The piece of art above helped me to have a clearer mind on where I stand with respect to Donald Trump and how it should shape my activism.
At the heart of everything, I believe in individuals’ right to have their opinions and I indeed I appreciate having good discussions on any number of topics with people who have different points of view than me.
However, in certain situations, you just have to draw a line. This is one of those situations. It’s not just that I disagree with Donald Trump and his supporters on so many issues. It’s that he’s objectively a terrible human being, who puts his own interests above those of others, while turning a blind eye to the damage that his racist, sexist, self-centered remarks and actions have.
I am aware that this is perhaps exactly what he wants: to have people hate him so much that they write off a large chunk of the population. However, when he treats people with such disdain and indifference as he does with Black people, gay people, Muslims, women etc., and people continue to support him, that’s where I’m going to draw the line.
Regardless of what good he does or might do, he has done (and continues to do) abhorrent things, which I can never support. Trump’s supporters and the Republican Party, who have almost universally enabled and encouraged him, in my mind have their judgment clouded when they can see as plain as day that he knowingly treats people so poorly and continue to support him because abortion/economy/Republican Party/MAGA/all the things.
Enough is enough. I can’t and won’t continue to associate with people who support him. I look forward to the day that people can see with a little more clarity and have a sensible discussion about tough topics again, but until then, I unapologetically am going to keep those people out of my life, and choose love and goodness instead.