Someone had the audacity to “gently” suggest that I had a “seething rage” as I wandered into—let’s call it a “progressive circle of self-congratulation.” Too bloody right, I was angry. First of all, every voter in America deserves at least the presumption of rationality. Every single one.
I can remember thinking that John Kerry was the most timid follower, a guy more worried about seeming normal than speaking plainly, even to us conservatives at the time. News stories about him calling that paragon of virtue and the life of the common citizen, Bill Clinton, to talk to people. And with a haughty arrogance I was pretty sure that I would never see again. What a profoundly entitled idiot, in the classical sense. Even so, if you didn’t like the Bush administration, what are you going to do? They don’t have to invite him over for dinner or drinks; he was almost the president. I absolutely cannot think that I would dislike every Kerry voter in the same way. I would have personally been pretty bummed if he won. But you know, hating roughly half your neighbors isn’t a great life plan. I’d have made it. I promise.
You don’t need me to say that I think Donald Trump is uniquely bad. He’s possibly just a bad person, one of the worst I’ve heard of. And especially unqualified, in most scenarios, for the job he’s currently doing. I’ve said enough.
Don’t my neighbors deserve the same exact presumption I gave the Kerry voters? Because they are my neighbors, my friends, my family? And it has always been a basic American thing to hope for the best. De Tocqueville was stunned at how resilient we are. The boldest fresh start in the bloody history of self-government.
And if you have gripes with the elder evangelicals who taught you the Bible and somehow to your astonishment, support this wretch of a man, talk to them about it. I never did support him. But maybe before you get too comfortable, ask yourself why they didn’t support the Abortion Party, the We Hate White People Party, The Maybe We Don’t Need Police Ever Party, and The Math And Academic Achievement is Racist Party. (I don’t feel like adding quotes to all that.) Is this an exaggeration? Of course it is. But watch how well this post does, when I post it. Just watch. I didn’t even support this guy, and I still want to punch Ben Cremer in the face. Does he ever say anything about Jesus on social media? Isn’t his job selling Jesus? Or did he take a job with the bloody DNC last year or something? Let me know.
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