Note (circa 2019)

I am concerned with my parents in the era of Trump, but I’m growing more concerned with the inevitable liberal over-correction/backlash. Liberals seem unwilling or unable to learn why or what caused the feelings that allowed the fascist to get into office in the first place. It probably started before then, maybe GWB, maybe you can point back to the Goldwater ridiculousness in the 70s, maybe further back than that, but at that point you might as well go back prior to the nation’s founding. I would posit that in the context of two Obama terms back to back that their cocky selfishness caused it, and conservatives reaching out to a blonde swine in the emperor’s new clothes was a misguided and spiteful backlash. However, liberals seem to be doubling down on self-righteousness, oblivious that they are engaging in the same victim-fetishing that evangelicals use to get off. I feel like in response, conservatives are perpetuating the liberal self-righteousness more and more by doubling down on the Trumpian ridiculousness. In doing so, each is perpetuating the feelings of the other side. I’m stuck in the middle seeing the merits of the core left (that we should honor the ideals of freedom and respect and should not shy away from change in doing so even if that means we have to do the human thing and adapt) and I’m feeling understanding towards the concerns of the core right (that we already have some things we do really well and maybe it just takes some reinvestment and patience to do them right and reap the benefits we are looking for in change (and I acknowledge that I come from a line of poor white people and my family has racist tendencies that we have to consciously set aside and as a part of circumstance I am slowly losing what little cultural relevance I was born into with a social world that is bending more towards other minorities)). Both sides arguing and perpetuating each other’s worst and most misguided believes will inevitably make everyone’s lives harder, and will cause needless suffering in future generations For example, see 1830–1870 American history, they had many opportunities to find a peaceful solution until it came to a head in the 1860’s. I’m not justifying the rebels’ side or even proclaiming their cause as equal, I’m just saying that, logically, because they were born into that place and were taught a certain way and because the rebels’ felt like that they had no other option it literally would come to blows in the bloodiest war Americans have ever fought. If any humans anywhere feel unheard, un-represented, and forced into an impossible choice, they will fight. No matter how unfair their position may be or how dumb they sound, that is the reality of feelings and of respect. I’m saying that either we learn how to start mending fences (despite how idealistic and trite one may think that sounds) we are dooming ourselves to inevitable physical war.