A few weeks ago, I made a BIG mistake! I mean a, really, really BIG mistake! A whopper of one, a goof and gigantic blunder for the ages. It was a major f**k up that caused my head to ache, and my nerves crumble. I screwed up so badly that I had to take two shots of vodka, an antidepressant, and practice deep breathing exercises and meditation for hours afterward. What did I do, you ask? I attempted to have an intelligent and mutually respectful conversation with someone that idolizes and worships Donald Trump.
I once again let myself get roped into a discussion about the fantasy world of Trumpism. After four years of profanity and expletive-laced shouting matches both in-person and online with more people than I can count, I engaged in a conversation about the muddy swamp of politics. I broke a promise I made to myself and others that I would avoid those discussions—or at least make an effort to prevent them.
I don’t plan to rehash the nauseating discussion here, as I’m already starting to feel my blood pressure rise as I write this. I will briefly highlight it and how a conversation turned ugly.
First, the Trumpie said the January 6th attack on the Capitol was “mostly not violent and only a few people caused problems.” I countered with, how can an incident as horrendous as the attack on American democracy be “mostly not violent.” What does that mean? I also asked how any lucid and reasonably intelligent person with a pulse could watch the hundreds—if not thousands of videos, photos, and reports from the horrific event and dismiss the chaos and madness of that day to just a few rowdy people?
Point two, the Trumpie asked, why hasn’t there been an arrest in the shooting death of Ashli Babbitt? Why is there not outrage and an investigation into who shot and killed that wonderful woman? Babbitt was the woman that was shot in the shoulder and later died during the January 6th attack. I quickly countered that she was committing a crime—vandalism, and trespassing at the Capitol. There is also a videotape/photo of her climbing through a shattered window. An outpouring of sympathy for her is challenging for many of us to muster. Based on her actions before and during the Capitol attack, it’s questionable how wonderful a person she was. What makes her behavior even more disgraceful is that she was an ex-veteran—for 14 years. She straddled the lines between Trumpism, alleged patriot, and domestic terrorist. So, the word “wonderful” is not the first adjective I think about when I hear her name.
Finally, the Trumpie argued that Donald Trump would be reinstated as POTUS before the end of the year after, and the 2020 election is proven to be bogus. He will run and win again in 2024. By this point during our discussion, my blood was boiling. And that embarrassing lifelong habit of my right eye blinking incessantly and uncontrollably when I’m livid and enraged is in full force. I countered that nearly every investigation—regarding the security and accuracy of the 2020 election had verified its legitimacy. Biden won, and Trump lost. Period. And as far as a 2024 return to power by Trump, I said, given the laundry list of criminal, civil investigations, pending charges, and lawsuits, I expect a stint at a federal prison
camp is far more likely than a return trip to the White House in three years.
Nonetheless, after some snarky remarks and a few obscenities filtered their way into the conversation, our discussion ended abruptly. The exchange ended with the delete, unfriend, and block buttons utilized. FYI–I just checked my blood pressure—back to normal at 120/80—my mid-year resolution–no more discussions about
Trumpism!