Donald Trump is the Republican nominee for President.
Kind of hard to believe. Right?
I am not a Republican, nor I am pleased by this harrowing turn of events, but back in February, I predicted this outcome. I explained to friends that there were too many Republican candidates and no clear frontrunner, so the one with the most notoriety was likely to win.
I saw Trump as being that guy.
I also saw Trump getting free air time on all the major cable news networks. Even MSNBC was covering his every move.
That sealed the deal for me.
Most people disagreed with this opinion. A few folks scoffed. But two of my friends told me that I was stupid. An idiot. A moron. They disparaged my intellect and my common sense. For those who chose to express their disagreement with aggressive, verbal abuse, I added them to my “I told you so” calendar and set the date for Friday, July 22, 2016.
Turns out I miscalculated by three days.
So today I will send out two emails, reminding my friends of their so-easily-produced insults back in February and letting them know that their words had not been forgotten and they were wrong.
In each email, I will write, “I told you so.”
Petty? I don’t think so. We allow people to dismiss, disregard, and marginalize our ideas, opinions, and predictions all the time because they enjoy the safety and security of time. They get to call you an idiot or a buffoon because they have a six month buffer from being proven wrong, so they assume almost no risk. Say something rotten today because it will probably be forgotten tomorrow.
It’s name-calling and intellectual bravado without any stakes.
Except, that is, when you’re dealing with someone like me with an “I told you so” calendar.
If you disagreed with my on the Trump nomination civilly, no problem.
If you thought my prediction was ludicrous and expressed as much without berating or insulting me, no worries.
Disagreements are normal in this world.
But when you call someone names and insult their intelligence because you think that you’re right and know there are months of buffering before the outcome, during which time the target of your barbs is likely to forget your unkind words, this is not okay with me.
I will be waiting. Biding my time. Counting the days.
Two pleasure-filled emails will be sent off today.
I’m worried about our country and frankly saddened for many of my Republican friends, who I know are feeling lost right now with the direction their party has turned, but at least I can take solace in these four beautiful words today:
I told you so.
