Jill Lawrence reflects on Hannah Knowles' report from Trump's rally at Fort Dodge, Iowa, last Saturday, and the challenge that the culture Trump has unleashed present parents trying to raise decent children who respect others. How do you raise children in this culture?:
"Trump has, for his followers, made it okay to say anything, whether it’s praising Nazis and dictators or attacking U.S. troops and military heroes."
"He’s also made it okay to do anything, including to beat up police defending the U.S. Capitol, smash windows to get in, smear feces on the Capitol walls, and go after elected officials in the Senate chamber. …
My own take in 2016 was hypothetical but frightening: A nation of Trumps would be a nation of bullies. It’s actually turned out much worse."
Here's Hannah Knowles on what she saw at the rally:
"Children wandered around in shirts and hats with the letters 'FJB,' an abbreviation for an obscene jab at President Biden that other merchandise spelled out: 'Fuck Biden.' . . .
One of Trump’s introductory speakers from the Iowa state legislature declared anyone who kneels for the national anthem is a 'disrespectful little shit,' quickly drawing a roaring response."
"And outside the packed venue, vulgar slogans about Biden and Vice President Harris were splashed across T-shirts: 'Biden Loves Minors.' 'Joe and the Ho Gotta Go!' One referred to Biden and Harris performing sexual acts. …
One supporter Knowles quoted by name, Lori Carpenter, said Biden has to go 'and the ho shouldn’t have been there in the first place.' … Carpenter, who called Kamala Harris a 'ho,' called herself a Christian who could 'look past' Trump’s flaws."
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