My wife’s grandfather, Lyle Harlow, was a prisoner of war in World War II and survived the Bataan Death March. He had an attitude about the Japanese soldiers and people. My father-in-law also fought in WW II and was hurt in the Battle of the Bulge. He had negative comments to make about the Japanese.
When I bought a Toyota Celica back in 1978, my father-in-law was not impressed since he had worked for General Motors for many years and had always driven a Chevrolet. However, never in either of the two men’s wildest imaginations did they ever express any desire or interest in burning my Toyota or anyone else’s Toyota.
My $7,000 Celica was a great car but it was hard for me to make the payments back in 1978. My wife and I were in school struggling just to get by from one small check to the next. Our $150-a-month car payment was stratospheric for us back then. I don’t know how we could have handled the threat of someone possibly damaging our car simply because they hated the Toyota brand or anyone associated with making Toyotas.
Today, Toyota and other foreign car manufacturers have revolutionized several American communities with thousands of good jobs.
The very idea of anyone destroying anyone’s property is criminal and deserves punishment. Regardless of whether it’s riots in Louisville, Baltimore, Portend or Los Angeles, no one deserves a bunch of hoodlums marching in and setting buildings, businesses or cars on fire.
The recent reports of Tesla dealerships and charging stations being vandalized and set on fire are outrageous. Not any of the people doing this would feel good about their car being burned or the place where they fill up with gas being destroyed.
Anyone who has a business is paying the price. It’s a miracle to be able to stay in business today. The overhead costs are astronomical and it’s often very difficult to really see a profit. Every day, restaurants, grocery stores, churches, newspapers and car dealerships close somewhere in America. This could very well be your job or the job of someone you know.
Elon Musk is a billionaire and right now a lot of Americans don’t agree with the role he has in America as appointed by our President. Burning his cars and charging stations is only going to hurt fellow Americans who own or run the dealerships and the many other Americans trying to hold down a daily job. Destroying the charging stations only hurts your fellow Americans who bought most of the Teslas on the road before President Trump was even reelected.
Protest verbally, buy whatever car or product you want, but don’t do to others what you would not want anyone to do to you.
Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of “Uncommon Sense,” available wherever books are sold.