To Dream an Impossible Dream?
Can bipartisan decency ever return to the U.S.?
Since the beginnings of his candidacy, I’ve excoriated Donald Trump on a regular basis, but I do not hold the same ill will towards conservatives in general.
And, many conservative friends (yes, I have conservative friends), respect my thoughts on the matter because they’ve realized it is truly possible to be a conservative while not accepting the direction the current Republican president is taking our country, and our decency.
To those other of my GOP friends reading this, however, when will you stop hating or badmouthing every last “liberal” or Democrat because you believe you have to?
And Democrats, it’s a two-way street. We do exactly the same damn thing.
This country is split enough. Those on my side loathe this president, and many loathe his continued supporters who are complicit in his disastrous presidency, but very, very few of us “hate” all Republicans, many of whom can’t stand or tolerate Trump either.
But they would rarely, if ever, mention that in a public forum. They sure do privately, though.
If the shoe was on the other foot, Democrats may well have a similar issue. But that’s nothin' but guesswork, there.
Regardless, the present nonsense continues. The memes, the fake quotes, the ever-increasing revisionist history, I get it. You’d feel like you’re a “traitor” if you “like” or “accept” a liberal of any stripe.
Right? No different than those up-Trump’s-ass GOP lawmakers who are killing their party from the inside. They’re no different than him. Enablers do no one any favors.
It’s tiresome. There are numerous GOP voters that several of us freethinkers appreciate and like: Ana Navarro, Steve Schmidt, Nicolle Wallace—even Joe and Mika. Freethinkers one and all, not a one who believes Donald Trump is any sort of “conservative” nor an effective President.
And so they’re not voting for him in 2020.
They’re not afraid to publicly acknowledge what’s been going on. They’re not afraid to come out against Trump sycophants in Congress.
Yes, I watch MSNBC. But even several on FOX of late are accepting that Trump is unfit, and is a chronic liar.
What’s your problem? Why can’t you? Why can’t you accept that not all “liberals” agree on an ice cream flavor, much less politics?
We’re all the same, I know. It’s easier that way, right? I especially love how we are responsible for “banning” Charlie Brown, “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” “Rudolph”...
About five minutes ago I watched a report about the seven-year-old immigrant child who died as she could not receive proper medical attention on a timely basis. That report was followed by immigrant children now having numbers written on their arms to track them.
Who said concentration camps could never return?
To those on the other side, do you simply accept this historical circle-in-the-making, the lies and manipulations? Is it the Democrats’ fault somehow?
Once upon a time, “liberal” was not a dirty word. But, neither was “conservative.”
Yes, this article is slanted. Passionate honesty won that battle. But I’m willing to extend as many olive branches as necessary to cultivate a new understanding as to your wants and needs, while expressing my own to you.
But let’s work together to get this con out of office. We’re better than this.
How will history remember us otherwise?
Maybe one day we can all be decent again.
Until then.
About the Creator
Joel Eisenberg
Joel is a writer-producer, and partner in TV development group Council Tree Productions. He has developed projects for Ovation TV, TNT, Decades TV and FOX Studios, among others.
Keep reading
More stories from Joel Eisenberg and writers in The Swamp and other communities.
When Is Enough, Enough? Some of My Best Friends Are Conservative. You, Sir, Are No Conservative
As we say in Brooklyn, “It’s bullshit already.” Shut down the damn government, then, Mr. Trump. We’ve had a temperamental, impulsive con man in the White House for the past two years. It’s not as if we’ve had a functioning government since.
By Joel Eisenberg5 years ago in The Swamp
Iran and Israel: Still Playing A Dangerous Game.
Hezbollah started out as a resistance movement to Israel. Since then the militia has grown steadily backed, supported, and supplied by Iran. Hezbollah and Israel fought a war in 2006, that ended in a stalemate. However, some historians believe that Hezbollah won that war. A UN- brokered ceasefire brought this conflict to an end.
