My parents had a mixed political marriage. We often talked about local, state, and federal political issues at the dinner table. It wasn’t that hard in those pre-polarization days. My father was a moderate conservative Republican. His immigrant father became a GOPer because it was the businessman’s party. Both were active in Republican politics. My dad was a Nixon delegate in 1972 but wound up on the outs with the California GOP because he supported Ford over Reagan in 1976. In short, I was raised to respect the other guy’s opinion and to treat everyone with courtesy even when we did not agree. If my father and I got too heated, my mother would intervene with an icy stare and say something like “what would Papou think?” It was a reminder that was how our family handled disagreements. Neither my Dad nor Papou would recognize the post-2008 Republican party.

I still try to live by those values in everyday encounters with other people, but it’s getting harder all the time. Trump’s apocalyptic rhetoric and essential rudeness have rubbed off on his supporters. Some of them were always rude assholes but others have been emboldened by the Insult Comedian’s nomination. I started calling them the MAGA Maggots the other day: MAGA for “making America great again” and maggots for obvious reasons.

Every day we hear new horror stories. TPM had several stories today about people who got into scary confrontations with Trumpers whilst shopping. It’s not just at his rallies any more. This is Merica: can’t our retail experience be sacrosanct?

I’ve been pondering the Insult Comedian’s assertion that the whole “grab her by the pussy” thing is just locker room talk. Here’s the deal: I’m a semi-old white dude. I’ve heard men say some ugly things about women but I have never once heard rapey comments like that one. Long ago, I stopped being tolerant of bigotry and started speaking up when I heard sexist or racist comments. I wish I could say that I always do so but I try my damnedest. I ask myself what my mother would think and act accordingly whenever possible. If not, I stay the hell away from those people once I know who and what they are. I am intolerant of intolerance.

As nasty as the general election has been thus far, it’s about to get uglier. Team Trump has decided that its only chance is to go so negative that Democrats will stay home. The B3 types around the Insult Comedian want to “burn it down” regardless of who gets hurt, even if it’s their own party. That’s fine with the candidate who specializes in mindlessly lashing out at those who thwart his desires. The job of decent people is to vote. It’s the only way the march of the MAGA Maggots can be stopped. It’s also the American way.

I’ll give a band Trump would disapprove of the last word. Los Lobos are 4 Mexicans and a Jew even if this song has a B3 title: