Nobody's Right If Everybody's Wrong

 I feel like I've entered The Twilight Zone.

Here is my disclaimer: If you are easily pissed off, and believe me, some of you are, you probably don’t want to read any further because I guarantee, you’ll find plenty to be pissed off about with my ramblings tonight. Trust me on this one.

I am seriously disturbed and concerned about the apparent lack of ability to have a conversation these days without it turning ugly. I’m not talking about two people arguing and it gets out of hand. I’m talking about Person A makes a statement about how they feel about or perceive a situation, idea or belief and then Person B, goes off the rails. No discussion just how stupid and wrong Person A is.

Then there’s the name-calling which always adds a special Je ne sais quoi to the discussion. Special words are used like, moron, idiot, “F@&# the Left!” or “F@&# the Right!” followed by asshole, bitches, and worse. I especially love when it’s followed up with scripture. No, seriously. I’ve seen it over and over again. Or how about using the N word or threatening death while hiding behind Jesus. That aint Jesus you’re hiding behind. Now who’s the asshole? Not even sorry I said it.

Of course, there are also the non-spiritual intellectuals who are more evolved aka better than everyone else and insist on pointing out/calling out all the morons, unintelligent, uneducated, deplorables, buttercups, snowflakes, etc. They do their best to avoid the use of any foul language not realizing telling someone they are in a cult because they like Trump or they voted for Biden is pretty foul. When did we, whoever we are, decide there is only one acceptable way to think or believe? I somehow missed that meeting.

My favorite though, has to be when the name calling gets specific. Calling me a leftist or a right-winger when you have no idea who I voted for makes you uninformed and not very smart. Here’s a hint: I’m not a Democrat or a Republican. What I am is a jerk just trying to live a decent life and love people along the way. So, if you want to call me something, call me a damn hippie freak. I can live with that.

I vehemently disagree with many things Biden is doing. I could say the same about Trump, Obama, Bush and Clinton. I actually love to have discussions with family and friends who see things differently. Sometimes, their viewpoints change my mind about things. Sometimes, they don’t. What never works for me however is name calling, arrogance or belittling. If the goal is to be heard, I will never hear you through those avenues.

I’ve said this before and I’m going to say it again because I’m not being heard, so I’m getting louder, I suppose. I don’t effn care who you voted for. I don’t. I care if you are a decent human being trying your hardest to live life in a way that doesn’t hurt other people. If you’re kind to animals, children and old people, I’m good with you no matter what your political beliefs are as long as you play nice.

We should not be afraid to have conversations. Honest conversations. But we are. I am. I stay out of the fray as much as possible but a handful of times lately I posted or made a comment because I felt compelled. I wasn’t nasty or accusing, I was opening myself up for honest discussion. Each time turned uglier than old guacamole. It was unreal. I was shocked and hurt, not understanding what was happening. Did these people not know me? Know my heart? Were they truly incapable of hearing what I was saying and then helping me to understand their view?

A few of the times I was attacked was because I stepped into a “conversation” in an attempt to stop the ugliness. I literally asked that we remember we were family/friends/neighbors and that we try to see things from the others perspective without losing our shit. Yeah, that went over well.

I have continued to unfollow a lot of people. I will never unfriend anyone because I’m stupidly loyal and you have to pretty much kill me to make me let go of hope. But I will unfollow crap so I can sleep at night and tell myself all is well in the world and the people I love and care about are not all bat-shit crazy.

In the words of Dr. Seuss…

“Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

And Dr. Fauci…

“Now is the time to do what you're told."

So, I’m telling you…BE NICE! And to those who play nice, THANK YOU!!

And now, we return to our regularly scheduled programming.