In being as outspoken as I am about my political affiliations, I often get asked questions that attempt to force me to admit that I don't always adhere to my ideals.
One of the most ridiculous (asked by one of my high school peers) was "would you ever date a conservative?" Of course, my immediate answer was definitely not, but it forced me to consider how the political views of the people in my life impact my relationships with them.
Of course, conservative affiliations exist on a large scale, with moderates being very different from Trump supporters, but at the end of the day, I just don't want Trump supporters in my life.
To me, being liberal or a Democrat is in part about having compassion for people other than yourself.
It's recognizing needs that exist among various identity groups, which might not be your own, and saying that these people deserve to have their needs met by governing institutions.
While I'm not a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I support their access to marriage, child adoption, and a whole host of other equal rights. I'm an upper-middle-class white woman, but I support policy that protects the rights of non-white Americans or of immigrants. I feel that as a human being I have a responsibility to help correct any injustices that exist, whether they pertain to myself or not.
The policies that make me so against Trump are contrary to this belief that you help everyone around you regardless of whether doing so helps yourself.
Things like the border wall, privileges for the wealthy, refusing to raise the minimum wage, refusing to make healthcare accessible for all, and infringing on women's reproductive rights all work to create a less free, less equal America.
Some of his policies would directly impact my life, some wouldn't, but I am against them nonetheless because I refuse to be a part of a country and government that denies its people basic human rights.
This concept even expands beyond Trump supporters. People who claim to be conservative in terms of economics but socially liberal also fail to recognize the entire point of liberalism.
To support everyone keeping their own money and not put any of it toward helping others, yet say that you support social equality is completely contradictory. If you support equality and care about the well-being of people outside of your own identity group, you would not continue to support conservative economic policy.
People who are informed about political issues and who care about others do not truly support Trump's policies.
It's a broad statement, I know, but Trump was elected on a platform of making other people's lives worse so a small group of people can be better off. Anyone who supports that agenda is simply not someone I want in my life.
It has nothing to do with only wanting to be surrounded by people who agree with me, and I gladly engage in conversation with people who have views contradictory to my own. However, when it comes down to people who I have close relationships with, I want to be surrounded by good and positive people who can see outside of their own lives enough to have compassion for those they don't know.
