As a kid, my mom taught me that there were three things you should never discuss with friends or family: religion, money, and politics. And somehow I found myself discussing all three throughout my life. But the one, in particular, I want to focus on is politics.
Some of us keep reciting that we shouldn’t discuss politics openly, but how could you not? With such a historic election year, how could you not discuss the upcoming Presidential election?
As of right now, three of the five candidates in the running are outsiders, or anti-establishment. With so much happening this election cycle, I think it’s fair to say that there is an exception to the rule this year.
After this realization, you have to ask yourself: How do I talk discuss politics with the far right? And I don’t mean you Reagan Republicans out there; I am talking about the Tea Party nut bags. And when talking to them, the simple answer is: You don’t.
I’m not going to hide my political biases; I am a registered Independent who supports Senator Bernie Sanders. I get some flak from my conservative friends for this but that’s what I was expecting.
Just to clarify, when I say "Tea Party nut bags" I don’t mean politicians like John Kasich, he would be my choice for the Republican candidate, I mean Donald J. Trump and Ted Cruz supporters.
The people that I mainly encounter are Trump supporters, and while it is fun to debate with them, it gets you nowhere. No matter what you say to them their response is almost always the same: “I don’t really care, I’m still voting Trump.”
At this point I feel like I have another thing to confess, I’m the type of debater that thinks he is always right; my view is the one that matters and you should change your mind. I admit this, I have this fault; I am trying to work on it.
It is just so hard, though; because no matter how much damaging information you throw at Trump’s supporters nothing fazes them. In my mind, it seems like a no-brainer that Trump is the quite possibly the biggest mistake to ever run for elected office; is that just me thinking I’m always right?
I recently showed a Trump supporter the Last Week Tonight with John Oliver episode on Trump. In the episode Oliver talks about actual Trump supporters and their reasons why they want to vote for him. And then he proves every one of those reasons wrong. And I mean really wrong, to the point of embarrassment. I’m not going to go into detail of what Oliver explained, go watch it for yourself, it’s free on YouTube.
After the episode was over I was hoping that it would have at least some sort of effect on their support of Trump. Instead the Trump supporter, whom I will not name, said: “Honestly, no matter what bad things you say about Trump, his supporters will just like him even more.”
Okay, I need to admit another thing here, I once considered voting for Mr. Trump. Not for his policies, but for the anger I felt toward the whole system after learning about superdelegates in the Democratic Party. But after watching that John Oliver episode and doing my own research, I chose against giving my vote to him.
That’s why I always try and sway people because I can be swayed by reason and facts. So why cant everyone else? Why can’t everyone look at the facts in front of them and make a level headed decision? I don’t think there will ever be an answer for that.
Speaking with a Sander supporter after telling him about this article, he had this to say: “But it's only another thing on the fucking heap of shit that ignorant Trump supporting assholes are gonna hate and use it to drive their support, and Bernie [supporters]/ level headed people will love. And [it will] further the divide between…level headed thinkers, and blind ignorant followers who want to reinstate Jim Crow.”
Thomas Jefferson once said, “If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.” This was the leader of the earliest form of the Republican Party.
This past year Trump proved the ignorance of his people by stating: “I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters.” Jefferson is probably rolling in his grave.
