# Messages of hope in a dark time **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [May 5, 2026, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793 "2026-05-05T00:17:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/21 "2026-05-25T19:44:17Z")
This is great! On the home front, I now live in a place where the weather will support a vegtable garden. Seems to be doing OK. ---
**Author:** ![survinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@survinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/survinga)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/22 "2026-05-25T20:48:45Z")
As a micro-example of hope: My son has taken part in two “No Kings Rallies”. My wife has taken a leadership role in a local food network for the needy, and I have assisted her. My wife is also involved in reaching out to voters for Democrats. We recently voted in a primary, and will vote again in November. We haven’t given up on our country. It’s a dark time in America. But the resistance is building. It doesn’t look like we are winning, but we are about to change that, starting in November. It will take more time to turn it around. I have hope. Every day, we get up, and keep fighting. I’m no longer afraid of the Red Hats. They don’t scare me, or keep me from speaking my mind. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/23 "2026-05-25T22:35:02Z")
JD Vance says he won’t run for president in 2028. That this announcement came almost a week ago, and I just found out about it, indicates how interested I am in this guy. > **[JD Vance Says He Is Not Running for President](https://texasborderbusiness.com/jd-vance-says-he-is-not-running-for-president/)** > > Vice President JD Vance said he is not running for president and pushed back on speculation about a possible 2028 campaign during remarks on May 19, 2026. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/24 "2026-05-25T22:48:21Z")
> [@survinga](#): > > As a micro-example of hope: My son has taken part in two “No Kings Rallies”. My wife has taken a leadership role in a local food network for the needy, and I have assisted her. That is wonderful. We haven’t done any ralleys. Yet. We just moved. Busy. We did put solar panels on our home. It’s great. All electric bills are $0. and we have removed a big part of our carbon footprint. We don’t have electric cars, yet. As we are retired, we really don’t drive much now. But my lawmower and all associated yard stuff is all electric. And electric bikes we can charge all of that from the sun. > [@survinga](#): > > I’m no longer afraid of the Red Hats. I want a Blue Hat. Same simple ball cap, but not sure what to put on it. Perhaps just a blue hat would get the message accross. But then, they are morons. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/25 "2026-05-26T00:07:42Z")
I got a RESIST _This is not normal ball cap_ in red, just to piss 'em off. > **[Resist This is Not Normal America Cap](https://cloudytees.com/product/resist-this-is-not-normal-america-cap/)** > > Make a bold statement with the Resist This is Not Normal America Cap - a stylish, high-quality baseball cap with a patriotic design and a political message. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/26 "2026-05-26T11:14:24Z")
I love it. Complete with the upside down American flag that symbolizes dire distress. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/27 "2026-05-26T12:17:11Z")
Opening the door for… Rubio?? (shudders) Or maybe Vance’s tech guys pulled the funding? ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2026, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/28 "2026-05-26T12:39:39Z")
No, I just think that any R who talks about running for president in 2028 will instantly be attacked by Trump and the MAGA crowd, since he’s obviously going to be president forever and ever. Amen. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/29 "2026-05-27T03:31:05Z")
Polls show that Talarico (D) can win vs Paxton (very R) in the Texas Senate race. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/30 "2026-05-27T03:40:17Z")
Thank you for this thread of hopeful messages. I check in daily for a dose. If I come across any thing hopeful I will share. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/31 "2026-05-27T07:46:01Z")
Take care it doesn’t degenerate into doom and gloom like the tips and tricks thread has a couple times. It’s so easy to overlook the pearl when there’s so much shit to go through. > [@What are your tips and tricks for keeping mental health in a crazy political era?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-tips-and-tricks-for-keeping-mental-health-in-a-crazy-political-era/1030352/): > > Thread is, of course, about Trump/MAGA, but also only partially so. The current insanity, cruelty, destructiveness, idiocy, and secondhand embarrassment won’t stop for 2.7 more years. That’s a long time. And it may persist even beyond that. People often say, “Go volunteer,” but IMHO, volunteering for a good political cause and seeing it be wrecked or fail anyway can be more harmful mentally than not having volunteered in the first place. I’ve worked on political campaigns before and there was … ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/32 "2026-05-27T17:38:04Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Take care it doesn’t degenerate into doom and gloom like the tips and tricks thread has a couple times. In case you’re referring to my post… I really didn’t mean it as gloom and doom. What I meant was that if people can discard their illusionary optimism about the perfectability of human nature, then what’s happening now politically won’t seem so unusual or terminally disastrous. