Author, Rebecca Makkai, 41, is calling for people to stop wearing red hats. Any red hats. The reason is that she believes that “disenchanchised” people are being traumatized by the color due to its use in Make American Great Again (MAGA) hats. At first I thought that this was another example of derangement in the Trump era, but, as a fellow Chicagoan, I am just assuming that Makkai has found clever way to dissuade people from wearing hats for the Cincinnati Reds and the Nats.
Makkai is a celebrated author and a Pulitzer finalist. She called on “normal people” to stop wearing all red hats, even those who are protesting Trump: “for the love of God: The clever folks wearing “Make America Read Again” or whatever caps — NO. You’re making everyone scared. Don’t do it.” She explained further that it is “Not worth making disenfranchised people feel unsafe.”
This could be a rough transition for everyone from Maoists to Catholic cardinals. Yet, that is apparently easier than dealing with colors as neutral elements used in all forms of art and expression.