So, Trump, the "laughingstock," is on his way here to Europe. Here's my take on what is going on:

[DFW]

33. You don't have to do that--but learn the local languages first

Case in point:

About 12 years ago, I was in Paris buying some fresh fruit on the Rue Cadet near the Opéra. Many of the stands are run by people from the middle East or North Africa. Israelis, Arabs, they are pretty mixed. One time, I was buying some of the famous "orange-red" apricots that are only in season in late June and early July. I asked the guy at the stand to pack them carefully as I was taking them back to Germany that evening.

He said, "oh, you're from Germany?" I said, no, I'm from Texas. He frowned. He said, "Texas. Bush is from Texas. I am from Iraq." Now this guy's French was VERY good, so he was not a recent immigrant. He had fled Saddam, not our invasion. Even so, he was very pissed at what Cheney-Bush's invasion had wrought. I explained to him that I fully agreed with him, that I was very sorry for what Cheneybush had done to his country, and he should not believe for a second that most Americans were behind this invasion. In fact, I told him, even in Texas there were millions of us who were against Cheneybush's invasion of his country, and had been from the beginning.

He listened, fascinated, and said he had no idea. This was the first he had ever heard that America had a huge number of people who against the invasion. He thanked me profusely for the information (he had never talked to an American about it before), and came out from behind the counter to shake my hand and wish my happy trails.

Now, this was just one tiny incident, and one guy, but could you imagine the effect of hundred of thousand of Americans abroad, all speaking the languages of the countries they visit, and explaining how our solidarity, and that of a majority of our country, is with them, our allies and friends, and NOT with the illegitimate regime now in place in Washington?

I'm just one guy, but I'll bet you that this fruit vendor had relatives back in Iraq to whom he recounted his encounter with the "man from Texas who spoke French." Imagine what good a quarter million of us could do!