The political divide cannot possibly be any more intense, but I am beginning to perceive a softening. I engage liberals and Democrats as often as possible to try to find common ground, to try to show that we have the same concerns. For many years now, any such attempt, even with strangers on Facebook, is met with viciousness. It takes maybe one volley in a debate before I get called “racist” or worse.



For the fist time in years, I engaged, and was met with courtesy and earnestness, if disagreement. Hope peeks through. I think some closer to the center are moving that way. The base on the far left, however, cannot make itself left enough, and are trying harder than ever. Sadly, they just come across as inhumanly vicious if not just plain stupid, or both.

Folks on my “side” must be welcoming and courteous more than ever now. The United States endured a Civil War, and I still think the divide cannot be worse. All of us on the pro-America side must always take care to target only leadership in our criticism. We poke at the “victim class” mentality, but in this case, I honestly view our countrymen as legitimate victims of the most vicious sci-ops the world has seen. We are all human, and we are all susceptible to being swept up in a trend or reeducated via social pressure and engineering.

The joint session address spectacle shocked me deeply. This is not hyperbole designed to trigger you or otherwise convince you of some argument point. It is what happened. I screamed at the TV, furiously posted on antisocial media, and on occasion was dumbstruck into silence and stared mute into every corner of my living room as though an answer would pop its head up. I could not believe what I was seeing. The aftermath is equally breathtaking.



I predicted a response of “It was so gross how Trump used those kids as props.” That would have been predictable and bad enough, but Democrat leaders outdid themselves. I have been saying for years that liberals compete with each other to show their personal hate for Trump is supreme. They want to be seen as the paramount Trump hater. It’s virtue signaling to them. It is part of the internal workings of the echo chamber.



When attempting to show goodness and virtue means supporting murder, autism, and insulting teenage cancer survivors, the virtue signaler really should take a pause. 



Read that last line again.



Otherwise good people suddenly think shooting a man in the back is justified. They are under a cult spell. Their souls are in trouble. I am not religious, and yet I am concerned for these people’s very souls.



Growing up, I had many democrat friends, some in positions of leadership. Some were (are) highly intelligent. They were creative, funny, and interesting people. One who I’ve known (not closely) for decades posted on antisocial media that with all the changes, people may be very stressed out. We don’t know what they are going through, and so we should be sure to treat each other with kindness and in particular, empathy. The use of the word “empathy” became ironic in the extreme after I commented. I realize in retrospect I was being naive, but I posted something like this:

Would that such values crossed the partisan line. Rather than calling people racist sexist nazis all the time, perhaps we should treat folks with kindness and empathy, because we don’t know their lives or what kind of day they’re having. In short, I agree with your statement.

Sure, I was being naive, but truly I hoped to create a bit of a bridge. This is/was an old friend, after all, and I want us to find our common ground. The reply was swift and devastating. Paraphrasing:

Nothing against you personally, Matt, but all too often those charges are valid…

I realized something. Liberals view others as less than human. I had been aware of it in the past, but forgot, because it is so unnatural to me that my brain ejected it at some point. My “friend” was happy to refresh the lesson. It hit. Hard. It made me instantly sad. I felt every bit of the rejection of an old friend, despite the disclaimer, which was completely hollow.

First of all, the disclaimer “Nothing against you personally” is nothing more than salve for the conscience – or what fragments yet cling to life. But the next part… Wow. Empathy and kindness are reserved only for them. Anyone who falls outside the doctrinal limits, as we are all painfully aware by now, are “racists” or “sexists” or… it’s a long list of bad words, and they are each used to literally dehumanize you. And if you are not human, then you do not deserve kindness or empathy, and no one should feel compelled to extend it. Being unkind to a cockroach will not cause guilty feelings.



It’s a simple, effective, and necessary tactic for war-fighting. Humans who don’t know each other and have no quarrels don’t typically murder each other. It is not natural. So getting someone to aim a weapon and then pull the trigger at a perfect stranger who could be the sweetest person in the world – that requires training. Weapons training and more are part of the military. But the part where we dehumanize an enemy is (I hope) reserved for hot wars. This, of course, means Democrat leaders see our day-to-day life in America as a hot war, and only club members are human. Everything else is a legitimate target.



If the target is a “towel head” or a “kike” or a “limey,” (or in my case, a straight white male) then the target may be eliminated with less guilt, less soul damage than if the target is a father of three, or a pastor, or a baker. We humans must find ways to dehumanize other humans when we abuse or kill them, otherwise we might feel bad. No one wants to feel bad when forced to do terrible unnatural things, and we cope however we can, however distasteful the needs of war become. Democrat leadership is training its people in war fighting tactics. And they still are not letting up, though their tent is shrinking rapidly as good people are breaking free from the spell.

