In the past few months, I have sometimes felt pressured by Sarah Silverman to open my heart and help build bridges between the left and right.
She has wonderful, inspiring stories, including a woman who left the Westboro Church and married a Jew and a white supremacist who is now against racism.
I definitely think people can change.
And it can go both ways. I had a former-aunt who went from left to right. And I think she became pretty far right.
I had a right-wing Christian friend who became pagan. Then she and her family moved away. I've wondered how her religious transformation affected her politics. Is she a right-winged pagan? I don't think that's common, but I doubt it's incredibly rare. Or did she move politically to the left? And if she's left now, is she far left? Is she more left than me?
Anyway, I do believe people can change.
But I don't feel like being one of the potential bridges anymore.
My heart is closing.
My heart is becoming cold.
I'm beginning to see all most MAGA as people who'd eagerly run to the auction houses if slavery became legal again.
I'm full of distrust, disrespect, and disgust.
I used to make an effort to talk to the other side on Twitter.
Okay. I should admit it.
It wasn't always about peace-making. Sometimes I liked....
Trolling? I guess that's what it would be.
I liked trying to dig holes in their thought processes.
I liked trying to make them uncomfortable with my liberal views.
I liked taking their insults and turning it back at them. There is something very enjoyable about calling a right-wing person a "Snowflake" and asking if they're triggered.
Sometimes I DID want to try to understand more.
Sometimes I hoped we could build bridges.
Sometimes I wanted them to see me and think, Hey Liberals aren't that bad after all!
But now I'd like to stop most of it.
I continue to enjoy reading the Tweets...in the same way I enjoy really scary, creepy horror movies like The Ring. But I've been trying not to respond.
I'm giving up.
I want to sing to the choir.
I want to stay in my bubble.
It's not 100% I have MAGA people in my family...and other forms of Republicans. I love these people, though, sometimes their political beliefs make me want to scream. (I blog instead). I am guessing they feel the same way about my politics. We love each other, and we struggle to tolerate certain aspects of each other.
I used to think that the most vicious people on Twitter, whether left or right, didn't have family and friends who differed politically. But recently I started to think, what if it's the opposite? What if those of us who are most eager to argue are the ones who have family and friends that are on the other side? What if Twitter, and other social media, is our way of getting our aggression out...because with family and friends, we want to keep the peace?
I don't know....
It's probably a little of both.
You know, if I had the strength and kindness to make all my interactions with MAGA people bridge-building conversations, maybe I'd keep up with it.
But I'm not strong enough, and I'm not kind enough.
So most of my interactions are just creating more drama.
I'm adding more fuel to the fire.
I'm not making things better.
I'm wasting time.
I'm tired of it all.
And hell, sometimes I have a hard time remaining peaceful with even other people on the left—those who are less left than me and those who are more left. Or sometimes we might be equally left, yet we still have different opinions. If it's a struggle to tolerate those who differ from me a little bit politically, how can I do a good job tolerating those who are very different?
Another thing I'm thinking in term of building bridges...it might happen but maybe not in the context of political conversation.
Shit. Actually I've changed my mind.
What I was going to say is we might start talking to someone about other things—like movies, TV shows, food, the weather, etc. Then later we'll sit there and say, Oh! I didn't know you were MAGA. I didn't know you were a Liberal! Wow! You guys aren't so bad after all. You tell me why you like Trump, and I'll tell you why I think we should have universal health care.
But these days, so much is wrapped up in politics— football games, chicken sandwiches, celebrities, pizza, sports stars, country music, ice-cream....
We can probably find SOME commonalities, but the fighting will start soon enough.
I love Disney World!
I love Disney World Too!
I just wish they didn't add Trump to the Hall of Presidents.
What???!!!!! So I guess you're one of those Libtards that hates America.