The Perils Of The Hard Line And Cancel Culture
Cutting off contact with our family over politics is not why we’re here.
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What I’m going to express here is not a popular sentiment to those on the left or progressives. I recognize that for some it is not easy to keep talking with someone we disagree with. I find this especially true when it comes to the subject of Donald Trump. But if we stop talking to each other, what exactly, have we gained?
Arguments are a part of life. We have all had them. Sometimes we agree and other times we disagree. We may argue with our parents, our siblings, and even our kids over politics. We may agree to disagree. We may even find common ground. But the one thing that I will not do is cut off contact with my family just because they support former president Trump.
I can see how this might be tempting to some. I’ve seen it in the comments from a few of my articles. I’ve seen people encourage me to cut off contact with people in my family whom I love, and love dearly. But as I write this, I can’t help but think of something that Albert Einstein once said:
Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.
If we’re not talking to each other, at best we can have little hope for peace. If we’re not talking, we’re not understanding. Withholding love is not what we do when we want to understand one another. I’ve seen that tried and it never works.
As I write this now, my dad has not talked to one of my sisters for 30 years or more. I’ve seen him stand in the same room with her, within about 6 feet of her, and do nothing about her. He never acknowledged her, never looked at her or said a word towards her. This, I think would be painful for any child or adult child. Is this who we are?
Trump is temporary. Love is not. We may disagree with Trump. And we may even believe that Trump is not sincere in his words and deeds. But of the people I know who believe in him and support him, they are sincere in their beliefs. I’ve talked to them and they show no evidence of any lack of faith in Trump. They are completely sincere in their beliefs that Trump was a good guy.
