The January 7 episode of “Trump: The Campaign” in Burlington “has stirred turmoil among Vermonters,” or so the Burlington Free Press informs me.

Well, lemme do a quick check… no… nope… sorry, no turmoil here. Annoyance is all I got.

Annoyance at the idea of Trump as a successful candidate, and annoyance that some of us are auditioning for bit parts in Trump’s ongoing performance piece.

Look, why do you suppose he’s coming here? It’s not for votes. I’m sure he’ll frame it as evidence of his bravery — bringing his truthiness to Ground Zero of Bernie Sanders socialism. And if he gets some nice juicy conflict with some stereotypical dirty hippies, then so much the better.

You think he won’t enjoy the spectacle of anti-Trump demonstrations in City Hall Park? You think he won’t be happier than a pig in shit if protesters get into the hall and try to disrupt the proceedings? You think Fox News won’t lovingly repeat the footage for hours in end?

If the Vermont Workers’ Center or Rising Tide Vermont wants to accept a walk-on role in “Trump: The Campaign,” then they can go right ahead. But they should know that they’re playing Trump’s game on Trump’s turf.

(By the way, VWC is floating a petition asking the Flynn Center to cancel the event because Trump is “an affront to our values as residents of Burlington.” Great, but I have a question: Is free speech one of those values? I guess only within VWC’s parameters of acceptable discourse.

On the other hand, State Senator Joe Benning needs to brush up on his vocabulary. He called VWC’s petition a “bullying tactic.” No; it’s stupid, but it’s not bullying. “Bullying” requires a power dynamic. In order to bully someone, you have to have an advantage over them, real or perceived. The VWC cannot possibly, except in its wildest dreams, “bully” Donald Trump.)

Gubernatorial candidate Sue Minter has a nice suggestion: celebrate January 7 as a day of service and generosity. I’d go for that. And Thursday night, I’d suggest gathering in your favorite watering hole and raising a glass of real Vermont beer in a toast to good old common sense. There won’t be much of that in or near the Flynn Center.