Embrace "Division"

[ck4829]

I see lots of people, here included, talking about "division" like it's a bad thing. I say our concern about division in our country fits the trope of a "designated villain" - It's bad because we're told it's bad, you're not a bad person and you're not dumb for saying division is bad, you've been literally washed in this flood of (dis)information, the three words "division", "is", and "bad" just go together.

What if we put a "not" between that "is" and "bad" though?

Compromise is good, don't get me wrong, but there are some things that we really can not compromise on...

It's the year 2018 - We can't magically reverse time to the 1950s or in Roy Moore's mind, before the civil war. Can't compromise on that. Not going to happen. Not without it being some horrific simulacra anyway that is going to result in a massive amount of oppression and honestly, you would need politicide and genocide to make this simulacra happen.

We have changed in demographics - Black people with the gall of saying their lives matter, people not marrying right after school or after their 13th birthday, GLBTQ people not being in the closet, immigrants, single mothers, and yes, "scary" Muslim Americans doing the same things every other American does (Gasp!). We can't compromise on that. We can't say "Well we've reached an agreement with the other side of the aisle, some of you have to go back in the closet... or else". See the politicide and genocide thing from above.

If you want to reach out to Trump voters be my guest, but they should have to accept Trump being president wasn't some sort of bizarre time machine and yes, they'll have to accept that we have immigrants, black people concerned about their lives, GLBTQ (That means gay and yes transgender people), Muslims, and more who are part of the fabric of this country... more so than Confederate flag wavers or alt righters. This should be your test for bridging that division if you are worried about it so much.

[NCTraveler]

1. There is no monolithic pattern to division.

It is an encompassing phrase.

Division isn't a bad thing, in most instances. It's a part of the great ideological divide and fight. Truly righteous.

Then there is the petty division. The both parties are the same ignorance that is spouted. The opposition by congresspersons to an embassy opening in Jerusalem when every Senator is on record supporting it as a means to poke Palestinians in the eye. Good for hate filled propaganda but we don't really mean it. Attacking the most progressive platform the party has ran on and acting as if one is from the "left" while doing so. None of these things are based in honesty or ideology, yet they are constantly used to generate division.

Not all attempts to divide are created equal. There is division and there are pointed attempts to divide certain groups.

[JustAnotherGen]

2. I'm bookmarking this

it's going to be my standard "go to response" to people thinking that their reaching out will not compromise the very people's existence you outlined in your post.

Yeah folks - I'm not backing down on my demand to be treated as an equal citizen and if you don't think that Trump voters have an absolute hatred for brown folks in this country - then 'WE' ARE DIVIDED.