Gorka Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 I’ve been a Democrat for 20 years. Here’s what I experienced at Trump’s rally in New Hampshire. Normally when I publish content online, I focus on the world of work. I hope you’ll forgive this brief departure, but I think that those of us on the left need to take a long look in the mirror and have an honest conversation about what’s going on. If you had told me 3 years ago that I would ever attend a Donald Trump rally, I would have laughed while assuring you that was never going to happen. Heck, if you had told me I would do it 3 months ago, I probably would have done the same thing. So, how did I find myself among 11,000+ Trump supporters in Manchester NH? Believe it or not, it all started with knitting. You might not think of the knitting world as a particularly political community, but you’d be wrong. Many knitters are particularly active in social justice communities and love to discuss the revolutionary role that knitters have played in our culture. As a casual knitter, I never really paid attention to this. I knit as a way to relax and escape the drama of real life, not to further engage with it, but for anyone who is active in the knitting world on Instagram, it became almost impossible to avoid it. It started about a year ago when roving gangs of online social justice warriors started going after anyone who was not lockstep in their ideology. People were bullied and mobbed by hundreds of people for such offenses as publishing an article expressing excitement about going on a trip to India, posting a video saying they were leaving IG because they were uncomfortable, and posting a poem asking for kindness. You see, I was one of those Democrats who considered anyone who voted for Trump a racist. I thought they were horrible (yes, even deplorable) and had worked very hard to eliminate their voices from my spaces by unfriending or blocking people who spoke about their support of him, however minor their comments. I watched a lot of MSNBC, was convinced that everything he had done was horrible, that he hated anyone that wasn’t a straight, white man, and that he had no redeeming qualities. But when I witnessed the amount of hate coming from the left in this small, niche knitting community, I started to question everything. I started making a proactive effort to break my echo chamber by listening to voices I thought I would disagree with. I wanted to understand their perspective, believing it would confirm that they were filled with hate for anyone that wasn’t like them. That turned out not to be the case. The more voices outside of the left I listened to, the more I realized that these were not bad people. They were not racists, nazis, or white supremacists. We had differences of opinions on social and economic issues, but a difference of opinion does not make your opponent inherently evil. And they could justify their opinions using arguments, rather than the shouting and ranting I had seen coming from my side of the aisle. I started to question everything. How many stories had I been sold that weren’t true? What if my perception of the other side is wrong? How is it possible that half of the country is really overtly racist? Is it possible that Trump Derangement Syndrome is a real thing, and had I been suffering from it for the past three years? And the biggest question of all was this: Did I hate Trump so much that I wanted to see my country fail just to spite him and everyone who voted for him? Fast forward to the New Hampshire primary and we have all the politicians running around the state making their case. I’ve seen almost every Democratic candidate in person and almost universally their message is one of doom and gloom, focusing on not only on the obvious disagreements with Donald Trump but also making sure to emphasize that the country is a horribly racist place. Now, I do believe there are very real issues when it comes to race that we as a society have yet to reckon with. I believe that everyone from every background of every gender should have equal access to opportunities and that no one is inherently more or less valuable or worthy than anyone else. And while Charlottesville was a tragedy precipitated by real racists and real nazis and real white supremacists, I started to see that those labels simply don’t apply to most people who support Trump. But with all of this, I was still reticent to even consider attending a Trump event. I do not believe that Trump’s attitude is worthy of the highest office in the land. I abhor his Twitter. I am vehemently opposed to so many of his policies. But still, I wanted to see for myself. I’m not going to lie, I was nervous, so I thought I would start my day in familiar territory at an MSNBC live show that was taking place a few blocks away from the rally. I decided to wear my red hat that looks like a Trump hat but with one small difference — it says “Make Speech Free Again” as my small protest against cancel culture. I even got a photo with MSNBC host Ari Melber while I was wearing it, just for kicks. The funny thing about that hat is that it’s completely open to interpretation. When I wear it around left-leaning people, they think I’m talking about the right. When I wear it around right-leaning folks, they think I’m talking about the left. It’s a really stark reminder of how much our own perspectives and biases play into how we view the world. In chatting with the folks at the taping, I said casually that I was thinking about going over to the Trump rally. The first reaction they had was a genuine fear for my safety. I had never seen people I didn’t know so passionately urge me to avoid all of those people. One woman told me that these people were the lowest of the low. Another man told me that he had gone to one of his rallies in the past and had been the target of harassment by large muscle-bound men. Another woman offered me her pepper spray. I assured them all that I thought I would be fine but that I would get the heck out of dodge if I got nervous. What they didn’t know is that they weren’t the only ones I had heard from that were afraid. Some of my more right-leaning friends online had expressed genuine fear at my going as well….but not because they were afraid of the attendees. They were afraid of people on the left violently attacking attendees! This was one day after a man had run his car through a republican voter registration tent in Florida and there was a genuine fear that there would be a repeat, or that