It all started on Facebook where I frequently post political articles. I sometimes give my opinions about these articles. I have a favored candidate for the presidency which comes through in my Facebook posts.
One day recently a significant storm arose. On Facebook. My normally like-minded FB friends began arguing with me and with each other about my FB posts. We older people hear about friends being ugly to each other on social media, particularly middle school kids, and we have heard about how some kids can be so cruel online. Because I am a psychotherapist who attempts to help people live their healthiest lives, I believe in compassionate and non-violent communication even when people are their most distressed.
But even I waded into this storm of biting hostility on Facebook, acting in ways opposite to what I believe.
There are so many of us Americans who feel actual terror about this 2020 presidential election, who have been traumatized by the most dangerous president in history, Donald Trump. We have suffered for over 3 years now, observing his daily violence toward our democracy, our constitution, oppressed peoples, and the world. He contradicts the very heart of how this country was established: to get away from monarchs and dictatorial rule, to believe in a government of the people, by the people, for the people.
In our terrorized state, we have often spoken out about Trump and his criminal and idiotic antics and policies. No regard for human life, caging children, his constant climate change ignorance, his abuse of women, his terrible trade deals, and more. But, in the past few months now, we Democrats are turning against each other and acting often like we have with those on the other side. Neither of which is compassionate.
I began advocating on Facebook that Bloomberg should not be taken as a serious Democratic candidate for all sorts of reasons. When a FB friend called me out for criticizing Bloomberg, accusing me of dividing Democrats, I was appalled at first, wondering how I can advocate for my favorite candidate without criticizing those others who have major flaws.
I keep up with the news frequently. I see divisions in our country and hear that we need a unifying presidential candidate. I wonder what a pipe dream that may be. One analyst reports that Obama was the great unifier when actually his presidency also prompted some rigid divisions in our country. Another claims that one candidate is too aggressive, another not aggressive enough, and perhaps we should just let the billionaires wrestle with each other, while they buy our elections.
Everyone I know has been disappointed in life at some point. Betrayals of many sorts haunt lots of people. This 2020 presidential race is bringing out the worst in our human nature, as we fight for liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And, don’t even get me started on all the Republican senators who continue to support Trump’s tyranny partly because of their fears of not getting re-elected. Thank goodness for Mitt Romney.
Where is our backbone? As long as we are fighting with each other across the aisle and now within our own aisle, how can we imagine any one person can unify us all? This is a country with a great diversity of people, a wide range of colors, tones and voices, and an even more wide variety of thoughts, beliefs and opinions.
How can each of us act as unifiers instead of being dividers ourselves, so that we truly listen to each other one by one, really hear what others are saying - instead of being so frightened that even we wear strong blinders hoping to avoid conflict while creating it instead?
How can each of us act as unifiers instead of being dividers ourselves, so that we truly listen to each other one by one, really hear what others are saying - instead of being so frightened that even we wear strong blinders hoping to avoid conflict while creating it instead?
