Most of the people I know (and plenty I don’t know personally) who suffer from TDS have something in common: they feel that those who vote for Trump, or support MAGA, or who dares to call themselves a Conservative/Republican, have absolutely no morals whatsoever. This “feeling” uttered with absolute conviction every time sickens me to my core.
I often feel that the Left, Democrats, Progressives, Pro-Abortion advocates, etc., lack morality (and sense)…but I not only do not express that viewpoint, I also don’t attribute it to them as a blanket assessment. I try to listen to people as individuals. I don’t ever say that these people who vote for other candidates, or don’t attend church, or have different political opinions than I do are bad people, or immoral. I’ve known far too many people who are generally decent, good people, who have become absolutists in their hatred for Trump and all things associated with him, even the most tangential things.
Most of them assume that I feel exactly the way they do. I have a reputation as a kind person, intelligent, passionate, a theatre-girl, one who has devoted her life to her husband, family and friends, rescuing disabled and abused animals. I am the daughter of an immigrant from a Communist country; I’m well-traveled, well-educated—supposedly the antithesis of a person who would support Trump, MAGA, Republicans, law enforcement, America in general.
And I would shock them all if I opened my mouth and told them all of my thoroughly researched viewpoints and long held beliefs.
I’m in the same boat you are, Jack. I feel like such a coward most days. I’ve always been strong and vocal about my opinions and convictions…until 2016. And then I stopped talking (except anonymously), lest I lose the people I care about. It’s been a long, dark, dismal decade. I find much solace here with your blogs and the wonderful, insightful commentary provided by your friends and fans. I’m so grateful to all of you.
Forgive my Portuguese (I love that expression which I learned from you), but don’t you think this is all a bit of a circle jerk? Are you going to stop being duplicitous and tell this wacko woman
I am not. I’m just interested in reading arguments that I should. What good would it do? I’ll analogize the issue to this quiz about the senile grandmother and whether to tell her that her daughter has died when she won’t remember it or the news will just make her miserable. My friend (I also refer to her privately as my stalker) is desperately lonely and unhappy. She alienates friends constantly. I know with 100% certainty that she would cut me off if I told her for example, which I could, that wearing a Kamala shirt is the equivalent of wearing an “I’m an idiot!” shirt. Then she would be lonelier, Spuds would have lost two playmates in her Doodles, and I’d have no one to play a competitive game of Scrabble with….and to what end? Ethics is not grandstanding or “doing the right thing” when the right thing is only right in the abstract.