This week’s election shows how far we have left to go to create equality
It is somewhat incredible — and somehow predictable — that I found myself in the same emotional state on the morning after the the 2020 presidential election as I was the morning after the 2016 election. This year I had retired quite late, going to be with the unsettling realization that Trump would likely win another term. I had the identical remorse I had that night in 2016.
The trigger that unleashed my emotional reaction around the thought of a Trump victory was never at the heart of my despair. That despair was, instead, based in my having to face the fact that nearly half of the citizens of this country are comfortable with Trump’s complete lack of dignity and respect for anyone save those he finds of use.
He has enjoyed an approval rating that has faltered less than most of the former presidents. His base has remained constant. Social media and mainstream news portrays this group as mostly rural, uneducated, old white men. But the demographic of those that support him overall, it turns out, is much broader. They are quite middle class, better educated than what is portrayed, and they claim to be socially tolerant — all characteristics that make them a formidable opponent.
They are far more dangerous to our democratic ideals than their distant hayseed cousins.
An alarming number of young people have become enamored with Trump’s fascination with social upheaval.
But they are not his base. The largest part of his support comes from the solid middle class — folks of my generation, many of whom enjoy comfortable lives and yet have something in them is irreparably broken by the challenges life dealt them. Blaming others is an easier route, saving them from dealing with their own anger and sorrow. It is easier for them rationalize believing another individual is unworthy of true compassion or even the same basic rights they themselves hold.
Many of Trump’s supporters see themselves as being socially tolerant. But tolerance is an odd term. It conveys an unspoken term limit.
At what point does someone’s tolerance expire? Are there behaviors in the person or group being tolerated that are unacceptable? Are there human rights that those doing the tolerating do not feel should be extended to some people? Do their religious beliefs keep them from fully accepting asome people?
I find that when I scratch the surface of these supporters, tolerance is entirely finite. One may have a black co-worker that’s “not like other black people.” Some have a gay — usually male — friend who is more like a pet, so he is “not like those other ones.” They tolerate the family that operates their favorite Mexican restaurant, but none of them trust a Muslim; all Muslims are terrorists that don’t belong here.
Liberals like me live in a vacuum. We believe the freedom we have found for ourselves, we believe, is shared by everyone. Before Trump was elected in 2016 we assumed those longtime friends of ours that became his supporters had experienced life as we had. Most of us grew up with the same fears and prejudices; if we didn’t learn those things at home, we got them from the schoolyards and hangouts we inhabited.
But as we grew into adulthood, we learned how to accept the changes that were quickly becoming part of the social fabric. We discovered how we, ourselves differed from the norm and found ways to accept our own selves. In most cases, that acceptance extended to others that were different.
I always believed that most reasonable, functioning people had done the same. It would really have been a challenge to remain unchanged. After all, the world has been transformed in so many ways. Much of the explosive social revolution we’ve seen was created by our generation.
It turns out, I was wrong, incredibly blinded by appearances. Many of these people never let go of any of their intolerance. Seeing the world being transformed only strengthened their ill-formed beliefs.
They did learn, though, that they had to keep their intolerance hidden. They knew that it could be detrimental to their own success.
But the advent of Trump changed that. They began to believe they could freely express their intolerance, their obsessive desire to return to the past — to a time when their prejudices could limit social justice for others.
They have become very comfortable in this “brave new world” where intolerance is the norm. They are constructing a narrative that blames liberals for wrongs Trump is accused of. They see themselves as victims, wrongly accused of racism and overall intolerance.
There are many times in my life where I had to look at my own deep flaws. I’ve had to admit that my racial acceptance was only skin deep, to, at some point, admit I needed to change my behavior towards women. I had to own my complicity in the suppression of transgender members of the queer movement.
None of this came easy. But I genuinely want to be the person I claim to be, so I will dig deeper. These people — these Trump supporters — won’t do that. But they have to. Their ability to dismiss their hate allows the fascism Trump is establishing.
Those of us who understand that our system of democratic life is being eroded have to challenge them. We cannot live and let live which allows their dangerous beliefs to go unchallenged. Not now. Not ever.
I want to approach your article from two prongs. One that shows how superficial you present yourself. You also display your mentality of only agreeing with those who think like you. Anyone who does not agree with your thought process is portrayed as defective. Now you seem to be the one that is INTOLERANT. You label any of those supporting Trump as having the problem, without owning your own racist comments.
You believe because anyone who is a Trump supporter is somehow less of a person than you. Your comments regarding our president is a telling picture of the REAL you. You are about as tolerant as diarrhea of the mouth. You’ve displayed your hatred in full view. You are no more tolerant of anyone that does not agree with your beliefs than the man in the moon.
