"Trump's not hurting the people he needs to be hurting" - Trump supporter

[evoeth]

When the NYT's Patricia Mazzei interviewed workers at a federal prison in Florida she captured this gem from secretary Crystal Minton, 24:

“I voted for him, and he’s the one who’s doing this,” she said of Mr. Trump. “I thought he was going to do good things. He’s not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”
​

Of course this story exploded and Patricia felt the need to clarify

Ms. Minton made clear in the context of our conversations that she was expressing frustration at the situation that she and her colleagues are facing in the shutdown, that ordinary people are caught in a political fight they didn’t ask for 2/

It seemed clear when I talked to her that she didn’t mean she wanted to literally “hurt” anyone. And she reiterated in a conversation with me today that she doesn’t. She’s just angry at politicians in power. And that’s how she expressed it 3/

She never said she thought immigrants (or any other group) should be punished. She’s seen comments suggesting she holds animosity toward others. She’s appalled by the thought. “I just don’t want people like me to be used as leverage over there in Washington,” she told me today 4/

This sense of frustration toward people in power and the political system was broadly shared among people I interviewed for this story. They felt they were being hurt and that no one in power seemed to care 5/

In my experience, that’s a sentiment shared among voters generally since the presidential campaign began in 2015 /end
​

What do you think? Do you think she had a Freudian slip and when she consciously thought about it she quickly walked it back? Do you think the main drive of Trump supporters is as Adam Serwer puts it, "The Cruelty is the Point."

 

[iluvatar5150]

What do you think? Do you think she had a Freudian slip and when she consciously thought about it she quickly walked it back? Do you think the main drive of Trump supporters is as Adam Serwer puts it, "The Cruelty is the Point."

I think it's difficult to try to infer any additional meaning absent other context. Given that we have additional context - both from the woman who made the comment and the reporter who recorded it, I think we ought to take their explanation at face value. That some people are cruel doesn't mean all people are cruel.

 

[evoeth]

I think it's difficult to try to infer any additional meaning absent other context. Given that we have additional context - both from the woman who made the comment and the reporter who recorded it, I think we ought to take their explanation at face value. That some people are cruel doesn't mean all people are cruel.

Fair

 

[Sparagmos]

When the NYT's Patricia Mazzei interviewed workers at a federal prison in Florida she captured this gem from secretary Crystal Minton, 24:

“I voted for him, and he’s the one who’s doing this,” she said of Mr. Trump. “I thought he was going to do good things. He’s not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”
​

Of course this story exploded and Patricia felt the need to clarify

Ms. Minton made clear in the context of our conversations that she was expressing frustration at the situation that she and her colleagues are facing in the shutdown, that ordinary people are caught in a political fight they didn’t ask for 2/

It seemed clear when I talked to her that she didn’t mean she wanted to literally “hurt” anyone. And she reiterated in a conversation with me today that she doesn’t. She’s just angry at politicians in power. And that’s how she expressed it 3/

She never said she thought immigrants (or any other group) should be punished. She’s seen comments suggesting she holds animosity toward others. She’s appalled by the thought. “I just don’t want people like me to be used as leverage over there in Washington,” she told me today 4/

This sense of frustration toward people in power and the political system was broadly shared among people I interviewed for this story. They felt they were being hurt and that no one in power seemed to care 5/

In my experience, that’s a sentiment shared among voters generally since the presidential campaign began in 2015 /end
​

What do you think? Do you think she had a Freudian slip and when she consciously thought about it she quickly walked it back? Do you think the main drive of Trump supporters is as Adam Serwer puts it, "The Cruelty is the Point."

Well, it doesn’t sound like the woman gave any explanation for her comment. She said it. She did want Trump to “hurt” some people. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have said it.

 

[trunks2k]

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt that she was referring to other lawmakers. To get what he wants from the lawmakers out of the shutdown, they are the ones that need to feel the shutdown.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Well, it doesn’t sound like the woman gave any explanation for her comment. She said it. She did want Trump to “hurt” some people. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have said it.

That the reporter didn't include an explanation doesn't mean that the woman didn't provide one.

 

[Sparagmos]

That the reporter didn't include an explanation doesn't mean that the woman didn't provide one.

That’s certainly possible, but I find it unlikely.

 

[iluvatar5150]

That’s certainly possible, but I find it unlikely.

In spite of the reporter providing additional context that directly refutes your interpretation?