By Nicholas Bishopabout 19 hours ago in The Swamp
Rivers of Death
Rivers bring water the element essential to all life on Earth but wherever rivers flow they also bring death surprise attacks Savage kills and brutal fights every day is a battle for survival on these rivers of [Applause] death I'm under the African Sun Staying Alive is hot thirsty work and among the ranks of animals jostling to get a drink lurk Killers waiting to strike but while Lions may be fearsome and the huge Nile crocodiles ruthless Predators one of the continent's deadliest River Killers is mostly vegetarian renowned wallowers spending up to 16 hours a day lounging in the water hippos could be mistaken for relaxed creatures and yet the river horse as their name translates from ancient Greek can be a very angry pony indeed with tusks up to a foot and a half long hippos are literally armed to the teeth and a charging bull Hipp can impact with the weight force of a pickup truck what's more hippos May brutally defend their territory an Impala has been chased into a muddy Watering Hole by a lion it's stuck but for fortunately for the stricken analou the lion is reluctant to follow it into the Meer unfortunately it finds itself in the domain of a hippo ill disposed to uninvited guests the hippo's not stealing the watching Lion's meal she's most likely just aggressively defending her calf and the Impala pays the ultimate price for crossing a doting mother hippos are thought to kill more people each year than the rest of Africa's most dangerous animals combined and during mating season their ruthless aggression is directed at other hippos two bulls square up the pod's dominant male and a Challenger at stake the Riverbanks Prime mating territory and a Herm of females the dominant male puts on an aggressive display posturing to show he will not yield but the interloper Demands a fight finally the dominant male is Victorious the Conqueror celebrates with a dung shower marking the border of the territory he has successfully defended while the vanquished suffers more than just the agony of defeat his back is carved open and by Sunset the crocodiles are watching closely they'd be unlikely to take on a bull in rude Health but now they Circle an expectation the hippo breathes his last the price of insurrection is life his Hulk will not go to waste the crocodiles move in swiftly to Feast on the corpse for these voracious Predators it's a considerable meal but one dead hippo is a mere snack compared with the annual Feast provided by a particular African river each year the serengetti vast grass Plains filled to the Horizon with grazing animals taking part in one of Nature's greatest spectacles around 1 and2 million wilder beast join 700,000 other herbivores on the Great Migration around 1 in six of these migrants will die before completing the 500 M circuit many are outrun and taken down down by Africa's formidable array of Savannah carnivores their Journey coming to a Grizzly end but one of the deadliest single obstacles the vast herds must Traverse is the mara River after 3 months on the move the wilderbeast are exhausted and emaciated all that separates them from the Fresh pastures of the msai mara is the width of the river and a whole bunch of huge ravit Nile crocodiles despite the chilling threat posed by these powerful Predators some of the herd are either oblivious to the danger or so thirsty they dare to take a drink anyway for an unlucky few it will be their last and these witless victims merely wet the Croc's appetite the true Feast begins when the first of the herd Braves the river in the crush and Chaos of the crossing the 16t Crocs grabs scores of victims when 1,600 lb of musc futile the marus Crocs survive on meager rations for most of the year so take full advantage of the great migrations time of Plenty they Gorge themselves eating up to half their body weight in one sitting and with so many different species crossing the river the banquet is as varied as it is Bountiful but not all Africa's Crocs have such an easy meal ticket on the banks of this Kenyon River a Croc has got too close to a pack of feeding Lions a move it's about to regret it's a fierce attack but the Crocs skin is covered in bony armor plating eventually the Lion's Uninvited Guest Retreats having taught the Crocs and dinner manners the big cats return to the carcass the Amazon is a giant of a river and and conceal some monstrous Predators which kill with a crush and in a bloody frenzy draining a lowland Basin of close to 3 million square miles around 1/5 of the water that runs off the earth's surface is carried by the Amazon this giant of a river is renowned for its oversized residence both prey and Predator around 4 ft long and and weighing as much as an adult human capibara are the world's largest rodent they're
By cacloaidongvatabout 23 hours ago in The Swamp
Blossom
A dead past does not put a halt to a new future. A year later, Kaffy, a highly intelligent, creative, bookish, and preppy Nigerian-Canadian 15-year-old girl was released from juvenile prison. She was arrested and charged with petty theft and assault, and was sentenced to a year in prison. Her sentence was supposed to be 6 months for stealing a lollipop, a chocolate bar, a pack of playing cards, and a bag of Cheeto's cheesies from 7-Eleven, but she received another 6 months for kicking, punching, and hitting another female inmate across the face during an altercation in the canteen.
By Talia Devora6 days ago in Fiction
Comments
There are no comments for this story
Be the first to respond and start the conversation.