Why I Refuse to Be a Fake, Apolitical Writer Who Lies to His Readers
I loathe Donald Trump. I’m pro-LGBTQ. I march with BLM. If you have an issue with any of it, read the next guy.
I will never lie to increase my readership. I am scrupulously honest about my taste in movies, books, and television, religion, social issues, and politics.
Criticism comes with the territory.
So let’s invite some: Politics are just about the most important thing in our culture right now. To ignore 2020’s heightened tensions as a result of both national and international politics is folly.
I’m a U.S. citizen. The way I see these things, I not only believe it is necessary but I actively want to get along with Trump supporters. Really, I do, because we all need to co-exist.
But damn if I don’t hold some serious convictions of my own. Passivity is not one of them.
I expect violence in November, regardless of who wins the election, as at present our national polarization is boiling over not only for Democrats and Republicans, but also Independents.
You have another thing coming if you believe I’m going to sell out my morals and values when reaching across personal political lines, but I’m not so thick-headed to pretend only my opinions matter.
As one who has voted for a Republican presidential ticket twice in my life, I believe I have room to talk. My issue is not with conservatives proper, save for some current leadership. My issue is with one Donald J. Trump, who I believe to be as conservative as my dog … and yet as potentially influential as any major figure from The Bible. Yeah, even that one.
Groups like BLM, Antifa and myriad splinter groups/militias marching for their own brand of social justice are imploding or converging in the perspective of a core group of the voting public: Undecideds. Protestors and counter-protestors are easily set off by the words and actions of the others, often leading to uncharacteristic acts of lashing out, including violence. Members of certain groups are infiltrating the efforts of others, causing confusion in the news media and subsequent reportage as to which organization is responsible for what offense, or even who is who. Toss into the mix an unmarked national law group, tear gas and other chemical deterrents, and further confusion is sewn as to who antagonized whom. Did the law antagonize the protestors, or did the protestors antagonize the law?
Of course there’s anarchy. We’re boiling over.
We’re all frustrated, regardless of side.
Meanwhile, as the world burns, the Divider-in-Chief, a verbose cheerleader who does nothing whatsoever to unite the country and acts solely for political gain, parlays disinformation campaigns and personal chaos as strategy to ensure only he — the messiah, or the Trump of God to evangelical hypocrites as opposed to the sincerely and learned dogmatic — will rule the throne as the first of a dynasty. The Putin ally ignores his intelligence and his State Department, strives to kill the USPS, dogwhistles for his supporters to vote twice, waits for a miracle to defeat Covid-19, and damn right insults the military.
After rewatching this interview from a few years back about Senator John McCain, why is his alleged comment, as published in “The Atlantic,” about U.S. war dead being “suckers” and “losers” so hard to believe?
I will never support the son of a bitch. Yes, I do have issues with those who do. However, and this is important … they also have issues with me.
And those on my side.
As they should.
A hardcore Trump supporter believes in their reality — where Democrats are entirely wrong about most anything because their worldview aligns with Marxism and socialism.
Yet, when asked on social media to define Marxism and socialism, accusations such as “You spread fake news” or some such are prevelent.
The question is invariably not answered.
It appears up to 40% of the U.S. has bought into Trumpism hook, line and sinker, though, which I equate to subscribing to rule via chaos theory. The pattern that results from this rule is one of imbalance. Decisions are made on a whim based on the result of the disorder, while those who subscribe to the de facto religion believe him to be engaged in a highly-strategic game of chess.
And he is rarely if ever wrong. Criticism for many is akin to losing their status as a patriot.
The primary issue is this: Less those voters who are still unsure of their 2020 vote, what’s left is not much more than the same 40% who, like me, are resolutely anti-Trump.
That means there are two realities at play here. If each side was represented by a boxer as I see it, the fight would go the distance and the decision would be down to the wire. The electoral college is all that matters here, and polling is not to be relied upon.
See Clinton: 2016.
Who is to determine what unifies these realities is the potential catalyst for a new Civil War if we are not careful.
As stated above, we need to co-exist. There is no choice. Trumpism is not disappearing once the root is out of office, either within two months or four more years. No, Trumpism will likely outlive us all.
Regardless, as outspoken as I am on the subject, I am always willing to extend an invitation, and talk. I have not been kind to Trump’s base, but as an honest writer and freethinker I can truthfully state — as I mentioned in the beginning — a willingness to get along for the future of this country.
So what can we do, together, to bring upon real much-needed change that will help us all?
America vs. America will get us nowhere.
As a writer, it is in part my job to bring attention to these matters. Sure, many of us wish to escape the current U.S. political climate, but we cannot. So write about what matters to you, no matter the side, or use politics or current events as metaphor in your work.
Make your writing matter.
Only by being upfront with each other will we have any chance of making a difference together.
Thank you for reading.
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