Antifa would bus people up from Boston for it. Just as I had assured those on the left, I told them I thought I would be fine because we don’t really have Antifa in New Hampshire. But I’m not going to say it didn’t get to me a bit. When everyone around you is nervous for your safety, it’s hard not to question if they have a point. But it also made me more determined to see it through because it was a stark reminder that both sides view each other exactly the same way. They are both scared of the other side and what they are capable of. I couldn’t help but think that if they could just see the world through the lens of the other for a moment or two, it would be a stark revelation that they don’t know as much as they think they do. So I headed over an hour and a half before the doors were scheduled to open (which was 4 hours before Trump was set to take the stage) and the line already stretched a mile away from the entrance to the arena. As I waited, I chatted with the folks around me. And contrary to all the fears expressed, they were so nice! I was not harassed or intimidated and was never in fear of my safety even for a moment. These were average everyday people. They were veterans, school teachers, and small business owners and they had come from all over the place for the thrill of attending this rally. They were upbeat and excited. In chatting, I even let it slip that I was a democrat and the reaction was “Good for you! Welcome!” Once we got inside, the atmosphere was jubilant! It was more like attending a rock concert than a political rally. People were genuinely enjoying themselves. Some were even dancing to music being played over the loudspeakers! It was so different than any other political event I had ever attended. Even Obama in 2008 didn’t feel like this. I had attended an event with all of the Democratic contenders just two days prior in exactly the same arena and the contrast was stark. First, Trump completely filled the arena all the way up to the top. Even with every major Democratic candidate in attendance the other night, and the campaigns giving away free tickets, the Democrats did not do that. With Trump, every single person was unified around a singular goal. With the Democrats, the audience booed over candidates they didn’t like and got in literal shouting matches with each other. With Trump, there was a genuinely optimistic view of the future. With the Democrats, it was doom and gloom. With Trump, there was a genuine feeling of pride of being an American. With the Democrats, they emphasized that the country was a racist place from top to bottom. Now, Trump is always going to present the best case he can. And yes, he lies. This is provable. But the strength of this rally wasn’t about the facts and figures. It was a group of people who felt like they had someone in their corner, that would fight for them. Some people say “well obviously they’re having a great time. They’re in a cult.” I don’t think that’s true. The reality is that many people I spoke to do disagree with Trump on things. They don’t always like his attitude. They wish he wouldn’t tweet so much. People who are in cults don’t question their leaders. The people I spoke with did, but the pros in their eyes far outweighed the cons. They don’t love him because they think he’s perfect. They love him despite his flaws because they believe he has their back. As I left the rally (walking by thousands of people who were watching it on a giant monitor outside of the arena because they couldn’t get in), I knew that there was no way Trump was going to lose in November. Absolutely no way. I truly believe that it doesn’t matter who the Democrats nominate: Trump is going to trounce them. If you don’t believe me, attend one of his rallies and see for yourself. Don’t worry, they really won’t hurt you. Today, I voted in the New Hampshire Democratic Primary for Pete Buttigieg. I genuinely feel that Pete would be great for this country, and maybe he’ll have his opportunity in the future. But tomorrow, I’ll be changing my voter registration from Democrat to Independent and walking away from the party I’ve spent the last 20 years in to sit in the middle for a while. There are extremes in both parties that I am uncomfortable with, but I also fundamentally believe that most people on both sides are good, decent human beings that want the best for the country but have dramatic disagreements on how to get there. But until we start seeing each other as human beings, there will be no bridging the divide. I refuse to be a part of the divisiveness any longer. I refuse to hate people I don’t know simply because they choose to vote for someone else. If we’re going to heal the country, we have to start taking steps towards one another rather than away. I think the Democrats have an ass-kicking coming to them in November, and I think most of them will be utterly shocked when it happens because they’re existing in an echo chamber that is not reflective of the broader reality. I hope it’s a wake-up call and causes them to take a long look in the mirror and really ask themselves how they got here. Maybe then they’ll start listening. I tend to doubt it, but I can hope. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorka Posted February 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Just notice this was posted on another thread. Don't see a delete option on thread topics. Mods delete if you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 I can't find where it was already posted again... ***************************************** the number of former democrats that go to Pres Trump rallies - has been polled at 27% and 20%. She isn't alone. There are a sizeable number of liberals who suddenly start realizing that they have been operating on emotion alone. It felt good to be party of the "in" crowd, and others who lived on emotion alone just added to it. But in the real world, where truth matters, reality matters, FACTS matter.... emotional based existence is something that gets questioned. Eventually, often ? rejected over time. Jerry Rubin, a drug crazed anti-America anti-war activists in a very serious way - ("gotta kill your parents to be free") etc... became a business man in the eighties, well after the college years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorka Posted February 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 17 minutes ago, calfoxwc said: I can't find where it was already posted again... ***************************************** On Tour's thread. "My Decades as a staunch independent"...Last page. You responded to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorka Posted February 14, 2020 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LogicIsForSquares Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 This just reaffirms my thought that the lines are blurred between Dem and Republican. Also, anyone who treats a politician rally like it is a rock concert is bizarre. Cult of personality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calfoxwc Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 https://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-am-one-for-whom-you-have-been-waiting.