Trump Voters Are People Too
Trump voters are people too. Based on photo downloaded from user vvaniasantoss on Pixabay, labeled as “free for commercial use, no attribution required”. Photo does not represent actual Trump voters.
From what I have been able to figure out, there are at least two ways in which Trump appeals to his supporters: he “tells it like it is” and he “puts America first.” Never mind that he lies and bullies and that the only thing he puts first is himself; these phrases are what people hear over and over again to start taking them as a given.
These ideas appeal to many people. People are proud of the country they live in, and are sick and tired of politicians saying one thing as code for something entirely different. They are looking for someone who is more like themselves, who talks like they talk among themselves, not how they talk to outsiders. And Trump sells the illusion that he is someone like that.
When I, as a leftist Democrat, hear Trump speak, hear about his actions, my stomach turns. I get angry, and I can’t imagine anyone being stupid enough to fall for him.
But that is the problem. Because what I hear is not the same thing other people hear. When I get home, after having listened to the president’s latest antics on NPR, and fire up my facebook account, the reactions from others may be very different.
Where I see the president wrecking international relationships, they see someone who makes sure that Americans don’t get the short end of the stick. Where I see the president risking economic chaos, they see someone who stands up against Chinese exploitation. Where I see human rights violations at the border, they see a protection against law-breaking foreigners.
Is my viewpoint more valid than theirs? I think so, but undoubtedly everyone else thinks their own viewpoint is the more valid one. And in a lot of ways it is beside the point. Because regardless of whether they are right or wrong, from their point of view they are supporting the right person for the right reasons.
Let’s be honest, in the end, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But we have become so polarized in this country that we aren't even trying to uncover a shared truth anymore. All we do is consider the other party stupid, elitist, deplorable, snobs.
It is time we start pulling back from this spiral of polarization, and return to a conversation about issues. It is time we start remembering that Trump voters are people too...
Eric Grivel
February 9, 2020