While growing up in North Irwin, I knew people with many different political and religious views. We still got along for the most part, and I miss that.
During my lifetime, I’ve seen civil rights afforded to Black people. I’ve seen women get the right to own property without a man co-signing and the right to make their own health and reproductive choices. I’ve seen people gain the right to marry the ones they love.
It is so different now. Some people want to limit or deny these rights of other citizens. I’ve seen people I love turn to fear and hatred of people of color and of liberals and decide that women shouldn’t have the right to choose their own health care.
I don’t think that President Trump’s supporters are dumb. I think they were victims of a well-orchestrated con by a flim-flam man who purports to be very rich and doesn’t need money, yet has convinced them to send him more.
I get that many are grieving that their candidate did not win an election. Until they have completed the grief process, it is expected that they will continue to be angry, deny the facts and double down on conspiracy theories and hate speech. They will continue to fight against the other side so they aren’t labeled as “dumb” or “losers,” to reshape reality so they feel comfortable about themselves.
But if they continue to support and repeat the lies while knowing they are lies, they are complicit in the fraud and any of the associated crimes.
Bud Santimyer
Scottdale