Chalkboard in Arlington

Trigger Warning: I do not usually use the seven words that formerly could not be used on television. I am making an exception below, and quoting something as I saw it written, two asterisks and all.

As I was walking to the supermarket, I passed the William Jefferson Tavern, which had an outdoor blackboard, with writing in colored chalk. Here is what it said (the word “everyone” was in different colors of chalk, and there were some stick figures in varied colors above the words):

Brunch 4 EVERYONE
Except Nazis ...
They can go f**k themselves.
WJT does not tolerate hate

I consider that an appropriate expression of hospitality to the Unite the Right yahoos.

Political Alignment

Shikha Dalmia had an article in Reason on Bernie J. Trump, what the socialist left and Trumpian right have in common. Both are hostile to classical liberalism, peaceful, voluntary interaction with foreigners, and fiscal responsibility. I can hope that the political alignment will change, but for the moment, unlike when I came of age in the Reagan administration, no major party offers even an approximation of what I want.

If our two major parties agree on supporting bloated government, authoritarianism, and fiscal irresponsibility, disagreeing only on who should run things, and for whose benefit, things are likely to get very ugly.