No, The US Does Not Have 70 Million Racists
politics ·I’ve seen comments saying that the election division, in the U.S., proves that we are still a nation of racists. I stay away from politics on social media, but when people I call my friends make blanket statements like this I feel like someone needs to respond.
The real thing many of these people are saying is “Why would anyone possibly vote for this guy? This loud, obnoxious jackass that publicly belittles people?”
I’m not going to talk about the strengths, weaknesses, or character of either candidate here, but instead speak to the American voter.
We had 70+ million people vote one way, and 70+ million people vote the other.
Here’s my theory (and from conversations I’ve had, I think it’s a valid one). 70+ million people did not vote “for” Joe Biden. Don’t get me wrong, there were many who did. But, there were also huge numbers that voted “against” President Trump. It’s not that they loved Joe Biden, or even liked what he stood for, they just hate the President enough to vote for anyone else.
Conversely the same (I think) is true. 70+ million people did not vote “for” the President. There were many who did, but I think there were also extreme amounts who voted “against” giving too much power to the Democratic Party, who (they feel) is trying very hard to dismantle our Constitutional Republic.
There are those who think neither of these ‘alternate’ arguments has any validity. Regardless of whether you believe the arguments have merit or not, that’s how and why so many seem to have voted the way that they did.
It is a shame that so many (on both sides) made their choice between what they saw as “the lesser of two evils”. But this is where we are today.
Not every Democrat is a Socialist, and not every Republican is a Racist. I truly believe that most of the nation is in the middle. Kind, decent, law abiding people, who love their families, and want everyone, equally, to have the same rights and opportunities to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Where is our true division? What are the real points of contention? And, more to the point, how can we solve them if we don’t come together and discuss them? Just because Jack thinks that Jill isn’t right, it doesn’t necessarily mean that she is wrong either. Is it all a party thing? What does your party “have right”? What do they “have wrong”?
Everything comes down to perspective. None of us looks at life through the same lens. Let’s dream about a world where we talk these things through and find equitable and reasonable solutions to our issues. Then, let’s act to make those dreams come true.
“You are the only real obstacle in your path to fulfilling it.” - Les Brown
“If you dream, you can do it.” - Walt Disney