Favorite Things: John Cooper and his anti-Trump button

I remember saying “It’s unbelievable” and hearing people laugh at the things he does. I think it’s time to stop laughing. The unbelievable has turned into the believable. Yes, I know I’m opinionated.

It’s been disappointing to have a man like him as president. He has so many bad qualities, that I finally decided I wanted to do something. I give money, I do things like that, but I decided the pins were the way to go. I started ordering them, and I realized the only way to work with these things was to give joy and happiness to the people. When it’s free, it’s a lot easier to be joyful, so I just started giving them away. I run into so many people that are happy to get these buttons because they dislike him so much.

I first had them on my lapel, now I wear them on my hat. People see the button right away. To get a button from me, somebody will say, “Hey, I love that button.” As soon as they say that, I give them one — it’s that easy. And then they’re thrilled, so they say, “Can I have another one?” When I was in California and I’d go into a Trader Joe’s grocery store, I’d walk out having given 22 of them away.

My wife has been very worried. She thinks I’m going to get beat up and that people are going to confront me. I’ve had people walk by and say one-liners but I’ve never had a confrontation. I think people that support him see me, and they’re so embarrassed that they support a man like him that they don’t bring it up. They just keep walking.

I need to reach people who are undecided, the people who haven’t made up their mind. These are the people that are going to decide this election. They make up the percentages in the middle that are going to turn this thing one way or another.

I’m dedicated to this cause because we have a real problem. He will have his hands on many, many lifetime appointments as president. I just turned 70, so the rest of my life is going to be influenced by Trump. If he wins again, all the young people are going to have that same thing happen to them. This man respects nobody. Do you want somebody like that as president? It’s an easy choice for me, and I want to be a part of trying to convince other people.

(Interview condensed and edited by Skyler Ashley.)