Thread by @CindyDPishere

All of my life, I've spoken up when I saw something very wrong. This entire Trump/2016 thing is a prime example. When Trump became a candidate, I lost friends on FB. When I spoke out about Bernie's hypocrisies, I lost more friends. So I became more active on Twitter. +

I made lots of friends here. But then I dared to speak out against Louise Mensch. I lost many friends again. I stood my ground, & asked those who RTd her to stop. I was accused of "tribalism" because I spoke up. Then I was attacked viciously. Now I see MSM doing same to liberals.

But suddenly, those who accused me of "tribalism" for "trying to divide anti-Trumpers," are themselves saying it's a good thing to expel Trump admin officials from businesses (just like I've said). And meanwhile, *they're* getting a version of "tribalism* thrown back at them.

So I ask you, if you know that I would vote for Bernie vs any R if that were my only realistic choice in 2020, how is it "tribalism" to expose his terrible flaws, how is it "tribalism" to expose Mensch's flaws, but not "tribalism" to expose Trump's? This is why I hate that word.

Exposing bad is not "tribalism." If we can't do it at early stages, then the bad gets magnified at later stages.

I've been frustrated all my life at the white world's tendency to say it's ill-mannered to speak up when something is wrong. It's why I never won favor from bosses...

...but often got many hugs from co-workers behind the scenes after I spoke up. It's been the story of my life. So when I see reporters saying "How dare anyone say #FuckTrump in public," or "How dare anyone politely kick a co-conspirator in #ChildrenInCages policy out..."

I have to ask myself, "At what point are these people going to get angry enough to say the equivalent, do the equivalent, in protest, before we literally have 100,000 families in detention over a misdemeanor with no access to due process?" +

At what point is the WaPo editorial board going to say, "Well, we aren't going to pretend anymore that Trump's base cares about manners, rational thinking, or even shooting people on 5th Ave. So we'll quit using our own version of 'both sides' language."???

The Red Hen's owner didn't bawl SHS out in front of customers. She didn't throw a pie in her face. She didn't even make it a unilateral decision--her staff voted on it! No one shoved on SHS or her family as they went through the door. But to call the owner "rude"...

...for standing up for her principles after a majority vote supported her, after they all non-violently & politely expressed an opinion about a woman who would proudly lock away those children herself, is simply ridiculous. WaPo & @MSNBC should read Elie Wiesel again.

Not to speak up, not to act, is to be neutral. MLK understood non-violent protest. WaPo & most of NYT & most cable TV hosts refuse to learn this lesson that was so profoundly spotlighted during the Nazi regime & the Civil Rights Movement.

And those who are angry at the ones who speak up early? Who want to pretend that disagreement is "tribalism?" Maybe you all need to learn the same lesson, as well.

I will never put "manners" over the rights of human beings. My goal isn't 100,000 followers. It's TRUTH. /end