My heart broke in more than one place with that social media encounter. I felt the pain of rejection from a friend I enjoyed many times with, from parties and bar outings to Dungeons and Dragons campaigns. But I feel equally as badly for him. His soul is blackened to this point. It’s sad to see a person, otherwise good and well-meaning to force himself to hate so many people, including me (though of course, “nothing personal… just everything you say or believe.”)

We will never ever cross our divide without debate, discussion, honesty, and dare I say it, empathy, even if only strategic empathy. But one is not morally, ethically, or principally called or obligated in any way to converse or otherwise confer with a dog or a hissing monkey. And that is how they are compelled to see everyone outside their echo chamber – but even worse. Racists and nazis are even worse than dogs or hissing monkeys. They can be exterminated like cockroaches. We all know we have a responsibility to assassinate Hitler if we ever get the chance to go back in time. Right? Democrats will spare a convict, but non-Democrats are offered no quarter.

People who I’ve known for decades now add to the list of justifications for homicide, being Donald Trump, or being an insurance CEO, or being an active voter who does not vote like they do. The liberal body politic can move through the world in clear conscience because their searing hate is aimed squarely at subhumans who deserve death – just “nothing against me personally…”



Every SOTU has moments that are designed to make us all come together, at least for a moment. There’s always some cute amazing kid or a victim of something who survived. Every administration does it, and it should be a beautiful thing. Over the years watching, each time the full assembly stands, no matter which party is in office, I felt hope and optimism. This is the first joint session speech that had no such moment of hope or joy. (Where have I heard those words in political contexts?)



But the hatred is now so intense that Democrats forbade themselves even showing happiness for a teenage cancer survivor. Why? Because it might humanize anyone who is outside their echo chamber. They are to be seen as racists and nazis, not human beings who show caring and joy for such a young man. If Democrat leaders lose grip on the hate they mercilessly hammered into their base, they will lose that base, because there is no policy for rank-and-file to grip. Hate is the Democrat leader’s fuel. But it is not natural.



I have not seen a specific policy proposal from the Democrat party for a long time. Their last presidential candidate flatly refused to discuss policy – during the campaign.



I pray that the rank-and-file Democrat sees what is happening to him. He is paying club dues with his soul. And his club charges extraordinary dues. Those dues include hatred – and I mean hatred – for the club member’s countrymen. Social standing in that club is proportional to the size, scope, and depth of the hate display. The loudest, most obnoxious, most vicious hate displays are rewarded, so they go all in like a bird of hate paradise trying to score a mate. But his dance is vicious; it is neither beautiful nor interesting.



I ask all rank-and-file Democrats, please look harder in the mirror and at your leaders. You are the people who say you reject hate, but you are all strapped tightly into a hate breeding machine. You are 9 months pregnant with hate, but the baby is stuck. I feel very badly for you. No one should go through life hating that much.



When you find yourself throwing long-term friends down the drain for club standing, please take a breath, and take a look. When you reserve kindness and empathy exclusively for your clique, please ask yourself what is purpose and the nature of kindness and empathy.



Is it possible to be morally pure if kindness and empathy are selective based on party affiliation? No. Everyone knows that, even liberals. They reconcile by believing that at least half of our country (and with Trump’s ever-increasing popularity, that “half” grows) are subhumans. If the subhuman racist is shown kindness or empathy, he might be legitimized in some way. As we know, this “racist” half is “the greatest threat to American democracy…” and so must be marginalized, canceled, or murdered. Our future would be so bright without them, just like if Hitler had been murdered before his plan could take shape.

This thinking is so dark I have had, and continue to have, a terrible time accepting that it exists at all, but it’s right here in front of us all and on antisocial media feeds all over the country and the world. The social and financial costs are incalculable. 



I started this piece with the admonition that the pro-America team reserve our meaner side for leadership. I believe kindness and empathy matter most when extended to folks outside our clique. It’s easy to be kind to the like-minded. I grant no brownie points for it. I believe we have barrel loads in common as countrymen. U.S. leftist leadership does not allow for its members to see those commonalities. They apply terrible social pressure to their members, and have them contorting themselves into believing absurdities so incredible that they support scoffing at teenage cancer survivors or putting naked grown men in middle school girl locker rooms. 



