’t matter. The people who aren’t blinded by the MAGA cult were raised better than that.
Most have been bullied themselves.
Take it from someone who knows. Being made fun of as a kid for having big ears, a big nose, and crooked teeth, I’ve caught my fair share of bullying. Much of it came from my own father. I know that many of you can relate to how badly that hurts. Especially when we’re made fun of about things beyond our control.
Donald Trump specializes in this type of behavior. It’s been on full display since he rose from the garbage dump of “Reality TV” and was elected as the President of the United States of America, despite losing the popular vote. How his mocking of a disabled reporter on national TV wasn’t the end of his political career, I’ll never know.
Those of us who were teased and bullied were outraged. The ones who did the bullying in the past and present were thrilled. In their minds, they finally had a hero. A champion of the worst people who purposely attempt to ruin others’ lives. Someone who would role-model deplorable behavior that would allow racists, bigots, and bullies to show their true colors.
No longer would they have to hide the disgusting behavior that they’d kept hidden for many years.
I used to think that most human beings were good people. Since the rise of Trump and Cult 45, the MAGA crowd has changed my mind. I no longer believe that most folks have kindness, acceptance, and empathy in their hearts. Though I do believe that the majority of people know right from wrong, this remains to be seen.
We’ll find out in November. This election will demonstrate just how far our country has sunk. Or it will show if people are fed up enough to keep Donald Trump out of office and return his MAGA minions to the rocks that they crawled out from under during the past decade.
If you remember what it was like to be made fun of, picked on, and bullied, vote blue. If you’ve held your children while they’ve cried for being teased and ostracized for things completely beyond their control, you owe it to them to choose the party of progress. Voting for the far-right who’s chosen to blindly worship and follow an ignorant racist, bigoted, sex offender who accomplished nothing during his time in office is unacceptable.
Trump only cares about Trump and the enrichment of himself and his family. He revels in his MAGA followers mimicking his deplorable, weird behavior. He’s a bully who talks loudly, and insults women, minorities, LGBTQ people, and those with disabilities while being a coward at heart.
We cannot allow a wannabe dictator to strip our country of democracy and decency. We owe it to people like Gus Walz, our own children, and the younger versions of ourselves to demand respect and common courtesy from our fellow Americans. It’s the right thing to do.
We will not be bullied into silence or complacency. When November 5th arrives, it’s time to show people like Ann Coulter, Donald Trump, and the rest of the MAGA crowd that it’s unacceptable to talk down to us. To mock our showing of emotion. We will not be bullied.
We all have a little bit of Gus Walz in us. I’m proud to be on the right side of history. I’ll always stand up for what’s right and the things I was taught as a small child about being kind and respecting all people, regardless of our differences.
Stand up against fascism. Calling out people’s rude, insulting behavior is our duty. We owe it to Gus and anyone else being bullied to have their backs and to protect their best interests. While many have forgotten their manners and seem clueless about being decent, kind-hearted human beings, I’m banking that the majority of us know how to do the right thing.
Vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz this November. A vote for democracy is essential in the fight for equality, acceptance, and diversity. We will not go backward in time and attempt to strip rights from those who are different. Liberty and justice for ALL is the American way.
© 2024 Jason Provencio. All rights reserved
This reminds me of an important point: A leader is (like it or not) a role model —it comes with the territory. I can't imagine the parents who actually regard DJT as a desirable role-model for their kids.
Gus is more of a man than Trump ever has been or ever will be.
And those MAGAts do not comprehend or forsee the massive spectrum folk army they have just pissed off.
We are capable in ways they can't begin to imagine.