Before the election of Donald Trump, I never had ill feelings for Republicans. Most members of my family are Republicans as were both of my former spouses. Before Trump, I never voted a straight Democratic ticket. I voted for whoever was the best candidate for the job and acknowledged that several Republican politicians were true statesmen. While I did not agree with their political positions, I admired their intent, their patriotism, and service to their country.
Because of a recent conversation, I realize that I lost my objectivity and had become partisan to the point of tribalism. I started painting all Republicans with one broad brush. I attribute this in part to members of my family (several) who unfriended me on Facebook because of my criticisms of Trump- not the Republican Party, mind you, of Trump! Add to that the absolute partisanship demonstrated by Mitch McConnell and House under Paul Ryan, and I have become down-right biased. Lumping together all Republicans is as wrong and offensive as is grouping people by gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
Not all Republicans support Trump. Not all Republicans approve of Congresses’ partisanship or Trump’s sycophants. Grant you, many of them believe Democrats are soft on border protection and think a wall is needed to stop illegal immigration. They may not understand that a wall is as outdated as the coal industry and often do not realize that what Democrats propose is better technology by way of scanners, helicopters, drones, and improvements in our legal points of entry. The wall, however, is beside the point. The point is that not all Republicans support Trump- not all Republicans think alike, and I must stop speaking as if they do.
I thank my friend for calling me out on my bias. Besides bringing attention to my bias, she succeeded in giving me hope that just possibly, members of the two major parties can agree to disagree and once again work together in a bipartisan manner. That time might not come right away. Tribalism did not start under Donald Trump, but this is where I get off the tribalistic bandwagon. This is when I return to accepting that Democrats and Republicans have different opinions and values and respect these differences, just like I do not share Muslim or Jewish beliefs but respect their rights to worship differently.
I cannot end tribalism in American politics, but I can stop painting Republicans with the same broad brush and accept that Republicans are as varied as every other group. Ω
dottieriley 