The photo in question is of President Joe Biden wearing a Donald Trump hat on this year’s anniversary of 9/11. The White House later stated that Biden did so as a gesture of unity. There is also a video showing what led to Biden popping on the red Trump baseball cap at an indoor gathering of local residents at a fire station in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. This particular stop for the multi-state 9/11 ceremonies took place after the graveside honoring of the United 93 victims and heroes. And seen through American eyes, the interaction at this stop was quite unifying. Biden walked into what comedians might term “a hostile crowd” and charmed them as only Scranton Joe can. Of course, the small crowd of locals relaxing over after-ceremony refreshments was not actively hostile. In fact, it was mostly friendly, despite the plethora of Trump shirts and Trump hats. But one man did heckle the president when Biden offered him a hat with the White House seal on it. Biden came out best in their exchange and got a laugh when he quipped to the others, “There’s one in every neighborhood.” This led to a handshake and an exchange of hats between the two. And thus was born the iconic photo of Biden wearing a Trump hat in 2024. The exchange was uniquely American, peppered with folksy jabs like “old fart” and “Hell, no!” But despite the absence of decorum, everyone ultimately got along. Then 9/11 passed and the election cycle returned. In the month since the 9/11 Hat of Unity was memorialized, America has experienced a second assassination attempt on Trump, a vice presidential debate, multiple wildfires, Hurricane Helene, a space rescue and Hurricane Milton. In between (and sometimes during) each of these events, there’s been quite a bit of charged political rhetoric. That’s primarily because it’s the job of pundits and politicians to stoke fear. The pundits do it for ratings. The politicians do it for votes. And both up the ante in an election year. But in the wake of actual disasters — as opposed to non-existent, pundit-predicted ones — private citizens chose unity. They took up rescue missions where government efforts failed. And Americans again witnessed how this country is bound together by values that transcend politics. There are bad actors aplenty, but America as a whole is filled with caring people across the political spectrum. And that is why Biden was able to pose wearing a Trump hat. He knows that, whatever differences they have, Trump is not evil. He is not an existential threat to democracy. He will not make himself a dictator. He will not impose government tracking of menstrual cycles. If Biden actually thought any of those things, he would never have put the hat on. In short, this is another election like any other. In fact, this may be the easiest election of our lifetimes because both candidates have already led the nation from the executive branch, so we know exactly how they would lead a second time around. Of course, Candidate Kamala Harris was the VP, not the president, during her term. But when asked by “The View” what she would do differently from Biden, Harris replied, “Nothing comes to mind.” Additionally, she proved that she will do as Biden did when she chose a running mate as socially awkward and free with the truth as the running mate Biden chose four years ago. On the other hand, Candidate Trump served for four years without entangling us in foreign wars or authorizing foreign aid packages adding up to hundreds of billions of dollars, but instead giving us low unemployment and a strong economy. And despite believing that the 2020 voter count was wrong, Trump vacated the office as seamlessly as all previous candidates. Unity isn’t easy. It usually means compromising on some things in order to achieve more important things. In this election, both Republican and Democrat politicians are crossing party lines to support what is dearest to their heart. The Harris campaign has gained the Cheney family, known as the biggest war hawks in government. The Trump campaign has gained RFK Jr., Tulsi Gabbard and Elon Musk, known for their commitment to free speech. And in less than a month, Americans will choose between war and inflation or jobs and free speech. May we unite under the choice that’s right. Lisa Lavadores has been a Val Verde resident for 19 years. She also grew up in Saugus and was part of the first-graduating class of Saugus High School. The post Lisa Lavadores | The ‘Hat of Unity’ Photo Kerfuffle at the White House appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.