Labels are dangerous, I find. I tend to describe myself (be careful here) as fiscally conservative but socially liberal. What does that mean? Well, I guess it puts a box around the fact that I believe there should be better gun control, we should not try to stop immigration, government should be fighting climate change, we should take great care to cultivate partnerships around the world, but need to be quite careful about our budget.
Nobody needs me to describe the great divide in the USA today, but these labels give people something to hide behind. Can I not respect the views of people with more conservative opinions than mine? Clearly a mix of opinions is good for business; its the heart of what we call diversity. I respectfully disagree with friends who are against gun control, and those who want to build walls to keep immigrants out, but they are still friends.
…and then there is a bridge too far. I have never felt that Donald Trump (or many of his conspiracy theorist followers) were conservatives. Donald Trump is no more a Republican than he is a Democrat. He is not a conservative any more than he is a liberal. He is just out for himself, and that’s what makes him dangerous. The fluke that got him elected was his reality tv showmanship, tapping into feelings that had been driven underground for years. Those feelings existed when Obama was president – remember ‘birtherism?’ It makes a difference what leaders say, however. Leaders set examples and followers only follow when there is someone leading. Trump led in one direction – it was calculated to appeal to his followers and calculated to be simply the opposite direction of his predecessor. It was not the thoughtful development of many diverse opinions on a topic. It was just showmanship. I can respect the views of others, but not those who believe Donald Trump is the right person to lead our country….even now???
I have been embarrassed for my country over this, and am keen to see it end.
mikesteinharter.com 