Just the other day, as Chih and I were selling plants at the Coweta Farmers Market in Newnan, we couldn't help but notice people wearing pro-Trump shirts and hats. One of them was one of our few customers, and she was quite personable and nice.
I say this not to suggest that Trump supporters aren't kind and generous people, but in my biased mind, I had this fantasy of the angry Trump supporter who doesn't shop locally. Obviously, I'm guilty of stereotyping and judging people. We all are.
Deep in my heart, I already knew that good people come from all sides. My church is comprised of a complete range of political identities- we have everyone from hard-core Trumpers to extreme left-leaning Democrats. But this mixture is increasingly rare for most churches, at least here in Georgia. Most of us have picked a side, a tribe, and we rarely socialize with people outside of it.
Before I make my argument against Trump, first, let me say that it isn't my intention to attack Republicans. I feel many principles of conservatism are valuable to society and help balance the naive idealism of the left. I consider myself a moderate who mostly votes for Democrats. But there are many Republicans I admire and would gladly vote for if I had the chance.
However, what does concern me is the blind devotion so many Americans feel toward someone like Trump.
With that being said, I'm not thrilled with Biden either. He's way too old to continue in such a demanding position. But even in all his frailty and cognitive slowness, I don't fear him like I do Trump. At least Biden is self-aware enough to know he's old. He even makes fun of his age. Biden is still capable of self-reflection, a trait I've never observed in Trump. This fact alone should be enough for a reasonable person to disqualify someone like him.
Ask yourself this question: If you were to encounter someone like Donald Trump, would you trust him with your money or your grandchildren? I would trust Biden but not Trump. This is purely a gut feeling, as I don't know either one of them.
But I've seen enough of Trump to know that he believes he is always the VICTIM. And he always has to have an enemy. And he's smart to tap into our instinctive need for victimhood because it feels good to blame others for our problems. It galvanizes our tribe against the "other." We all love to have someone or some group to hate. Democrats use their hatred of Trump to galvanize support for Democrats.
But we should be able to look through all the propaganda, see the red flags, and recognize that this individual is dangerous and shouldn't be in control of anything, much less the country.
Yet, for many reasons, many Americans, including those who should know better, are either oblivious to these warning signs or feel they have no other viable option but to support Trump. What does this say about the times we are living in? What is happening in our country that has made so many turn to a strong-man leader like Trump- someone who so clearly displays signs of extreme narcissism?
Some people genuinely feel he is part of God's plan for saving America. And there are plenty of things wrong with our country... I get it. We have a crisis of trust; we fear everyone, and our families and communities are ravaged by addiction and disconnection. Prices have skyrocketed, but wages, at least for most of us, remain flat. We are angry. I'm angry enough to write this essay, which may poison my relationship with certain people.
We mustn't mistake Trump's apparent "confidence" for strength and leadership abilities. A good leader is capable of taking criticism. Instead, Trump lashes out at critics and tries his best to destroy the careers and lives of those he deems "disloyal"- this behavior is a hallmark of someone with a personality disorder. And while narcissists like this can and do achieve real results, they accomplish their goals by creating a climate of fear and paranoia.
Would you want a boss like him? Imagine the work involved in staying on his good side... all the endless flattery and walking on eggshells. It must be exhausting, lol.
Another unsettling attribute is that he punches down at people he deems unworthy... people without wealth, women he deems ugly or fat, and people with physical disabilities...
In Trump's mind, wealth, power, intelligence, and beauty are the only qualities that matter. Without these, he feels absolutely worthless. He can only accept "winning," never losing. Is that not a red flag? If it isn't, you should probably probe deep inside yourself and question your own moral philosophy.
With all that said, I do feel sorry for him, and I often think about what could have happened to create a person like Trump.
He comes from a wealthy but highly dysfunctional family. According to many accounts, his mother was emotionally distant, and his father was a tyrant and never had much to do with children. His personality is the product of a neglectful home. He can't help who he is, but we shouldn't look to him for wisdom or sound decision-making. We certainly shouldn't trust him with presidential power. He may have great ideas, but his personality is dangerous.
I'm not naive. I know I probably won't sway anyone with my words. In fact, I'll probably offend and anger many of my friends by writing this. We've entrenched ourselves into tribes or parties, and most of us believe what we want to believe. And we will vote for anyone with an R or D by the name.
Regardless of the outcome in November, we will have to deal with this deep polarization. When half of America hates the other half, we either have to change, or we risk civil war! On that note, I think I'll end this essay, lol.
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