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There’s a good weird that embraces eccentricities. Portland, Ore.’s unofficial slogan is “Keep Portland Weird.” Residents laugh at stereotypes of hippies and hipsters enjoying artisanal coffee and quiche side-by-side. It’s weird that everyone thinks Tim Walz is much older than he actually is. The turn of a phrase about “dropping out of a coconut tree” that Kamala Harris used to reference the community and continuity she comes from is also joyfully weird.
There is also a bad weird that describes something which instinctively feels wrong, creepy and not normal. JD Vance talks dismissively about “childless cat ladies” and it’s bad weird that he is so concerned with procreation and fertility. Donald Trump is bad weird in so many ways: his fragile ego tied to crowd and hand size; his self-absorbed personality; his lack of basic human empathy; and his ability to lie with such conviction.
Kris Matsumoto Wong
Kaneohe
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