What I’ve learned these past four years
As we dive headfirst into the home stretch, it seemed like the best time to share with the American people all the lessons I’ve picked up during these four years in hell. And let me just begin by saying: I’m not here to disparage either candidate.
I think that’s been done too many times over and, at the end of the day, it’s neither productive nor helpful. I’m just here to provide you with words of wisdom to keep what happened in 2016 from ever happening again and hopefully to try and heal the divide that has ravaged this fair nation time and time again.
First off, I think it bears repeating: we are the united states of America and that will never change. I know that doesn’t sound like a big revelation or epiphany but hear me out. What I’ve learned is we’re not the conservative states of America nor are we the liberal states of America. We are America, plain and simple, and the truth is we have so much more in common than most of you could ever imagine.
I didn’t think I could ever understand conservatives and their point of view until one of my own friends came out as one of them. And for most people, that would probably be the part of the story where they declare said friend as “dead to them” and just refuse to ever acknowledge their existence again. But that’s not who we are. We can and should do better.
Look at Uncle Joe. He was lifelong friends with John McCain, Strom Thurmond and many a Republican back in his day. That doesn’t make him a bad person. If anything, it makes him better because it shows a willingness to listen to other points of view to better understand how other people perceive the world around us. It’s the same thing with me and my friend. We don’t talk politics very often but, when we do, we are always respectful, we never let get it out of hand, and if at any point, it gets to be too much, we simply switch topics. That is an option, you know.
My point is we are so much more alike than we give ourselves credit for. We just can’t see it because of all the hate and division sown throughout the country during this administration. For so long, I thought Republicans were just crooks, greedy businessmen and immoral bigots (and we definitely see a lot of that in DC) but the fact remains the majority of Republicans and conservatives are honest, decent, hardworking Americans who want to see this nation succeed and flourish just as much as their liberal counterparts (if not, perhaps even more) and now is not the time to let our differences come between us.
We have to realize that the only way to move forward, to create a future we can all be proud of is by healing the divide and treating all Americans with the respect, compassion and empathy we deserve. And the only way we can do that is with uncle Joe. Look, I get it. I’m sure his opponent appeals to many conservatives whose guns can only be pried out of their cold, dead hands and want to see their pro-life values represented in congress but if letting almost 225,000 people die is what you consider pro-life, you really need to reevaluate your principles.
So I ask you to please swallow your pride this November and vote blue. And remember: it’s a secret ballot so no one ever has to know you did it. You can lie to your friends and family until the end of time about how you voted for Trump and upheld your conservative mentality. I really don’t care but what I do care about is ensuring our nation is one that we can all be proud of and doesn’t leave people to die out in the freezing cold or lock them in cages. So just please vote for uncle Joe. It’s the only way forward.