Nothing But Survival
This post was written by a good friend. It is offered here as a succinct description of the divide that exists between Americans.
The lesson that we are at taught over and over and over again (and yet we never seem to retain) is that the supporters of Donald Trump will find a way to justify absolutely everything he does. His lawyer argued in Federal court today that Trump, as president, is immune from investigation, regardless of how blatant, how heinous, how egregious his crime(s) might be. Supporters such as our friends, and the millions of others who wholeheartedly agree with every move he makes, will stand by their man, regardless. He’s their guy come hell or high water (and in this case we’ll end up with both).
The adage is; Democrats Fall in Love while Republicans Fall in Line. With that in mind, love can be messy and uncertain, it can ebb and flow. Those is love can argue and disagree on many issues while still remaining in love. When one “Falls in Line,” questioning is forbidden. You toe the line, follow the dogma, drink the Kool-aid or you are no longer a member of the tribe. In this case it is the tribe of Trump and one dare not question the patriarch without suffering the consequences of removal from the group. Our righteous righties in this group are but a microcosm of their demographic.
Most of us attempt to wrap our collective heads around how it is possible for people to eschew any semblance of rational thought, to wave the U. S. Constitution in the air, hailing it as a great document, then, without a second thought, cherry pick issues while lighting fire to the rest of it. It makes no sense, but it does to them. They feel, deep in the guts, that Trump will lead them towards a greatness they believe once existed, but actual never did. The figment of their imaginations is the only place where MAGA ever lived and somehow the Valhalla of Trumpland is as real to them as the waves in the ocean are to the rest of us. So how does one counter that?
The bottom line is we can’t. We cannot argue about colors with the blind, nor can we discuss the nuances of Mozart with the deaf and we cannot argue the disasters of Trump with those who are true believers. There is no common ground from which to base even a remotely salient discussion.
All we can do is rally the like-minded, fight the attempts at voter suppression and encourage every single thinking person we know to vote as if their life depended on it, because it does. If we can do that, the corrupt regime now in power will dissipate, slowly but surely. They will eventually murmur their way back under rocks and we can once again move towards a more tolerant, revered, trusted, and inclusive nation. But it will take a great deal of work from a great number of people and I personally promise to do absolutely everything I can to make that happen.
My two cents.
On a philosophical note, the lesson is difficult to learn because one of the hallmarks of our humanity is our faculty of reason. We hold on to the expectation, the assumption that the person with whom we are speaking, after all has been said, will be reasonable. Over and over again that assumption is proven to be mistaken. Reason is but a veneer, stretched over the reptilian brain, the id, that cares for nothing but survival.
