I really would like to cancel my subscription. I have read the Banter for years, but I am so tired of you downplaying the threat by Trump and his supporters.
Sorry to hear that Joe. I write about the dangers of Trump and Trumpsim on almost a daily basis and have done for over 10 years. It’s heartbreaking to hear from a loyal member that they are canceling their support because I want the left to look in the mirror too. Good luck to you and thanks for supporting us all these years. Sad to see you go.
Hi Ben- Since I am still technically still subscribed through December, I read your latest email and see I inspired, at least in part, your latest column. I would like to write you a more detailed response later in the week, to better explain my concerns as to why I think you (and others) might focus too much time criticizing the “left” during these perilous times. I actually would likely agree with you on topics more often than not. And, I don’t consider myself “far left” (whatever that means). I originally started reading the Banter a number of years ago because your paper was more moderately liberal. I usually agreed with the majority of the columns. I greatly enjoyed reading Chez’s columns, even though his occasional rants against vegetarians irritated me. 🙂 I have been critical of some on the left for years as well when I felt their efforts were counterproductive. However, since January 2025, we have entered very dangerous times. Anyway, I think things are very different now. It doesn’t mean that the Left cannot be criticized but our country and democracy is dying and the focus should be on the real dangers.
Thanks for this Joe. I spend the vast majority of my time criticizing the right, and have been sounding the alarm about Trump as loudly as I can, particularly in regards to 2028. It's a little odd to hear that you don't think I'm doing this and I must confess to being somewhat confused. Anyway, no hard feelings my friend.
I support the sentiment, but your last paragraph… SMH. The people who have poisoned culture are progressives. They’re the ones who brought back racial segregation, a racist hate of equal opportunity. They’re the ones who brought back misogyny as a value by forcing men into women’s spaces while telling women they don’t get to voice an opinion about that. Progressives are also the ones behind rolling back the calendar by a century on antisemitism. The number of far left and far right hasn’t increased since October 7 2023, the net-new population behind the tsunami of antisemitism is the progressives.
Progressives have turned the Democrats into the US Anzi Party. That’s who has poisoned the culture and politics and taken us all with them.
Oh I did, trust me. The DSA calls for murderer Elias Rodriguez to be released, because he's "a political prisoner". In most political assassinations (successful and failed) and domestic terrorism the bullets have been flying left to right, and left to Jews.
I agree this is all terrible. We should be better than this, and 99.999% in fact are - on both sides! But I also argue that, if you view Trump as an authoritarian and a threat to democratic governance, what we are seeing is unfortunately normal. Authoritarians are unable to contemplate the consequences of their actions and the lengths some people will go to stop them.
This country was founded partly as a rebuke of authoritarians. It is in our DNA and recorded in our founding documents. So while the majority of us will combat this in peaceful democratic fashion, history and human behavior show some of us will not.
Trump and his associated scum are desperate for their Reichstag moment, I bet quite a few of them wouldn’t be too bothered if Trump was assassinated, as long as it gave them the justification to create a Nazi state, dead martyrs don’t rage tweet at 3am.
I really would like to cancel my subscription. I have read the Banter for years, but I am so tired of you downplaying the threat by Trump and his supporters.
Sorry to hear that Joe. I write about the dangers of Trump and Trumpsim on almost a daily basis and have done for over 10 years. It’s heartbreaking to hear from a loyal member that they are canceling their support because I want the left to look in the mirror too. Good luck to you and thanks for supporting us all these years. Sad to see you go.
Hi Ben- Since I am still technically still subscribed through December, I read your latest email and see I inspired, at least in part, your latest column. I would like to write you a more detailed response later in the week, to better explain my concerns as to why I think you (and others) might focus too much time criticizing the “left” during these perilous times. I actually would likely agree with you on topics more often than not. And, I don’t consider myself “far left” (whatever that means). I originally started reading the Banter a number of years ago because your paper was more moderately liberal. I usually agreed with the majority of the columns. I greatly enjoyed reading Chez’s columns, even though his occasional rants against vegetarians irritated me. 🙂 I have been critical of some on the left for years as well when I felt their efforts were counterproductive. However, since January 2025, we have entered very dangerous times. Anyway, I think things are very different now. It doesn’t mean that the Left cannot be criticized but our country and democracy is dying and the focus should be on the real dangers.
Thanks for this Joe. I spend the vast majority of my time criticizing the right, and have been sounding the alarm about Trump as loudly as I can, particularly in regards to 2028. It's a little odd to hear that you don't think I'm doing this and I must confess to being somewhat confused. Anyway, no hard feelings my friend.
I support the sentiment, but your last paragraph… SMH. The people who have poisoned culture are progressives. They’re the ones who brought back racial segregation, a racist hate of equal opportunity. They’re the ones who brought back misogyny as a value by forcing men into women’s spaces while telling women they don’t get to voice an opinion about that. Progressives are also the ones behind rolling back the calendar by a century on antisemitism. The number of far left and far right hasn’t increased since October 7 2023, the net-new population behind the tsunami of antisemitism is the progressives.
Progressives have turned the Democrats into the US Anzi Party. That’s who has poisoned the culture and politics and taken us all with them.
I don't think you got the point of Ben's post.
Oh I did, trust me. The DSA calls for murderer Elias Rodriguez to be released, because he's "a political prisoner". In most political assassinations (successful and failed) and domestic terrorism the bullets have been flying left to right, and left to Jews.
My comment still applies. Over and out.
Short and sweet and spot on.
I agree this is all terrible. We should be better than this, and 99.999% in fact are - on both sides! But I also argue that, if you view Trump as an authoritarian and a threat to democratic governance, what we are seeing is unfortunately normal. Authoritarians are unable to contemplate the consequences of their actions and the lengths some people will go to stop them.
This country was founded partly as a rebuke of authoritarians. It is in our DNA and recorded in our founding documents. So while the majority of us will combat this in peaceful democratic fashion, history and human behavior show some of us will not.
Trump and his associated scum are desperate for their Reichstag moment, I bet quite a few of them wouldn’t be too bothered if Trump was assassinated, as long as it gave them the justification to create a Nazi state, dead martyrs don’t rage tweet at 3am.
Looking back I remember the assassinations of JFK, MLK, RFK.