In recent weeks, I have heard a lot of Trump supporters say that it is unfair that people have recently made politics so "personal." It's true that in the past, people could disagree on political views without ending their relationships. Friends or even romantic partners could easily have different political views and put that aside for the sake of one another.
However, our two-party system has become increasingly polarized over the past years, and Trump is a candidate that intentionally spews hate and intolerance in a way that no president ever should.
It's okay to have differing political views. Conservatives who advocate for smaller government or trickle-down economics disagree with my personal political views. We can remain friends even with this type of differing views.
However, if you believe that a woman should be forced to keep a pregnancy that could possibly harm her or that she simply does not want because it makes you more comfortable, we don't have a difference in political views. We have a difference in morals.
If you believe that children should be kept in cages at ICE detention facilities simply because they wanted a better life, we don't have a difference in political views. We have a difference in morals.
If you believe that same-sex couples should not be able to adopt children, leaving children in foster homes instead of allowing them to be raised in a loving, two-parent household, we don't have a difference in political views. We have a difference in morals.
If you don't support the Black Lives Matter movement because you refuse to educate yourself on the systemic racism prevalent in our society today, we don't have a difference in political views. We have a difference in morals.
If you vote for Trump, you may lose friends. I've seen too many posts by my conservative friends ending with: "If you disagree with me, I don't care." Instead of rejecting others' opinions, try to actively educate yourself. Think about why the people in your life are calling out your views. Voting for Trump is voting against minorities, women, the LGBTQIA+ community, Jewish Americans, those in poverty, and so many more. Voting for Trump is different from voting for other Republican candidates because no other Republican presidential candidate has been so vocally hateful to these protected communities. It is an act of violence against protected communities to support Trump, and for that reason, you are the one intentionally ending the relationships in your life.
