“Donald Trump, American Idiot” by Umair Haque

I was happy to read Mr. Fanlund’s article about the American idiot. Before I read that article, I read the one he referenced, “Donald Trump, American Idiot” by Umair Haque. I was surprised at how appropriate the title fit the politics or Pres. Trump, and his followers. But after reading that I went back to Mr. Fanlund’s article and read it. I was a bit disappointed that Mr.. Fanlund did not give any solutions or work arounds or anything. It was just his thoughts on what the other article said. That was fine, it gave me the words to express some thoughts I have been having, but not the ability to verbalize them. One important instance is “our culture embraces individualism as a smokescreen for selfishness.” As a good Libertarian, I support individualism, but that is not selfishness, that is being able, within reason, to do things as you want to. I am ashamed when some folks use it to ‘line their own nests,’ as the two articles point out. To be an individualist does preclude working for the greater good, but some figure, “Why bother?” or “I will just help myself here,” and that is not right.

But my main point in writing this is that I was looking for some answers from Mr. Fanlund. He did not fail me, he was not writing that sort of article. I will have to figure out solutions for myself, so it goes. I write letters to the editor, I vote, and I try to be the person my dog thinks I am. When I write letters to the editor, I send them on to Sen. Johnson, but you know he does not read them. Why would he bother? He has hired help to do that so he he can read only the ones that support his views or offer him campaign money. His hired help can tell I am not going to vote for him, in fact I am running a write in campaign to replace him, so why bother the important one with my simplistic, sniveling notes? Even if they did show him a letter I wrote, it would not make a dent – he has his points of view, and any argument I bring up is not so good it would change his mind. If you think about it,. Neither of these articles would touch Sen. Johnson’s, or others who agree with his views, soul. The articles would be just ignored as liberal pattering, trying to prove something that is so simple to prove wrong, why bother reading that article? In the end, I will not change what I do, I will write letters to the editor, I will vote, and I will try to be the person my dog thinks I am. It is all a simple working stiff can do. If you have other solutions, am willing to listen, or, rather, read letters to the editor for them.