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/33 "2026-05-27T19:25:27Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Take care it doesn’t degenerate into doom and gloom like the tips and tricks thread has a couple times The mods are doing a pretty good job on that. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/34 "2026-05-27T19:41:17Z")
Not exactly USA politics, but I take a certain heart in seeing how little the world depends on the USA, odd as it sounds, and how much bad nations face natural consequences even if we have a tyrant-loving president. Despite all of Trump’s fawning over Putin, Russia is still in a bad place that’s getting worse, the Hungarians dumped out Orban, many other nations still elect decent leaders, Europe has stepped up defense spending, Ukraine has carried on without America. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/35 "2026-05-27T20:36:51Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > In case you’re referring to my post… Naw, it wasn’t aimed at anyone in particular. It’s just we have a jillions of threads already pointing out the shortcomings of the current administration. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2026, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/36 "2026-05-27T21:17:36Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I love it. Complete with the upside down American flag that symbolizes dire distress. I’ve seen people selling T-shirts that say [I’m white but not that white](https://www.godaintpetty.com/products/i-m-white-but-not-that-white-unisex-tee?currency=USD&country=US&variant=46987830460664&stkn=0d9225cb2913&srsltid=AfmBOoqBP3_lppnRmaapcYOabKkrSgrcJIfqCU29FzD8KcP3FUkOk44lD2c) which I feel gets the message across about how a lot of white people view the dysfunction in this country. There are 75 million people who oppose what is happening here. We may not be the majority nationwide but we are the majority in a lot of state and local governments. And if we gain enough power in the federal government, we can block a lot of the evil things that are being done. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/37 "2026-05-29T11:53:40Z")
> **[Bruce Springsteen calls out the White House and announces a protest festival](https://apnews.com/article/bruce-springsteen-trump-music-festival-e25a975c10214bafd855709b0c3125cb)** > > Bruce Springsteen, Foo Fighters, Dave Matthews, Brittany Howard and Joan Baez will headline a protest festival near Washington, D.C., shortly before the midterm elections. ---
**Author:** ![Stana\_Claus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stana_claus/32/13874_2.png) [@Stana\_Claus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stana_Claus)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/38 "2026-05-29T12:45:39Z")
Now THAT’S a concert I would love to attend! ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/39 "2026-05-29T19:55:42Z")
> **[Judge says Kennedy Center board broke law putting Trump's name on building,...](https://apnews.com/article/trump-kennedy-center-renovations-closure-1857159baf8db4692324acb7ef62f249)** > > A federal judge has ruled that President Donald Trump’s name was illegally added to the Kennedy Center and blocked the administration from closing the cultural and arts venue for major renovations. > U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper in Washington, D.C., ruled that the Kennedy Center board’s March 16 vote to close the facility was “ill-informed and seemingly preordained” with no regard for its legal obligations. > > “The trustees might have assessed the propriety of closure in a number of prudent ways. This was not one,” he wrote. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2026, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793/40 "2026-05-29T20:11:46Z")
I went to Canada (Niagara and Toronto) this weekend. Ran into a guy who noticed my Cleveland Guardians cap, and said he grew up some in Cleveland, but has lived most of his adult life in Ottowa. His mom is Canadian. Anyway, his wife was with him and she’s from Brazil. He said he took his wife to visit Cleveland and she loved it. They’ve visited other US places. She says the people are amazing and she even thought they were nicer than the people on Ottowa. It’s possible she’s only been to the Midwest. I apologized for America and they said it’s cool. They still love Americans. And Canada isn’t perfect. It made me happy that people from other countries can see that much of America has great people. We’re not our President, we’re not our news. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/messages-of-hope-in-a-dark-time/1029793.md?page=3)