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBrownsFan Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 12 minutes ago, calfoxwc said: https://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-am-one-for-whom-you-have-been-waiting.html I still remember the 2012 DNC convention where the delegates decided to take out all reference to God in their party platform. Then some of the smarter democrats realized this may not sit well with voters and hurt them politically and God needed to be put back in their platform. So they had a voice vote but that didn't go well as the majority of the people voiced against it but since party leaders knew it would hurt them politically they called the voice vote as yes for putting God back in the platform when it was clear the voice vote was against it. The dems are just natural communists at heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiamat63 Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 1 hour ago, OldBrownsFan said: Then some of the smarter democrats realized this may not sit well with voters and hurt them politically and God needed to be put back in their platform. So God is used as a political tool. Really nothing much changes in thousands of years, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBrownsFan Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 7 minutes ago, tiamat63 said: So God is used as a political tool. Really nothing much changes in thousands of years, eh? Just stating the facts. Interpret them as you wish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tiamat63 Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 1 minute ago, OldBrownsFan said: Just stating the facts So was I. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldBrownsFan Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 20 minutes ago, tiamat63 said: So was I. I found it comical. I posted it in response to Cal's post about a disillusioned democrat after witnessing voter fraud and theft at the DNC in 08. What I posted was another case of shenanigans at the DNC in 2012 and then we have what happened to Sanders in 2016 where the DNC weren't too fair with him either. This may be the best year yet at the DNC particularly if they have a brokered convention...get out the popcorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LogicIsForSquares Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Any politician in the US has to fake being religious to dupe the rabble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westside Steve Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 23 minutes ago, LogicIsForSquares said: Any politician in the US has to fake being religious to dupe the rabble. Probably true. But still I think 80 some percent of Americans believe in a higher power. WSS 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 14, 2020 Report Share Posted February 14, 2020 Nice write up. I think you'll find as time goes by that the heart of the matter is the information you get (MSM), and there is a reason/purpose for that : The Smith - Mundt Act. https://ivn.us/2017/05/03/comey-accidentally-admits-plan-expand-propaganda-programs Tweets. The Tweets are the only real way for POTUS to get the real story out too the people (look at all the MSM fake spins). Also, whether people believe it or not, the Tweets are signals/codes - far more than you can image. "Misspellings Matter". Lies. Maybe, maybe not - it's far from over. There are still a lot of things to do, and just because they're not done yet doesn't make them false. POTUS is not perfect, no one is. We all make mistakes. I initially thought he was Clown intentionally trying to tank the R's to get Hildebeast (absolute evil) elected. I only voted for him because I knew way more about the alternative than I cared too - lesser of two evils (at the time). Stay an I, the R's have issues too, but unfortunately they most closely align to what I believe/want for this Country. Again, thanks for the objective write up, and for recognizing that both sides have extremes. People just want to live their Lives and enjoy their friends/family - there are too many in power that just want to dictate what everyone's lives should be (their Subjects). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Tweet - case in point : Blank ? Well how about that (years later). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardBrownsFan Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Donald J. Trump · Great honor, I think? Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that “Donald J. Trump is Number 1 on Facebook. Number 2 is Prime Minister Modi of India.” Actually, I am going to India in two weeks. Looking forward to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 21 minutes ago, DieHardBrownsFan said: Donald J. Trump · Great honor, I think? Mark Zuckerberg recently stated that “Donald J. Trump is Number 1 on Facebook. Number 2 is Prime Minister Modi of India.” Actually, I am going to India in two weeks. Looking forward to it! You've all seen the massive overflow crowds at his Rallies . . . Modi say's he expects Millions for POTUS. Remember this ? : Modi loves POTUS, he know's the calamity that was coming had Hildebeast won. Do not for one minute forget what is happening around the World due to this Victory - France, 60+ weeks later is still protesting the Globalist Macron. Even the people of Germany are looking for their own BREXIT (DREXIT as posted elsewhere). When people are living in Historic times it is hard to realize that is what is taking place. We are living in Historic times that people have yet to fathom. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAFBF Posted February 15, 2020 Report Share Posted February 15, 2020 Wrong thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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