In the aftermath of the Presidential election in 2015, I learned that one of my co-workers–a man whose technical ability and knowledge I respect, a man whose friendship I appreciate–had voted for Donald Trump. I was gobsmacked. He explained that he didn’t like that Hilary Clinton was a lifetime politician.
It took some time to come to terms with the idea I was friends with someone who had voted for Trump. We work at different places now and my contact with him is sporadic. Our friendship has withered.
On the eve of this year’s Presidential election, with the same person once again running for President–someone who was impeached twice, who is a convicted felon, who is a convicted sexual predator, someone who disseminates, and lies, and stirs up hatreds and discontent, someone who wants to tear down our country and end the Constitution–I can’t help but think about my colleague who is smart, educated, intelligent, and genuinely nice, but who voted for chaos and mayhem rather than sanity and reason.
I am once again struggling with the knowledge that a friend of mine would vote for Donald Trump. And I am wondering who else I know that is either not voting or who is voting for the Republican candidate. This year’s election boils down to one, and only one, issue. Do you want the rule of law and a representative democracy, or do you want a fascist dictator and a Christian nationalist state?
This year I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive someone I know voting for the later. It will be hard to accept someone sitting out or voting for a third party candidate as some form of “protest”.
In one week we find out if the 248 year long experiment in democracy called the United States of America continues or if it implodes into darkness and tyranny.
I am afraid and I am hopeful.