 

[rambot]

I see this as a Trump supporter recognizing that she is not like the president; that she is better than the president in that she doesn't want to hurt people (dare I say, would actively try to avoid hurting people).

Trump doesn't recognize that. What I would hope is that she would recognize this behaviour in the president and recognize that she has started to emulate unhealthy social behaviours.

 

[FenderTL5]

"hurt" as used by young lady is part of the southern vernacular. Gains/advantages are "helped" while losses/disadvantages or hindrances are "hurt".
I don't think it was meant in the physical sense.
e.g.
The five yard penalty "hurt" the Alabama drive.
or
The speeding ticket "hurt" my pocketbook. This example is true regardless of how much money I have in the bank account.

I tend to think she was expecting Trump to be the champion of the working class, but policy wise, he's been the opposite. A hurt (hindrance) instead of a help.

 

[Sparagmos]

In spite of the reporter providing additional context that directly refutes your interpretation?

What was missing was what the woman meant by her statement. She said what she didn’t mean. So what DID she mean? I do think it was likely a “Freudian slip.” But I acknowledge, I do not know!

 

[iluvatar5150]

What was missing was what the woman meant by her statement. She said what she didn’t mean. So what DID she mean? I do think it was likely a “Freudian slip.” But I acknowledge, I do not know!

Did you not read the reporter's follow up?

 

[Sparagmos]

Did you not read the reporter's follow up?

I did, at least what was quoted here. I saw her say she didn’t want anyone to be hurt, that she didn’t want to be used as leverage, but no explanation for why she used those words originally.

 

[cow451]

I'll give her the benefit of the doubt that she was referring to other lawmakers. To get what he wants from the lawmakers out of the shutdown, they are the ones that need to feel the shutdown.

Obviously, after an exhaustive search, we have found a federal worker that isn’t a Democrat.

 

[wing2000]

"hurt" as used by young lady is part of the southern vernacular. Gains/advantages are "helped" while losses/disadvantages or hindrances are "hurt".
I don't think it was meant in the physical sense.
e.g.
The five yard penalty "hurt" the Alabama drive.
or
The speeding ticket "hurt" my pocketbook. This example is true regardless of how much money I have in the bank account.

I tend to think she was expecting Trump to be the champion of the working class, but policy wise, he's been the opposite. A hurt (hindrance) instead of a help.

...sorda like Clemson put a hurt on Alabama last night.

 

[Handmaid for Jesus]

In other words, she was duped by 45.She thought that people like her would be helped by him, but, with this shutdown, she and people like her have been hurt and she is angry. She is angry that people not like her are thriving in their way in spite of the difficulty the country is experiencing. She blames 45. That sentiment was not adequately expressed. But I think a lot of supporters of this administration feel the same as she. Call it buyers remorse.

 

[camille70]

When the NYT's Patricia Mazzei interviewed workers at a federal prison in Florida she captured this gem from secretary Crystal Minton, 24:

“I voted for him, and he’s the one who’s doing this,” she said of Mr. Trump. “I thought he was going to do good things. He’s not hurting the people he needs to be hurting.”
​

Of course this story exploded and Patricia felt the need to clarify

Ms. Minton made clear in the context of our conversations that she was expressing frustration at the situation that she and her colleagues are facing in the shutdown, that ordinary people are caught in a political fight they didn’t ask for 2/

It seemed clear when I talked to her that she didn’t mean she wanted to literally “hurt” anyone. And she reiterated in a conversation with me today that she doesn’t. She’s just angry at politicians in power. And that’s how she expressed it 3/

She never said she thought immigrants (or any other group) should be punished. She’s seen comments suggesting she holds animosity toward others. She’s appalled by the thought. “I just don’t want people like me to be used as leverage over there in Washington,” she told me today 4/

This sense of frustration toward people in power and the political system was broadly shared among people I interviewed for this story. They felt they were being hurt and that no one in power seemed to care 5/

In my experience, that’s a sentiment shared among voters generally since the presidential campaign began in 2015 /end
​

What do you think? Do you think she had a Freudian slip and when she consciously thought about it she quickly walked it back? Do you think the main drive of Trump supporters is as Adam Serwer puts it, "The Cruelty is the Point."

This has to be fake news. Trump said everyone was on board and happy to sacrifice for the wall. Furloughed workers and workers working without pay don't want him to stop until he gets the wall he promised them. They tell him this EVERYDAY. It's a national emergency, after all. They are proudly managing and adjusting for the greater good. I'm sure he wouldn't lie to us.