The puzzle of what drives T supporters is something that crosses my mind every day. T supporters are members of my family (and they are a minority) and when I communicate with them, I am always floored by their beliefs and have to will myself to be kind. That said, I've had plenty of time since 2016 to observe behaviors and note a few things.
In my family, the T supporters are very rigid thinkers. They only see black or white on issues and are very much driven by fear: fear of people who are different, fear of people who are black and brown; fear of people from different cultures. One of them told me that they voted for Trump because they were so afraid of Hillary Clinton and they were afraid for their children's and grandchildren's future. T supporters are desperate to maintain the status quo because change is frightening to them.
Another part of that puzzle is culture. They live in a community that is extremely right wing, extremely fundamentalist Christian, so their whole environment is shaped by that right wing religious political cult. Probably 99% of the people they know are influenced by the evangelical churches. They don't have friends who are gay, black, brown, immigrant or Jewish. They have no interest in or compassion for the families and children in cages at our borders. The evangelical churches, to my knowledge, have done nothing to help this poor people and these churches have perverted the very Christianity that is the foundation of so many Southern lives and communities. So my family lives in an evangelical right wing echo chamber.
Plus, there's the influence of right wing propaganda through Fox News, Facebook, Rush Limbaugh radio. Their lives are saturated with right wing conspiracy theories daily and they are scared into voting for Republicans only. It defies logical thinking because they are not getting any benefit out of Trump's presidency except for conservative judges. Again, they are living in right wing propaganda echo chamber and all their friends are, too. Even discussing the pandemic, they have resisted the reality of science because of right wing propaganda. They won't take precautions and will not social distance. They hug and eat out in restaurants, assuring me that restaurants have never been cleaner. One of them explained to me recently that they just handle the pandemic differently in SC. This, as the Covid numbers are skyrocketing in their region.
I don't see T supporters as immoral, but I do question how they can claim not to be racist when they support a racist president. I question how they can claim to be pro life and be so indifferent to others' suffering and persecution. Where is their conscience in these matters?
It appears that we have roughly 1/3 of our fellow country men who do not know how to process data independent of their news sources. They don't have the skills to analyze and reason. Is that a fault of education, limited ability or is that a mindset? Is it an overwhelming need to conform to their local culture? I don't know. Not too long ago, Coyote posted about remembering not to demonize our fellow men and women, not to belittle them.
So, I struggle with understanding T supporters and don't know if I ever truly will. Do I come off as an elite, as someone who thinks I am superior? Seriously, I try not to be an asshole about this. I just don't get it.
My personal decision is to treat T supporters with love and respect despite our difference of opinion. My hope is that someday this nightmare will truly be over and there will no longer be these partisan barriers between us. My hope is to live to see that day.
New question for all the gifted visionaries here:
Will this book by Cheeto's niece be published, and if so, will it come out before the elections?
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/30/media/mary-trump-book/index.html
@grace I’m still learning But here goes:
Meditation on Mary Trump
@share An amazing reading. Thank you for sharing. I still remember what you had presented a few weeks ago when you did a reading on T. While you’d pulled the Wheel of Fortune (?) card or maybe it was the Universe, you said there was a spike poking the eye that looking out. Shortly after that T’s spate of problems started. Will be fun to check as to when Mary Trump’s book is finally released.
Also meant to say I loved your descriptive imagery of Kamala and her transforming into a goddess to counteract disruptive forces. It’s the return of the Feminine!
@pikake ahhhh thank you for your sweet and kind words. I must admit I’m having a blast practicing my readings on all these people I don’t know. I’m curious to see when Mary’s book will get published as well. And yes I truly believe it’s the rising of the matriarchal power which is desperately needed to bring back balance and extinguish these disgusting feces that’s polluting our the world.
As for T; Maybe Kamala can use her super powers and turn him into a recycled roll of toilet paper.
share the love and light
Watching the news this morning, seeing the Mississippi state flag with the Confederate emblem being taken down, I felt a sense of relief for the people of that state.
Mississippi is 50th in health care, 48th in economy, 46th in education and 45th in infrastructure. The removal of that flag was like pulling down a pall of stunted growth that has covered the state since the Civil War.
I foresee a rebirth for Mississippi now. A blossoming. Something has been unbound and life is going to improve there. Thank God, it is way past time.
The governor said, “Whether you agree or disagree with this act, I love you all.”
I have also been seeing a Truth and Reconciliation commission in our future, much like the one of South Africa, to aid in our national healing.