Does no one find it ironic that at a time in history when we are supposed to be evolving into a more loving and tolerant society; that the hate is so palpable in the air that it makes it harder to breath than any mask does?
The clashes between “liberals” and “conservatives” make me often wonder if the person on the street espousing each term even knows the actual definition. It seems almost elitist to ask that question. Yet, I have watched the Man on the Street interviews, like Jay Leno’s “Jaywalking” and what most found as entertaining; I found profoundly disturbing.
Perhaps in a time when we are choosing to rip one another to shreds over “ideals”; we make certain we know what they are.
I am a Conservative. It seems a term that gets launched at me like it is some kind of insult. But, Conservatism, as defined is the holding of political views that favor free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas. I believe deeply that a free market economy and businesses unencumbered by crippling government restrictions leads to a better outcome for our country. I like smaller government. I am a patriot to this country, I believe that our Constitution was one of the most amazing documents produced and that all Amendments should be considered and protected. As a single mother, I believe that (although difficult), that two parents (regardless of gender) being involved in the rearing of children produces the best result. I believe education is tantamount to success, whether college or trade school because all children are not “book smart”. I believe our borders need protected, but all that want to come here legally should as it is the bedrock of how we were founded.
Does this make me worthy of hate? In any of those beliefs am I saying that I hate you or want your rights taken away?
Now, let’s talk about Liberalism. I look at definition 1 and it makes me chuckle a bit. Do any of you know any current self-identifying liberals that respect and accept the behavior and opinions different from their own? Seriously … do you know ONE? So, let’s skip to the political definition. It seems like we have free enterprise in common. Since Conservatives also believe in the Constitution; I feel like we could agree that individual rights and civil liberties are, you know, pretty much the gist of the entire thing. And, democracy (NOT SOCIALISM) is something both groups should want.
So?????? Exactly why are we fighting?
Someone has changed the definitions on you, haven’t they?
ALL “Conservatives” are racist, redneck, dumb, capitalist pigs that want everyone to be a Christian, straight, and wholesome. Right????
ALL “Liberals” are snowflake, pedophiles that kill babies, hate this country, want everything for free and burn stuff. Right?????
Even as I write that statement about Liberals, the “Conservative” in me goes, yeah … yeah … that sounds about right. But, I know I am wrong. The problem is, I believe we are ALL wrong. When I repeatedly tell people to “wake up”, I know they can’t hear me because the phrase and the term “woke” has been more overused than the word “surge” in this current climate we are all in.
I truly believe that the Democrats could not come up with a candidate that was going to match Trump’s popularity with his followers. A very, clear political decision was made years ago that “if we can’t find someone they LOVE more than Trump, then we must make people HATE Trump enough to vote against him.” And, the nightmare began.
I would get ready for work every morning with the local news on in the background and then it would flip to Good Morning America. I had to leave at 7:10 and would jokingly time my departure by their opening teaser that was always this, “Trump sucks, the weather suck OR the weather sucks, Trump sucks (depending on if there was a hurricane). “Oh crap, they are on Trump sucks and I still have the rollers in my hair! Time to hustle!”
It became a joke to me that quickly became less and less funny. Then, it became scary and tragic.
They were filling the hate cup so deep that I watched as it started to spill over on to ordinary people. The narrative of Trump being an evil, racist, liar wasn’t enough — the people that liked him started feeling the same wrath. I sadly watched as people I knew well and were “liberals” become radicalized and without a shred of self-awareness that it was happening. They felt justified in their now personal attacks on people. “It was for the greater good.” But, it so clearly wasn’t for any good purpose.
Those constant attacks, fueled by COVID and then the riots in the street that no one wanted to name … ANTIFA, say it … they DO exist, they aren’t a “thought” for the love of all things sacred! All of this started to create extremists on the other side. There was no “middle” anymore. There was no “fringe” anymore. Even I felt like a “side” had to be taken. Hate doesn’t leave much wiggle room for the grey areas, not today, not now, not anymore.
And now, here we are … on the precipice of what feels like divide so wide and so tenuous that one wrong move may plunge us deep into the darkness of the words I won’t write for fear of censorship; the words that will turn American against American. AMERICAN against AMERICAN. And, if you are going to stand on that mound to fight, don’t do it over terms you cannot even define yourself as, terms that are nowhere near as far apart as what this divide is.
You will be doing it because some political operative somewhere believed that sowing hate would win an election. That’s it. And, I KNOW the brainwashed never want to admit they are, but you are. So, when I say “wake up”, it isn’t this slight little nudge or a shake of your shoulder. It is me grabbing at both your arms, screaming on the top of my lungs before that one, thing happens that we ALL know is coming, “WAKE UP!!! PLEASE, WAKE UP!!!”
If you don’t wake up, you are going to let hate win. I fear it already has.
Pretty Political 