More recriminations. More anguish. Some people are throwing around epithets like "collaborationist" and "quisling" against those who only want to talk and to understand. And by "some people" I mean me.
That's not a fair or helpful thing of me to do. We all have to deal with things in our own way. There is no master plan. We are all making this up as we go along, doing the only things we can think to do. For some of us, the only thing we can think to do is to reach out to the people who voted for Trump, to seek to be understood and to understand.
So the first thing I want to do, is I want to apologize, and the second thing I want to do is that I want to explain why I said what I did, even though I was wrong to do so.
I have said in the past that people who voted for Trump are not people that I can, personally, forgive or compromise with. That my first and overriding priority is to protect those who are being threatened by Trump voters, and secondarily to protect the values which Trump voters threaten. I have declared people I know who voted for Trump dead to me.
These are harsh words. I do not say them out of blind hatred. I have searched in my heart for a way to forgive, to trust, to respect Trump voters. And I have not been able to find any way. I do not mean to say that no way exists, but that if someone comes to me seeking reconciliation, I cannot advise them as to how that reconciliation can be effected. I cannot think of anything they can do that would restore my trust or my respect for them.
But these words and beliefs are only the words and beliefs I need. I do not seriously expect everybody to share in them. I do have concerns and fears for those who choose to try and build bridges with Trump voters.
When you talk to somebody who voted for Trump, you are, in all likelihood, talking to someone who simply does not have the moral principles necessary to be a decent and trustworthy human being. They have gone through their entire life without learning these principles from their church, from their school, from their parents, from anybody.
So when you choose to try and help by talking to Trump voters, please understand that you are choosing a very difficult task. It is not enough to simply change their vote in the election- since they are morally rootless, this will not be difficult at all. What you will also need to do is something many others have tried to do, but have not succeeded in: You will need to teach them right from wrong. Stay strong. Do not be discouraged.
Please also keep in mind that you will have to be strong yourself. Your beliefs and your values will be put to the test, and some people who wish to do this may need to spend time building their own character before they are able to be of help this way. If you are the sort of person whose values are focused around one issue, any issue, be it abortion or economic justice, to the exclusion of human rights, you are vulnerable. You need to recognize this.
