Dilemma for writer Virginia Heffernan. When it snows at her 'pandemic getaway,' helpful neighbors plow her driveway unbidden. Do a 'great job.' What a nice thing! They don't do this in the city! Only problem: Neighbors support Trump. 1/10 news.yahoo.com/column-trumpit…
Heffernan frets. Realizes 'I owe them thanks.' But Trump! Heffernan becomes suspicious: This could be, like, a terrorist thing: 'Hezbollah, the Shiite Islamist political party in Lebanon, also gives things away for free.' OMG! They're Trumpite terrorists! 2/10
Or they're Trumpite Nazis! After all, French collaborators said the Nazis were very polis, French for 'polite.' 'So when I accept generosity...acknowledging the legitimate kindness...am I also sealing us in as fellow travelers who are very polis to each other?' 3/10
This is terrifying! And what if the neighbors commit some other kindness in the future? What then? Heffernan: 'What do we do about the Trumpites around us?' 4/10
'My neighbors supported a man who showed near-murderous contempt for the majority of Americans,' says Heffernan. 'They kept him in business with support.' And I'm supposed to accept generosity from THEM? 5/10
Still, they plowed the driveway so nicely. What to do? Heffernan thinks and thinks, comes up with answer: I'll acknowledge their kindness with 'a wave and a thanks.' But no 'absolution.' No way. 'Free driveway work...is just not the same currency as justice and truth.' 6/10
But wait! Heffernan *can* give her neighbors something. She'll give them the opportunity to apologize for supporting Trump! 7/10
More importantly, Heffernan will offer her neighbors the opportunity to put aside what they believe and take up what she believes. What could be more generous and neighborly? 8/10
Heffernan: 'I can offer them a standing invitation to make amends. Not with a snowplow but by recognizing the truth about the Trump administration and, more important, by working for justice for all those whom the administration harmed.' 9/10
Thus Virginia Heffernan comes up with a way to repay the spontaneous kindness of neighbors: A wave, a thanks, and an invitation to become like Virginia Heffernan. What more could a neighbor want? 10/10 End. news.yahoo.com/column-trumpit…

• • •

Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to force a refresh
 

Keep Current with Byron York

Byron York Profile picture

Stay in touch and get notified when new unrolls are available from this author!

Read all threads

This Thread may be Removed Anytime!

PDF

Twitter may remove this content at anytime! Save it as PDF for later use!

Try unrolling a thread yourself!

how to unroll video
  1. Follow @ThreadReaderApp to mention us!

  2. From a Twitter thread mention us with a keyword "unroll"
@threadreaderapp unroll

Practice here first or read more on our help page!

More from @ByronYork

4 Feb
Capitol riot was four weeks ago. Still much we don't know. Yes, can piece together this and that from various sources, but Capitol Police quiet on some basic facts of the investigation. 1/7 washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-…
Questions I submitted to Capitol Police: How many Capitol Police officers were injured in riot? What were their injuries? Their condition? Did Capitol Police confiscate any firearms from rioters? If so, how many, what types? 2/7 washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-…
What is status of investigation into killing of Officer Sicknick? Is there an autopsy report for Officer Sicknick? If so, will it be released to public, or will its key findings be released to public? 3/7 washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/byron-…
Read 7 tweets
30 Jan
Jonathan Turley asks: Why hasn't the House held hearings on the impeachment charge against former President Trump? Why hasn't it sought to gather and present evidence to the public for its article of 'incitement to insurrection'? 1/6 jonathanturley.org/2021/01/30/why…
Yes, it's getting things backwards to hold hearings after impeachment vote, rather than before. But Speaker Pelosi has thrown out all the other rules when it comes to impeaching Trump. Why not post-impeachment hearings? 2/6
You could say the House is saving its case for the Senate trial. But why? It shouldn't be a surprise. Should public be able to hear, read, absorb information in time leading up to trial? Of course. That's how House did it in first Trump impeachment, BTW. 3/6
Read 6 tweets
26 Jan
Schumer argues late impeachment must go ahead because if not, a president could commit crime, quickly resign, and bingo! -- immune from impeachment. Future president will commit heinous crime, immediately quit, and get away scot free. 1/4 washingtonpost.com/politics/gop-s…
First, that's not what Trump did. Form your own opinion on crime part, but he did not resign. Second, presidential resignation is pretty big deal, isn't it? Presidents extremely reluctant to do it. Only happened once. 2/4
Third, what about criminal liability? Dems appear to have no interest, but Trump is still liable to prosecution. Could have serious consequences, whereas guilty impeachment verdict at most would bar Trump from holding future office he likely won't run for, anyway. 3/4
Read 4 tweets
16 Jan
Democrats have created lots of problems for themselves by rushing to impeach a president who will be a former president before trial begins. Senate Dems want to confirm Biden appointments, get started on agenda. But the trial... 1/6 washingtonpost.com/politics/trump…
WP reports Dems want quick trial, get it over with, get on to business. Maybe split days, impeachment and other biz. But that would just prolong the proceedings. Maybe Pelosi can play tricks with timing, delay sending to Senate. She's done it before! 2/6 washingtonpost.com/politics/trump…
Now Democrats want Senate Republicans to help get them out of impeachment jam. Really? Why should Republicans do that? 3/6
Read 6 tweets
9 Jan
Looks very much like Trump impeachment will happen. House GOP expects Democrats to move ahead next week, possibly Wednesday. 'It appears the train has left the station,' said one GOP source. 1/6
In 2019 House GOP leaders took pride in fact that zero Republicans supported impeachment. Unlikely that will happen again, even though, issues aside, many think it is crazy to impeach a president with days left in office. 2/6
House GOP leadership has not yet had conference call with members, so it's unclear what most think. Unclear how many would support Democratic articles. Probably a low number. 3/6
Read 6 tweets
9 Jan
One little corner of things: Think I'm down about 13,000 followers in the last 48 hours or so.
Now, down 22,000.
Now, down nearly 29,000. I think about 1500 of that came slowly between election and early January, when I was writing that results showed Biden victory and Trump legal options narrowing, then finished. Angered some followers. But big, precipitous drop has come in recent hours.
Read 4 tweets

Did Thread Reader help you today?

Support us! We are indie developers!


This site is made by just two indie developers on a laptop doing marketing, support and development! Read more about the story.

Become a Premium Member ($3/month or $30/year) and get exclusive features!

Become Premium

Too expensive? Make a small donation by buying us coffee ($5) or help with server cost ($10)

Donate via Paypal Become our Patreon

Thank you for your support!

Follow Us on Twitter!