This Trump = Hitler rhetoric reminds me of one of my fellow citizen’s due diligence in enlightening the ill informed. I’ve lived in the Burbank area for almost twenty years now. Upon the election of every new president in my time here in California there seems the appearance of a very strange fellow, who bares the shape of an underfed homeless guy who is missing several teeth along with a good portion of normal mental faculties. And when election season has ended and the new commander and chief is sworn in (with a raised hand) this unusual fellow shows up dressed in militaristic attire, with a broken coffee table, and several hand crafted posters to stake a claim in front of the Burbank Post Office where this politically militant fellow unfolds his coffee table and duct tapes several posters onto its sides. Now, I will be the first to say, politics confuse me, as did my first encounter with this fellow citizen. As I came closer to the entrance on a mission to mail some bills, this political prophet stood just behind the mail boxes in front of the post office. I looked up as he began to verbally accost me and I could see better that he was dressed in a makeshift Nazi uniform, and, he had drawn mustaches on multiple images of George Bush Jr. This guy was arguing the case that our government was now in the solid grip of a fascist. In that moment, thinking about the conversation I had just endured at the office with a guy in the cube next to mine about “Baby Bush is a Nazi. Baby Bush is a Nazi. Baby Bush is a Nazi,” I laughed out loud. Apparently the Nazi dressed homeless guy, who, I am convinced that he was convinced he knew better than all of you - well, he did not appreciate my laughter and geared up his agitated spiel. “Alright then,” I said to him as I stuck my letters into the big blue box and moved on. As I walked away this political fellow further mounted his soap box and shouted after me cleverly articulating the obvious similarities he detected between Mr. Bush and Mr. Adolph Hitler.
Four years later, the same. Same post office, the same angry rhetoric, the same posters with the same drawn in silly mustaches.
Four years after that… My memory of this angry soap box guy dressed like a Nazi had mostly faded. And with Barack Obama the newly elected Mr. President I was shocked to see him back on his four year migration to the downtown Burbank Post Office in full Nazi regalia screaming like a lunatic. He had his coffee table, and posters, only, this time Mr. Obama was the subject of the penciled in Hitler mustache. Again, as I walked away this political fellow mounted his soap box and shouted after me the similarities he detected between Mr. Obama and Mr. Adolph Hitler.
Four years later, the same. Same post office, the same anger, the same pointless, disqualifying rhetoric. I mailed my payments and left. He shouted after. The same.
Four years after that… (which is, like, just after now) I can’t wait to see the re-appearance of Angry Post Office Political Soap Box Man. And I know that he will know if Donald Trump is in fact a closeted Nazi, though, I'm guessing that it won't much matter. I will stick another bill payment into that big blue box in front of the Burbank Post Office, look down to one of four posters Soap Box will have hanging on the side of his broken down coffee table, and there she will be in all of her glory, with an overstated, large, black, Charlie Chaplin mustache added onto her stately Madam President’s mug. Hillary. (Perhaps) Yes, this is America, the establishment will prevail, Hitler Mustache and all.
So what exactly does branding someone a Nazi accomplish? Well, truth is, it just reminds me of very strange fellow who bares the shape of an underfed homeless guy who is missing several front teeth along with a good portion of normal mental faculties, who mounts his political soap box, assisted by his cartoon, hand drawn, mustached posters, in front of a post office dedicated to the late Bob Hope in Burbank, California, bellowing ugly fractured truths in a raw yet heartfelt effort to give himself the sense that he is somehow making a difference. Wow. I can't help but chuckle.
© John Reneaud 2016 all rights reserved (All photos on this entry were pulled off the web. I did not create these images and they belong to their respective creators, however, I would note there where many to choose from for all of these politicians. I would also add I do not believe that any of the featured players in my comments are closeted Nazis. The photos are, admittedly, clever, however, I suspect they are only relevant to those who seek to reinforce dark tones which resonate from within. The only thing to ponder out of this little story - don't let your politics turn you into a Nazi guy w/ a broken coffee table and drawn in mustaches shouting at people in a raw yet heartfelt effort as they take care of their daily business. No one responds to that.)
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