The Trump Dilemma
Here's the thing:
It never was about Trump.
It's about what he animated.
It's about the rabidly racist, xenophobic, islamophobic, LGBTQ-phobic, violent, angry, toting- fully-armed- semi- automatic- weaponry- at- peaceful- protests extremists that are now not only proud to be those things but are willing to cause a civil war over it.
Read that last part again:
WILLING TO CAUSE A CIVIL WAR
Is that what YOU want?
Of course it isn't right?
YOU'VE never been racist or any of those things to anybody a day in your life. You've never written anyone off for being gay or trans (even though you don't agree with their lifestyle), you've never denied a Person of Color a job or refused to serve them (even though you wish they'd focus on violence in their own communities), you've never been hostile or demeaning. That's just not your nature.
You just believe life begins at conception. Or that government should be small and taxes low. Or that Evangelicalism should be more present in mainstream society.
You are a "single issue voter". You vote GOP no matter what.
No. Matter. What.
But, after the last four years, what you have to understand is that your issues are now intertwined with all the things you claim to detest. All the the things you say you don't want to promulgate.
Because, after Trump, every. Single. Presidential candidate from the GOP- and most down- ticket candidates- will now pander to those very dark elements. The ones that prompt the saying "this is not who we are". They are the base now (and base is the perfect term for them). They know that they NEED that 10 - 20% of the GOP electorate to win any election, and whether you agree with them or not, their wants and needs will be a part of every GOP presidential candidate's platform for the foreseeable future. Your vote WILL be for xenophobia as much as it will be against legalized abortion whether you like it or not. And just like the last four years, it WILL lead to policies that suit their interests.
And, if there is no change, and these elements are further emboldened, it WILL lead to widespread violence in ALL our communities.
After all, you have a Black/ gay/ Islamic friend/ girlfriend/ nephew, don't you? Don't you consider them a part of your community?
The single issue voter is gone. Your vote for the GOP is complicit in helping the -isms and the phobias remain, at least as long as the main figurehead and heads of the party rely on the votes of those who wish to perpetuate hatred* rather than fully, unequivocally, easily, and consistently reject it and its policies, Trump or no Trump.
So, if you really believe we all belong here, that you don't "see color" and "love thy neighbor, that you "don't care if they're PURPLE", make your voice heard and tell the GOP that they need to stop coddling neo-fascists. Gun up and head to the capital to demand THAT for a change. Being a single issue voter to the point of ignoring all other issues is exactly what fascism is.
The alternative? Being honest and saying you don't mind fascism. Hell, you even low-key support it. That's how you look, anyway.
After all, you don't buy a car as-is without fixing it, unless you like or don't care about what's wrong with it.
#payattention #thisisnotfringebehavior #RESIST #Amerikkka