After I learned the results of the November 5th election, I vowed to take action to speak and act against what I feel is a tragedy with enormous consequences for the nation. This is a letter to those among my friends, relatives, and acquaintances whom I know voted for Trump.
Hello,
In thinking about the November 5th election, I fully accept that we all have different political views, and I have no problem with that. To me, the issue is not about politics but about morality and basic human decency. Trump has said and done things that many people, including myself, consider abhorrent and believe are not reflective of the ideals of this nation. He is a man whom I think is both amoral and who represents a clear threat to the future of the nation, including to me and my family, especially my daughters and grandson. I take it personally. You have heard his words and seen his actions, yet you voted for him.
A few years ago, I read a book whose title is “This Changes Everything.” Although the book is about climate change, those three words in the title capture how I feel about how my relationship with you has changed since the election. I believe that because we differ so much in our attitude toward Trump, any intimate connection and sense of camaraderie have been irrevocably damaged.
Yes, we can continue the interactions we have always had. Things will be different from now on, though, since our moral compasses are so misaligned.
Sincerely,
Tom
I have, in the past, tried to look at these differences as errors in judgement made by people who are intelligent (it’s too easy, and broadens rather than narrowing the gap, to simply dismiss them as “morons”) and well-intentioned. If well-intentioned, intelligent people somehow come to believe “x”, how can I be certain that my conclusion “y” isn’t somehow, similarly flawed.
My current thinking on this is that framing the differences in that fashion isn’t productive, either, and is, truthfully, a cop out on my part. It’s a quandary that may simply be unresolvable. How do you disabuse people of beliefs that many of them see as “god’s plan”/”god’s will”?
To answer the question of your last sentence, I doubt you can, at least in the short term.
What one can do is witness one’s beliefs, to speak out, gently if possible. While I am reluctant to distance myself from friends, acquaintances, and relatives who support Trump, I take this personally. I believe Trump is not immoral but amoral, completely lacking a moral core. Moreover, due to his actions and words, he has loosed the dogs of hatred that lie at the margins of society. For some time, I have feared for my children and theirs. Since the election I increasingly fear for me.
It’s been about two months since the election and during that time I hoped to find some perspective on its results. As yet only anxiety and a weird puzzlement has emerged. I have pretty much stopped following most of the news, but still the intentions of the next administration has been partially revealed in the character of those nominated to be in the next Presidential Cabinet. It appears retribution is part of the plan. This is chilling.
The real issues concerning Americans are not clear to me and I don’t understand them. Yet with all his convictions, lies and cruelty, Trump still won the election. The perceptions of all those millions of people is significantly different than mine. I want to have some understanding of those views while still expressing and supporting my own.
After watching the movie Schindler’s List My wife and I had a discussion about how we would respond if we had lived in an authoritarian government. I hope we don’t have to find out.
Through it all I’m striving to be positive about the future until it’s proven otherwise.