I usually never try to educate anyone, but in your circumstance I will make an exception, because you are at best delusional.
Under the Biden/Harris ticket you would be okay with paying higher taxes. I might educate you of what Kamala Harris said recently during her visit to Florida to hold a rally (less than 50 people in attendance.) She stated, “the first thing Joe and I are going to do is RAISE YOUR TAXES.” She did not lie, or cover up what their intent is going to be. Biden stated he will phase out fossil fuels and go to electric cars/trucks. Where does he expect the source to power all these vehicles? Solar won’t cut it for the number of vehicles currently on the road, or the charging stations used currently. No, the power to charge vehicles, and charging stations comes from FOSSIL FUEL, which runs the generators to run the electric grid.
The next phase of the illustrious Socialists (Biden / Harris and the minions in the DNC) want to stop fracking, which is yet another energy source for America. For the first time until the 60s – 70s, the U.S. has finally become energy independent thanks all to President Trump.
You seem to be okay that Communist China wants to dominate the United States in all areas. They have been working to take over the South China Sea, but it is NOT theirs to declare. There are other nations, but China is pushing their military strength and only until Trump sent in American warships to establish the RIGHT OF PASSAGE OF ALL NATIONS against the Communist Dictatorship (CHINA) who are attempting to control all countries around the South China Sea.
You need to read up and do your education on Hunter Biden. His laptop now exposes the corruption within the entire Biden family (including Joe Biden’s brother James Biden, son-in-law, and others within the Biden family…but you are obviously following the liberal MSM (which seems to align with your own liberal anti-American mentality.) The Bidens have been in the pockets of the Chinese Communist Party Leaders for a VERY long time. Biden was all for allowing jobs to be sent overseas, during his time as a Senator, and recently when he was VP in the Obama Administration. Forget about American workers who have families. He was profiting from the shady deals, which are now coming to light since Hunter Biden’s TWO laptops have been recovered. The goal for Biden/Harris isn’t to ensure YOU are safe, but to ensure THEY will reap the benefits (and money) from corruption they are heavily involved with. The goal of both Biden and Harris is for a Socialist nation.
Biden and Harris definitely fall under the heading narcissists. They are only concerned about themselves. They could careless about you, but they NEED you to be with them, so it makes their job to control any American who does not accept their rhetoric. You’ve been duped, like many before you thinking there is good from this, but ask yourself: Does Trump endorse abortions? Does Trump endorse sending good paying American jobs overseas? Has Trump locked up anyone who disagrees with him? Has Trump not hired anyone from his hotels or his government who are LGBT? No, he has not. In fact, Rick (Ric) Grenell is the first openly gay cabinet member to serve in any recent administration, including Clinton’s, Obama and Bush. Did you know more LGBT communities support Donald Trump? That makes you a minority in a minority class.
Perhaps you are content with paying more taxes, in favor of abortions, want a bigger government to control you, want Socialism in America. As far as those making 400K or more will pay taxes, they will simply move to another less tax invasive country, as will nearly all of their friends. What does that mean to you? It means, YOU and those like you, will be left holding the bag. Biden says he will tax those making over 400K, per year, but what he doesn’t share with you is that many of us with money will simply leave, which means taxes will now become YOUR problem. My friends and I will simply wait things out until a friendly administration takes the helm, and then we simply move back…but you and those who think like you will have paid OUR taxes.
Trump is not the ogre you have labeled him as, but is a man of God. He has the overwhelming support of Evangelicals and Catholics. He also has every police union in the U.S. who backs him. He is about the RULE OF LAW. He does not feel it is okay to riot, tear down buildings, murder innocent people who have a different view than their own (ANTIFA and BLM). These two organizations are labeled as home-grown terrorists. They want people to be in fear, that is their mentality, and they get their funding from rich elites who only want to see anarchy in the United States. President Trump created more jobs in the first two years, than Obama and Biden did in EIGHT years. I bet you blame Trump for that, because liberals like you are blind. God has allowed you to become blind and has allowed you to believe lies over truth. The devil is a trickster, and my friend he definitely has tricked you into the way you think. You claim to be tolerant, but again, like most so-called tolerant people, you are totally intolerant to anyone with a different view from your own; Therefore, you are one of the most intolerant people in the world.
Feel better now, Tim? Good.
Gary is a hypocrite. The typical gay you’ll find living in oak lawn. Preaching and wanting tolerance and equality yet the second someone has an opposing opinion he’s triggered. Categorizing those types of people as “less than”. Not very tolerant or equal marginalizing people with viewpoints other than yourself..
What’s the most progressive thing about Joe Biden? …His dementia
The first female US President…. Is just Biden her time.