Divided We Fall

I would like all those who read this to do something.

Republicans:  Look through your friends, coworkers, acquaintances and tell me if you can name ONE Democrat you like. 

Democrats:  Look through your friends, coworkers, acquaintances and tell me if you can name ONE Republican you like.

Odds are, you can.

We each have friends on the other side of the aisle.

Now – to both groups:  Do ANY of you know a SINGLE member of the group identifying as ANTIFA? 

The reason I am asking is this:  I do not identify with either party per se’ but I have voted for Trump.  My reason for voting for Trump was selfish.  I HATE party politics and I believed that what I know of Trump is that he has absolutely no click mentality.  He appears to have no interest in siding with a ‘party’.  He appears to do what he does – usually for his own self-gratification.  However, what I have witnessed of Trump is a consistent drive towards making profitable business deals. 

I am not rich.  By standards in other countries, I may be considered well-off.  But here, I am more middle class if that.  What I am is TIRED of the United States claiming to be “broke” but still ponying up money to send elsewhere.  We give our money, our military support, our resources to others without so much as a hint of quid pro quo arrangement.  We claim to be the superpower of the world, but even if that were true, of late we are not behaving like we are.  I do not mean Democrats.  I do not mean Republicans.  I mean WE THE PEOPLE.

Donald Trump is all about Donald Trump.  No question about that.  If he has done what he has done in a self-serving capacity to pad his own ego, and the United States benefits by riding the coattails, I am ok with that.  We have not had a target on our backs from North Korea in years; we have brought business back to the United States and we have held other world organizations accountable. 

When COVID hit, I heard what he said just like you did.  He played it down.  I would like to believe his reason for this was to prevent panic.  Only he knows his reasons.  But I also saw what he did.  He contacted manufacturers to have them begin production for ventilators to meet the demands; he sent a hospital ship to New York harbor to accommodate the patient overflow and demands; he stopped international travel.  The list goes on. 

He called it the China Virus and people chastised his use of the word China as it appeared discriminatory.  If the information coming out about this virus becomes fact, a lab in Wuhan China intentionally developed this virus.  So, if the use of the word “CHINA” before the word virus upsets people, I officially do not understand whose side we are on.

Here is what I do know:

When people are in disputes with others, they do whatever they can to disparage those whom they are disputing.  Character assassinations are high on that list.  When someone is testifying in court, the opposition will question them to discredit them; find a flaw in their testimony; their character; anything that will shed doubt on that individual to weaken their credibility.  This is standard operating procedure in courtrooms – and in life.

We have watched footage from all sources and angles of yesterdays breech of the capital building.  From my perspective, the footage rarely supported the dialog in the broadcast.  It was as if the script was written and footage was thrown up behind them as filler.  Was it from yesterdays events?  As far as I could tell yes, it was.  But it did not necessarily support the narrative.

The reason I questioned if ANYONE reading this knows someone in ANTIFA is I am betting you do not.  If you do, you do not know you do.  People are not parading around claiming their affiliation.  So, none of us know with certainty what they do, why they do it or when they plan to act again.  From photographs we can make strong comparisons of people who were present yesterday at the forefront of the breech as having been participants in events that took place during the summer months.  At that time, they were labeled DEMOCRATS.  Yesterday, they were labeled REPUBLICANS. 

What if they are neither?

Is it possible that there is an entirely separate entity pouring gas on the feud between the parties?  If so, what would be the motive?  Does the term divide and conquer ring a bell?

I witnessed threads on Facebook yesterday where family members turned against one another disputing what took place and why; almost blaming one another for their responsibility or lack of caring that got us here.

The few people I personally know who marched yesterday, I say with certainty, did not assault anyone; did not carry or brandish a weapon of any kind, did not intend to physically intimidate anyone.  The ONLY intent was to stand in unison with the rest of the like-minded Americans and show their strength to demand an honest, constitutionally protected election; something they believe they have not gotten in this last go around.

Republicans are now being dismissed as conspiracy theorists.  “They don’t like the outcome of the election, so they are calling fraud.”  I do not agree.  What is the expression?  Just because they are paranoid, does not mean no one is after them?

The statement I have repeatedly heard since the election from Republicans is Obama was my president.  I may not have voted for him – but he was the President of the United States.  It is not that Republican’s did not vote for Joe Biden.  It is that they do not believe that the election was fair.  More votes than registered voters; blocking of vote verification; a deluge of mail in votes (a first in history).  Discounting all of that, an overwhelming “gut” feeling.

Remember when people told you to trust your gut?  Is that not in fashion anymore? 

2020 has brought much stress, fear, disbelief, and mistrust to the surface.  Americans are turned against one another.  We are RIPE for a takeover.  Right here. Right now.  If you are telling yourself it cannot happen – you are walking towards surrendering.

So, I beg you:  Find a friend who positions him/herself on the opposite side of the aisle politically and remind yourself of the love, friendship, and good times you have shared.  If we do not each come together now as a country – we will not have one.

R-O-A-R!!!!!