Sitting at the Apple Store in Brooklyn, I met a guy named Victor.
He asked who I voted in the Democratic primary yesterday when he saw my "I voted" sticker. I said Daniel Goldman. He told me he was a Trump supporter. He's Black, but said he didn't care about the racism or fraud because that's life.
I breathed deep and prepared to do some retail.
He said: "Biden gives too much money to Ukraine that he should give to Americans, and especially the homeless. Biden is old and turns right instead of left." OK—got it, he's America First, and he saw that fake viral video. Good info.
I'm about to head into how if Trump gets in he and his heirs would rule as kings for a generation. I'm gearing up to paint a crude but compelling vision of our coming serfdom. To prove my credibility I know he must not, under any circumstances, think I'm woke.
And since he's tough and says he doesn't care about racism, I want to make it clear as a woman I don't care that Trump's a rapist—because I'm tough like that. I just don't want a king. So here I go ...
"Yeah, I get that. The racism and concentration camps at the border—they're all probably racists. And it's the same with the woman-hatred. I mean, yeah, I don't like that Trump's a rapist, but what's worse is he'd be a king and—"
"Hold on? A what?"
"A rapist. Like that New York jury said."
"What happened?"
"He raped someone, in a department store. In the dressing room. It's proven," I said.
"Now THAT is new information. I have a daughter. She's 6. She goes to Macy's sometimes. I wouldn't want her to be raped in a dressing room,” he said.
"Man, wow. I have a daughter too. And me neither." Silence.
"And what now about Biden and jobs?" he said.
"He's old but he's created more jobs than any president ever."
"Damn. I didn't know that either."
"I'm Virginia."
"I'm Victor." We shake hands. "We both have V names." We shake again.
"I'm going to fact-check that stuff about the rape and the jobs."
"Definitely."
"But there's one less Trump supporter in the world because of this conversation."
Virginia, you got this, you're cool, don't oversell. ESPECIALLY don't tear up. We part. I tear up.
Sometimes in this election: It's the rape, stupid.
I can't tell you how much this moved me. It is proof that you can get to the humanity beneath the brainwashing. If you can help someone understand how Trump and all he's done can or could hurt or impact the life of someone they care about personally, then it's possible to get through the white noise. Thank you so so much for sharing this. It gives me hope.
At least he is one willing to listen to facts . great job ,Virginia