Yes, I will unfriend you if you are a Trump supporter
Wednesday, August 12, 2020 at 06:59AM The following graphic showed up on my Facebook feed a few days ago:
In a normal election, I could buy into this. An election based on ideas and values and different paths to a better future for our country.
But sadly, this is not a normal election.
I have always defined politics as values put into action. And I myself cannot be categorized as a Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, libertarian or socialist. Until the 2016 election I had felt I could vote for the major candidate of either party and feel like I was voting at least for a decent human being.
But with Mr. Trump, this is not the case. This is a man who I would not leave alone in a room with my children or anyone else's. This is the school-yard bully. This is the kid who when he sees he is not winning, tips over the game board. This is a man who makes me feel embarrassed to be male. Embarrassed to be an American. If you support Trump, you are opposing every personal value I hold dear.
If you support Trump I will unfriend you on Facebook. I will unfriend you period.
This is not about politics. This is about what it means to be a decent human being. This is about values.
Reader Comments (8)
Luckily, I don’t really do Facebook so I don’t have this particular issue. But I do work with nice people who admit to voting for him. The one I interact with the most regrets it but it’s kind of late now. My wife works with a woman we love but says she’s still “undecided” which is obviously nuts. I mean, it’s weird. We have to do that whole dissonance thing with folks like that.
Hi Ninja,
I am totally mystified how otherwise good people can support such a person. Dissonance is a great word. My thought is that they have an "ends justify the means" mentality if they perhaps are anti-abortion, gay rights, etc. Who knows.
Doug
Doug - I appreciate you honestly and have valued or friendship. Thank you for being open and real.
I wasn't surprised at the post, and hope that it does not affect my ability to comment and talk with you in the future.
I will admit that I did "hold my nose" when I voted, but I have always voted Republican regardless (as I know many who are Democrats do). I agree that President Trump is not the best person, but my choice was for the best president. I would never ask him about personal relationships or marriage advice, but I have no doubt that he has been a positive force for the country.
He has never claimed to be or wanted to be a politician - he is a New York business man and acts like one. I believe he loves this country and wants it to be as good as it can be, even if the way he talks to most people can be rude and childish.
Maybe the biggest reason I will continue to support him is that he says what he means and he means what he says.
My biggest concern is not that you and I would no longer communicate, it is that the current political climate will continue to polarize, ond that honest and open discussion will not longer be possible.
One of my favorite quotes recently is...
"I do not approve of what you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it."
I hope we all have a great weekend - we started school yesterday (online) and I had a rough time this morning knowing it will be online for at least two more weeks. I miss my students!
Hi Kenn,
I admire your courage in writing this. Perhaps we can just agree to disagree about Mr Trump. If, as you believe, his actions are in the best interest of the country, I hope this is actually so.
Keep readin' and writin' and good luck with this tough start to school! Glad I retired when I did.
Doug
I hear so often what Kenn says, "...he says what he means and he means what he says."
That is one of the reasons I am sickened by listening to him. Women are "nasty" and "I will not veto money to save USPS as long as I get concessions for Republican bills" (paraphrased) and "I don't know whether that mean, nasty Kamala Harris is eligible to run for VP" (paraphrased). His blatant racism and support for white nationalism shows up in what he says, or doesn't say. Trump does indeed do what he says but what he says does not show that he values anything but money, money for his cronies especially.
Where is his concern for humanity?
I OFTEN vote a split ticket because I vote for what the person stands for. Late night venting, Sara
Hi Sara,
That was a very "nasty" thing to say. (Just joking.)
Trump still has a lot of blue collar workers thinking his economic policies are in their best interest. I hope they look honestly at their paychecks and networth today before going to the polls! (One of my biggest concerns are all the environmental rollbacks he has initiated!)
Doug
What a snowflake you are.
If today's events weren't a testament to the evil of Donald Trump, then nothing is. How Kenn Gorman can say he has no doubt that Trump has been a positive force for this country is beyond comprehension. It's delusional at the very least.