Costco at lunchtime is an experience like no other.
You need to taste and see for yourself how good it is.
Motorists brush bumpers backing in and out of parking spaces while weaving through the sea of pedestrians dragging 65″ flat screens home.
The retired, the stay-at-home moms and the remote workers come together with the purpose of a flash mob. Crawling out of their caves toward the promise of a communion table filled with free samples of fried shrimp, dollops of the newest fat-free yogurt and $1.50 hot dogs.
Justin Cox
Carts full of bath towels, cat litter and an industrial-sized pork loin that could have only come from Hog-zilla. Stacked on top are gold bags of Lindt Lindor Chocolate Truffles, seaweed packs for school lunch boxes, and enough toilet paper to make even the most adventurous eater roaming the street food scene in New Delhi feel safe in their decisions.
Why am I here?
Call me a thrill seeker. Call me a sadist. I like to people-watch. This is dinner and a show for me.
I go through this stimulating crucible and inch my buggy into a line as long as the one when Ralphie waits for Santa in A Christmas Story.
The folks here entertain me, but I can’t help but check my phone. I pop open apps, I scroll, I click the wrong button and wind up on a social media platform I rarely use — Threads.
Ah, Threads. The Miller 64 of what was once Twitter. Less toxic, yet still full-flavored with anger. I, like others, jumped on this bandwagon when Musk rolled out X. Wandering in like a kid at a school dance, I wasn’t sure what to do, but thought I should be there. I made an account, posted randomly and all but forgot about it.
I was about to exit out, when three words jumped out at me.
Radical Leftist Scum.
I read them. Reread them. And reread them.
I know those words. Donald Trump used them on Christmas Eve. Somehow, the self-proclaimed “President of Peace” found time to squeeze this insult in between the United States military strikes on Venezuela and Nigeria.
“Merry Christmas to all, including the Radical Left Scum that is doing everything possible to destroy our Country, but are failing badly,” Trump bellowed on Truth Social.
However, Trump’s words didn’t have their desired effect.
“What Trump intended as malicious discord turned into an online rallying cry for unity.”
His rivals were not mad, not bubbling with anger, but instead smirking with enjoyment. What Trump intended as malicious discord turned into an online rallying cry for unity.
They were everywhere. On the digital tongue of the Thread faithful, “Radical Leftist Scum” was the topic of the day. Trending alongside the Epstein Files and news of Beyonce joining the Billionaire club.
People from all over the world were announcing, dare I say, confessing with pride, their acceptance of the moniker.
Threads users wrote:
- “I’m radical leftist scum and I understand the assignment.”
- “Everyone coming across my feed identifying as RLS or ‘Radical Leftist Scum’ is getting a follow from me. Is there a limit to how many on this app?”
- “If you are a member of the Radical Leftist Scum, HELLO! Let’s be friends.”
I “hearted” one comment after another, causing the almighty algorithms to feed my insatiable appetite. The RLS were coming at me in droves and getting closer. I kept seeing people checking in from my gerrymandered state of North Carolina. Proof that the Tar Heel state isn’t as red as some senators and Congress folks would have you believe.
I felt a warm sense of pride building.
I glanced up, and the checkout line still had a way to go.
“What the hell,” I said to myself. “Might as well share something, too.”
My fingers let go of the buggy, and I went to work on my phone’s keyboard.
“Radical Leftist Scum reporting for duty.”
Radical Leftist Scum reporting for duty. I’m Justin. I’m a Xennial, a Progressive Christian Pastor, and Southern storyteller. Married and trying to raise humans who value decency. I love to write, read, watch horror movies, and go on Waffle House adventures. Pro-LGBTQ+ and Anti-MAGA. I think Black Lives Matter and believe Palestine should be free. 🖤
I put the phone back in my pocket and waited for the cashier to scan my sack of mozzarella cheese sticks.
Back at home, I rechecked Threads and was floored by the response.
Hundreds of likes and dozens of comments. I read through supportive words. I followed folks back and responded to their comments. At supper, I asked my wife, “Are you on Threads anymore? You need to see what’s happening on there.”
The next day, while sipping a late morning cup of coffee, I shared another image and a few more words.
Wow. I’m blown away by the beautiful responses of other Radical Leftist Scum! Many of them from my home state of NC. 🖤
Thanks for the follows.
Thanks for the love.
Cheers to you all!
And when the hell are we having a RLS shindig across the state??? Let’s make this happen!
On Sunday, I went about my day. I was off work, which means my young children put me through the wringer. They climbed on me like a tree house that’s seen better days. I creaked and moaned. I begged for mercy. I took Extra Strength Tylenol.
When night fell, I checked Threads again.
Thousands of likes.
Hundreds of comments.
A thousand new followers.
What just happened? A few days later, I still don’t know.
But I am sure of a few things.
The first is that sometimes what people intend for evil actually turns out for the good. Their intention to belittle gets flipped, co-opted and reimagined. Radical Leftist Scum is just the latest. The word “Christian” had a similar origin.
“I believe what started in Antioch is happening again on Threads today.”
Scholars believe this title originated in ancient Antioch, referring to Barnabas, the Apostle Paul and early followers of Jesus. Coming from the Greek Christianos, meaning “little Christ,” the term was considered derogatory. Followers of the lowly Galilean have used it ever since. Names ranging from Bono, Martin Luther King Jr., Dolly Parton, Constantine the Great, Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Viola Davis, Christopher Columbus, Justin Bieber, Barack Obama and, yes, even Donald Trump utilize it.
Do with that what you will. The point is, people reclaimed “Christian” and made it their own. They’re doing the same with “Radical Leftist Scum.”
And second, this unifier has started something. People are discovering we’re not alone and we’re closer to each other than we think. One new Thread friend, an RLS from Eastern North Carolina, posted a picture of herself and added, “This is my church directory picture. Can you believe a RLS goes to church???”
I responded, “Hell, go to church? I’m the pastor of one!”
She sounds like a Person of Peace to me. When people like her and I get together, we soon find out we have a knack for taking insults and shaping them into something we can use. We can take mockery and make it about belonging.
I believe what started in Antioch is happening again on Threads today. The delivery might be different, but the idea is the same: Community forms wherever people embrace who they are and find each other.
And as wild as it is to say, I’ve got Donald Trump to thank for putting me in touch with a whole lot of friends. Didn’t have that on my 2025 Bingo card.
I suppose it’s good to know God still speaks through an ass — even when all he has to work with are trendy insults.
Justin Cox received his theological education from Campbell University and Wake Forest University School of Divinity and McAfee School of Theology, where he received his doctor of ministry. He is an ordained minister holding standing in the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and American Baptist Churches USA. When not spending time with his spouse and daughters, he can be found writing and baking late into the night. His thoughts and reflections are his own.