Your Democrat countrymen are suffering. The ones who cling to this mass hypnosis may be able to suppress their conscience for the duration of their lives, but it will burn their soul. If the pro-America side does not extend kindness and empathy, then all afflicted will be left alone if they decide to opt out of the ghoul’s club. We must not leave them alone. We must give safe harbor. They are undergoing moment-by-moment trauma as I type. 



The point of this debate must be to find common ground. It must be to welcome anyone at any time who is able to break free from the cult. Breaking free takes an immense amount of courage. It must be encouraged. The assumption of great social risk must present a possible award. We must be able to welcome them into the light without judgment or mockery. We are all susceptible to scams, lies, and cult initiations. Many people scammed never tell the story for fear of looking stupid. But if no one speaks up, the scammer scams indefinitely. We must offer refuge to those afflicted. We are charged to show kindness and empathy, especially to our countrymen who are suffering under the ghouls currently running the DNC. Joe Lieberman left the building some time ago. These are not your Daddy’s Democrats, and the rank-and-file, our countrymen, our friends, need our help.

That said, I will return fire. Kindness should not be mistaken for weakness. So if any “regular” Democrat comes at me, he sets the theater. May your training serve you well. As far as their leaders, I welcome them as well, but they don’t get kindness until repentance. They destroyed this country, tore its social fabric to shreds and turned their rank-and-file into vicious haters and foot soldiers. People died. Many people. Kids are mutilated and will never have the life they deserve. Cities burned for racist policy. The damage is hard to conceive due to its scope.

To the rank-and-file Democrat, ask yourself, are you happy being so filled with hate, and being used as a tool to intimidate and demoralize your countrymen? Does this fight feed your soul and give you meaning? Do you honestly see racists hiding behind every grain of sand on the beach? Don’t answer me. Be honest with yourself.

I think it’s corrosive to your spirit. I think it makes you smaller, sadder, and more bitter. Your leaders are all small, sad, and bitter, and they removed all doubt at that session. But they have lots of money to use as soul salve. Unless you’re benefitting from massive USAID grants, I really think you should ask what your party is doing to make your life better.

Why are you in this party? We know it’s not policy, because, as mentioned, the last Democrat presidential candidate refused to touch policy. No Democrat is offering any policy ideas. They are creative enough to say “We’re the party of joy!” but not creative enough to mention a policy idea. The irony is thicker than the syrup rebranded from Aunt Jemima. They are creative enough to make cringy condescending videos pretending to be game heroes, but they lack the ability or desire to contemplate fixing any issue in the country. (Sound reasons exist, but that’s another writing.) So why do you participate? You are a tool to animate hate. You have no voice in your party if you disagree, and they don’t discuss policy. Why are you in the party? Do you really enjoy the hate that much?

I seek common ground, and I want to build bridges. If you are a Democrat, please speak up. Was there anything about the joint address session that you would have liked to see go differently? Did your leaders comport themselves appropriately? If the former, what happens if you say so? Should saying “We should have shown the appropriate respect for a cancer patient or a permanently injured female athlete” fill you with fear? Are you afraid to speak against obvious wrongs? If so, I’ll set you a place at my table. My club is truly inclusive. You have no voice in yours. Your leaders tell you what to think, and excommunication awaits dissent. Test it if you don’t believe me. 



Are you content being a parakeet? If so, stay put. If not, know that this country was built on the principle that you have a voice, and can use it without the government putting your head on a spike over the bridge.

We all experience anger, hate, happiness, stress, and more. Our feelings and emotions are ephemeral, as they should be. The thrill of a roller coaster ride is fantastic. But it would be unnatural to try to force that feeling, even such a fantastic feeling, on a person for all time. Do not allow yourself to be forced into hating forever.



And if you’re on my “side” of the divide, I ask you to provide support and safe harbor for anyone who wants to enjoy free speech and a life in which hating someone else, anyone else, is not required dues for club membership. If we stick to discussing policy, and avoid speaking in the 2nd person when addressing “regular” people, we may give them reason to think their leaders are wrong. One wonders how many reasons it would take, but cult hypnosis is very powerful.



The joint address showed us all many truths in a very bright light. Democrat leaders behaved shamefully, and I thank them for it. I hope they continue to bravely show the depths of their blinding hate for all to see. We can then expect reason, and perhaps even kindness and empathy to take hold as more and more good people are disgusted and forced from the club. From there, folks like me can be welcoming and kind, and try to build the bridge that our country deserves, a bridge of unity.