Who’s Angry Now? By Maria Grant

I just finished reading The Doorman by Chris Pavone. The novel, which I highly recommend, is a bit of a potboiler. It focuses on the goings-on at a fictional grand apartment building in New York City called The Bohemia. 

In the novel, pretty much every social class is angry. Some extremely wealthy residents at The Bohemia are angry because newcomers to the building are not up to the standards formerly set—meaning people of color are resident. Other wealthy residents are angry because it is so exhausting cranking out the revenue needed to afford their lifestyles, which sometimes results in their being complicit in illegal deeds. Some residents’ wives are angry because they have become disillusioned with their unscrupulous spouses.

Protesters outside the building are angry because a White police officer killed an unarmed Black man. 

MAGA-supporters nearby are angry and coalescing around the building to protest the people protesting the Black man’s killing. 

Latinos who work at The Bohemia are angered by some of the absurd requests made by the spoiled and privileged residents. 

And the Doorman, Chicky, who has worked at The Bohemia for three decades, juggles all the requests of these various factions in an effort to keep the peace. He has his own set of issues as his wife has recently died and left him with mountains of medical bills and mountains of debt. 

What I loved about the novel is Pavone’s almost satirical portrayal of today’s society. So many Americans are angry. Why? 

After Trump’s first presidential victory, many analysts opined that White voters voted for Trump in the hopes that he would restore the racial hierarchy upended by Barack Obama. Wages for America’s working class had been stagnant for a long time. Workers were frustrated by foreign competition. And many Blacks and Latinos faced declining economic prospects. 

In short, many American voters, saw Obama’s reign as a signal that White voters were no longer at the top of the social scale, so they became angry and anxious. 

And then there was the double-whammy threat of Hillary, a woman, becoming president. Okay so first we have to deal with a Black man dethroning our former hierarchy and now a woman? What next?

The second time around, analysts opined that Trump won because many Americans were angry because they felt as though they were being ignored by “The Elites.” Voters saw Trump as a savior from that financial elite class, even though he was clearly one of them and his former tax cuts benefited those despised elites. Then there was the issue of millions of undocumented immigrants coming across our border, coupled with Trump’s opponent being not only a woman but a person of color. Hence, some voters became even angrier. 

So where are we today? Let’s just say there are a lot of angry people out there. It is estimated that during the “No Kings” resistance last Saturday, more than five million people participated in at least 2,000 protests. (An estimated 200,000 people attended Trump’s military parade, fewer than anticipated.) 

Experts claim that peaceful protests are actually a good idea when you feel a lack of control and a sense of hopelessness. They are a way of taking action and connecting with your community. And they are a helpful way of generating a sense of hope. Other actions to counteract a sense of despair and hopelessness are volunteering for worthy causes; reading books that inspire and lift spirits; and looking after yourself as best you can by focusing on self-care. 

Anger is often a double-edged sword. It can be a source of motivation and a catalyst for change. It can also lead to destructive behaviors, such as electing an unqualified leader who builds a dangerous and frighteningly incompetent administration. 

Maya Angelou once wrote, “Anger is like fire. It burns itself out, leaving behind only ashes of regret.” Given the number of people who protested last weekend, I’d say there is a lot of regret in America right now. 

Ironically, the situation brings to mind some lyrics from Trump’s favorite musical, Les Misérables, which opened at the Kennedy Center last week, “Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men? “

Maria Grant was principal-in-charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm and is currently on the Board of Chesapeake Music. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, music, and nature.