Brilliant … But Bouncy

We Can’t Go Forward If We Stay Divided.

While we all await the election results, a disturbing trend is cutting through social media – at least in the youth sector.

My kids are seeing posts that say (and I paraphrase): “If you’re friends with a Trump supporter, you can’t be friends with me.” Most of these kids aren’t even old enough to vote – so what does this say about what we adults have taught them?

I will admit that it’s hard – extremely, agonizingly hard – to realize that people I love don’t believe the same things I do. And it’s not just opinions, it’s issues of morality and ethics and the core of humanity. People in my own family – many of them – have called me horrible names, and/or stopped speaking to me altogether, because I am a liberal.

I’m not a different person; I just believe that I am right on some platforms of enormous importance. I’m not going to apologize for my beliefs. They are strong beliefs and they are mine.

But I only get one vote. Everyone gets one vote. We all (I hope) voted.

In the past four years, I have watched the country separate into parts. Unlike some of my family and friends, though, I think “disowning” and “unfriending” people seems both harsh and ridiculous. I don’t like Donald Trump, but I don’t have to hang out with Donald Trump. And by staying connected to people who support him, I’m able to get a glimpse into their lives, their values, their concerns and their thoughts.

I may not understand their choices – and I may never truly understand – but I like and dearly love some of these people. They are still the same people; I’m just getting to know them a little better through all of this mayhem.

So if they want to disown me, that’s their choice. It’s their right. I’ve never been one to depend on a slew of friends, propping me upright so I don’t keel over. I’ve always had a few ultra-close friends, and they generally share my values. I married a Republican, but our core values – the reason we raise our kids together so well – are very much in sync.

But saying something like “if you’re friends with a Trump supporter…” or “if you support Trump…” – well, that’s the same, sideways, somewhat sick generalization that made “stereotype” and “prejudice” household words.

We all believe what we believe. Obviously, the line is drawn in the sand – but literally half the population of this country doesn’t believe the same thing I do. Why does that mean – automatically – we have to hate?

I admit that I don’t understand supporting Trump. I wholly understand the other sides of the issues – but I don’t understand supporting the man. Maybe I will go to my grave not understanding. But I refuse to go to my grave hating people who – like me – are doing the absolute best they can with their own knowledge and beliefs.

There are huge, hot issues at hand. There are subjects of debate that are worth serious discussion. And there is obviously an enormous disconnect in communication that has caused us all to start lumping groups of people – well, into groups.

But if we’re going to get through this thing together – this United States thing – we’re going to have to find a way to talk to each other, to understand one another, and to be there for the people who believe – just as strongly as I do – in things that truly matter to all of us.

We can’t go forward if we stay divided. We need to understand one another. We need to communicate and be there for each other.

So to the youth of America: stay friends with your friends, no matter what. It’s the only way we, as a country, can stay together.