I went out for a beer with my buddy who is a Dem. A married couple sits down at the table next to us for dinner(mid to late 60's ish in age), and they know my friend, but not me. We exchange hellos, etc and go on with our separate evenings. The couple finishes up and while leaving, they come over to our table to talk to my friend more whom they know fairly well.
I told them to be careful driving home in this harsh winter weather, and in response the lady says quite openly to me the following non sequitor:
"I just pray someone can save our country. We need to get rid of Donald Trump. We need ANYONE who can save our country!"
I smiled politely and said nothing which she appeared to take as affirmation that I agreed with her, andI I let her go happily on her way.
It occurred to me that one of two possibilities explain her actions:
1) She assumes that her fellow liberal (my buddy) would never hang out with a conservative which implies that she herself thinks this way. She may well be the type who insulates her own life with fellow liberals ( perhaps someone who unfriended her conservative Facebook contacts on 11/09/16, only listens to chosen left wing news sources etc.). In this case, I can see why so many of these Dems were shocked when Trump won. They simply can't conceive of anyone disagreeing with their own point of view because they have insulated themselves.
2) She showed me no respect for my possible differing views because she doesn't care about me if i don't agree with her. She was willing to create a situation where there could have been a public disagreement. I nonetheless gave her the courtesy that she did not afford me (as I channeled my best Covington Catholic High School smile). If this is the case, then she is at a point where she is willing to make public confrontation with anyone who disagrees about Trump.
Though this is a side note, my friend then filled me in that she is an heiress to a large family business fortune, and when I asked what they do, he told me that "neither has worked a day in their life". This rich old liberal chick would have gotten the vapors if she knew she said this stuff to BVZ!
My buddy agrees with them politically, but is understanding that good people can disagree which is one of the reasons that I like him. He's a good guy, and we have a good time with common interests despite our differences.
This got me thinking further. I felt every bit the same about Obama (and still do) that present Dems feel about Trump. Put away all of the "this is different" arguments. We conservatives....felt....the...same...way. I'm sure that there were asshole conservatives out there during those days also who did the same thing in reverse.
My point on all of this is that if any of you on either side who fits into category 1, you need to stop insulating yourself and enter the real world where 50% of the country sees things differently than you, and you have to fins a way to interact with the other side.
If any of you fit into category 2, then you have to learn how to stop being an asshole.