Embracing who and what we are

As summer eases into autumn, we find ourselves six weeks away from what is described by all accounts as “the most important Presidential election of our lifetime!” No doubt the November 3rd General Election looms large ahead of us in the midst of the sinister miasma known as year 2020 CE, but that doesn’t mean other items of unknown awfulness won’t present in the meantime. Be it manmade or otherwise even if no other catastrophic disaster were to befall Earth’s inhabitants between now and midnight December 31st the below visual could more than adequately describe this year on the timeline of man and womankind, particularly those of us of the American persuasion.

There may be six weeks until Election Day but this year the number of UNDECIDED VOTERS is already down to 11%. In 2016 the number of undecideds was at 15% two weeks before the election. As it should be, this election is shaping up to be a referendum on the status quo. The incumbent is furiously spinning the notion that he did a “PHENOMENAL JOB” managing the Covid crisis and 200K dead Americans is actually not as bad as it could have been. Oh, and he single-handedly restored the U.S. economy and American jobs as the AUGUST UNEMPLOYMENT NUMBERS show. Sure, 8.4% unemployment looks like marked improvement from 14.7% four months earlier but remember, the February 2020 unemployment rate was 3.5%! Ugly, damaging and divisive results have become more than the 45th President’s norm. They have become his trademark. What’s more, the results of his performance as a chief executive has never been an issue with those who comprise his support base. His cult of personality exudes a powerful allure for those who, for whatever reason, lack critical thinking ability. Those to whom he directly speaks in his rallies have no problem accepting without question his version of reality. That is perhaps a fair trade for all his rhetoric maligning his enemies, critics and those he does not like as they all seem to be one in the same for all in his target audience. One thing about being a cult member, the only requirements are to hear and obey. The red MAGA non-thinking cap defines who they are.

It remains true that there is nothing new under the sun. All the nastiness directed at us by this President’s supporters was always never very far from the surface. Their candidate who won an Electoral College majority in 2016 not only validated their feelings and values but made it socially acceptable to publicly display them ala pre-Civil Rights era fashion. Their disdain, disgust and outright hatred for any individual or group who they could single out as being responsible for all they perceived wrong in their world was what got them out of bed in the morning for much of their life. That routine became so much easier for them ever since Barack Obama was elected President in 2008. Anything their guy does via official policy or executive order that appears to disrespect or better yet actually does demonstrable harm to those undesirable people or groups of people more than compensates for any and all his flaws and shortcomings as a person. Do not look for this to change. All we can hope to do is understand how best to deal with inevitable confrontations in the runup to the election and the family holiday gatherings that follow. For starters, one thing we non-cult members need not do is allow them to define us, who we are and what we do.

The mere fact people like us show that we care about things that should matter to everyone regardless of political stripe, you know, stuff like universal access to basic health care, food security, adequate wages, fair housing, sound common education, equal opportunity in the work place, public safety, a safe environment and fair treatment of all citizens by law enforcement is a reflection of our strength of character. Those of us who step up and insert ourselves into the process to effect change for those things we care about by working for public office candidates or ballot measures or volunteering for our favorite cause often makes us fair game for a variety of public insults and cheap shots from our MAGA cap wearing family members, neighbors and community associates. Our support for the things they despise has forced us all into an ever more dystopian place where only strength or the perception of it is respected and any demand for fairness or compassion is seen a weakness and dealt with accordingly. To paraphrase Orwell, America in 2020 has become a place where all citizens have rights, but some citizens have more rights than others. This photo collage recently circulated on social media speaks volumes:

We all have been frequently reminded by members of the MAGA lobby that America’s enemies hate our country for its freedoms. It is then fair to say that those same MAGA folks hate us Liberals for our FREE SPIRIT. Indeed, their contempt for our views on most relevant topics like economics, law & order, climate change, firearms, education, history, religion, god, science of any sort and above all, sex and sexuality is palpable. Their “canary in the coal mine” indicator for the effectiveness of their man’s policies is whether or not it makes us cry. They truly make no bones about letting everyone know this and take great pride in basking in the delight it brings them.

The MAGA joy of making us cry about stuff like this is huuuuuge (as their man says) and gives them a real charge. That is until we flaunt our Liberal free-spirit selves back in their face. When we do just watch their MAGA mug contort with the sort of grimace they make when getting a rectal exam as they reflux stomach acid into the back of their throat and twist their hips to get their tighty-whitey panties out of the wad it puts them in. Honestly, my indicator of effectiveness is the shade of red they turn when I tell them I am thoroughly enjoying my duly earned entitlement as a Naval Reserve retiree which enables me to lay around, wait for Welfare and hate whoever is running my country into the ground. Oh, and then I tell them I need to check on the status of my food stamps application and call my neighbor whose daughter has an African American boyfriend and make sure she got her abortion and free birth control from Planned Parenthood. At this point their red face is turning purple and they are Googling on their phone the number of their GOP Congressman to call and see if they can get my military pension revoked. When they tell me this I tell them, “Well don’t get pissed, REENLIST!” Then they usually groan in anguish as so many of the MAGA bunch forgot to enlist the first time! I agree with what you are likely thinking, this is truly one hosed up way to coexist, especially with family members and long time friends, but in order to move forward there are many things that have to change, like it or not. Let us not destroy the best of ourselves in the process by forsaking who and what we are at our core.

In all sincerity my Liberal brothers and sisters, 2020 has done nothing but test how true we are to our values. We can all only hope for the best and that a big blue wave will wash over our ailing and crippled nation on the first Tuesday in November. Regardless of the outcome though, let us never forget who we are, where we’ve been and above all, why we care. Thank you all for reading and following. When we meet on the street and I see the real YOU in your natural free-spirit state of mind and body, it truly nurtures my essential sense of inner joy. We can do this. Please stay safe! Forward!