By Mary Fahnestock-Thomas, Hamilton
Yes, referring to the young man looking over the president’s right shoulder at the Republican campaign rally in Billings on September 6th — he made quite an impression, and not just on me.
I was wondering to myself whether the concept of honor even exists anymore, and he popped into my head. And since I’m a born Montanan, gratefully returned after decades away, and with a sense of honor still alive in my Montana brain, I’ll go with it.
He had attended a rally to hear the vice president speak and wanted to hear the president speak as well, which is pretty open-minded and aware for a high school kid.
He was kind of surprised to find himself directly behind the speaker, but applauded when he agreed and did not applaud when he did not agree. That he does not have a poker face and clearly expressed both surprise and skepticism at some of the speaker’s points has been called trolling, but I think it was simply honesty. When politely asked to leave, he left.
In his interviews after the event, I saw no swagger or sass, just an articulate, well-spoken description of his experience. He was even awake and aware enough that when he realized it might be seen, he took the rose symbol of the Democratic Socialists of America out of his pocket and wore it. When asked about it later, he said he did not so much identify with that party, but rather as a social democrat — and that he knows the difference is more than most of us can say.
And the plaid shirt? A hand-me-down from his brother, I believe.
So why does he represent Montana honor to me? Because he is clearly forthright but modest and well-spoken, thoughtful, interested, caring, responsible, courteous … and so on.
Some other Montanans I can imagine in plaid shirts are Kathleen Williams, Jon Tester, Margaret Gorski, Laura Garber, Lyndsay Stover, Jason Nickisch … oh, and Dixie Stark, who heads up Adult Literacy in the Valley, and Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who is a courageous woman standing up to a traditionally boys-will-be-boys culture.
People I cannot imagine in plaid shirts (whether they actually wear them or not)? Donald Trump, Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell, Brett Kavanaugh, Ryan Zinke, Greg Gianforte, Matt Rosendale, Jason Ellsworth … so many!