THE TRUMP EFFECT ON NORMALLY CHRISTIAN, COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE

Anthony Bourdain

Had Nena been with me Sunday, while watching Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, she would have asked:  "Are you crying?"

I was.

Going with that emotion, while watching Bourdain discuss life with a beautiful, young Korean lady, I posted this on Facebook:  

watching Anthony Bourdain's posthumously-aired interactions with a young Korean woman, vibrant, proud of her culture, laughing, self-confident. . . . . gawd, I hate suicide!!! yes, PARTS UNKNOWN!!!

The first to respond was Ro To, a UTB graduate, former member of the Brownsville Bike Brigade, now a teacher at Austin ISD and a mother.  Ro To was one of the old gang of regulars at Ben Neece's Crescent Moon, always full of life.  

Ro To, as one of the arches of George Ramirez's
remodeled Half Moon Saloon in 2012

Ro To: I still believe he was murdered for being

so openly pro-brown people... he loved all people and said restaurant businesses in the U.S. would not succeed if it weren’t for Mexicans/C. or S.Americans 💔

OK.  Suicide can be hard to accept.

Another take came from Clem Hernandez, a St. Joseph's graduate, also a Crescent Moon Saloon regular:

Clem Hernandez

I’ve recently become almost obsessed with him. I started watching all of his shows on Netflix beginning with season 1 episode 1. What an incredible learning experience. I actually feel as if I know him. And mourn the loss of such an incredible human being more and more. RIP Anthony Bourdain, you are certainly missed

Next, the comments took a negative turn, first with an observation by Ellen Tyma, a local Republican and then by Bill Young, the father of Cameron County Republican Chair Morgan Cisneros Graham.

First Ellen Tyma:

  

But you’re okay with him paying his girlfriend hush money for her molesting a minor. Rot in hell Bordain

Of course, Bourdain didn't pay his girlfriend hush money, but I'm not sure I could reason with Ellen.

Morgan Graham with her dad,  Bill Young

Then, Bill Young weighed in:

 Suicide is the ultimate rationalization . .

I don't know Ellen, but I do know Bill.  He's not a cold, heartless SOB, but, like me, a grandfather, and always accommodating.

While knowing the nature of the burr in both Bill and Ellen's behind, I feigned innocence in my reply:

This tiny thread illustrates the the profound divide in our country. While several commenters expressed compassion, the two with Trump leanings display moral outrage at the suicide. I will try to process that. Is the anger directed at anyone who takes their own life or just this particular person?

Bill answered in short order:

Why waste "moral outrage" when one of some six billion people decides to take is own life? Bourdain hated the Clintons; maybe that's where his moral outrage grew.

WTF?  How are the Clintons remotely involved here?  And, Bill, I spoke of your "moral outrage" and Ellen's on the suicide, not Bourdain's.  

I'm getting dizzy.  Let's just cut to the chase.

Anthony Bourdain was employed by CNN, a prominent member of Trump's alleged "ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE," the national media.

Ellen and Bill are Trumpites, who, while normally showing Christian compassion in situations like suicide or other human tragedies, have allowed themselves to be transformed, brainwashed, fooled by a dangerous, but crafty, demagogue, Donald Trump.

The answer is simple, but sad.