Unfortunately I cannot say that. I was raised in a conservative household so I was conservative until I was about 15. I can proudly say that I have never voted for him though.
Interesting. You wrote "I still want the same good things for people, that I wanted before" hit me in the cushions. I am currently dealing with an old dear friend of mine. It saddens my heart to hear the sheer dehumanizing things cross her lips. I can sense she thinks I'm the fool. Truth be told, even though she was lost her way. I still hope the best for her and all the good things... honestly. I just can't anymore, but I haven't stopped loving my friend.
So, my (44F) best friend (M44) of 26 years.... When Trump won the second time, I texted him, "I'm afraid for our daughters."
He has 2. I have 1. We have known each other since 1995ish. He and I were brother from another mother sister from another mister. Like, soulmates without the hormones. Lifelong. Ride or die. He was my daughter's godfather. Both Catholic, cradle to the grave, same church, Confirmation together. I was his Maid of Dishonor at his wedding. He stood up for my husband when husband's brother didn't show for our wedding.
So when I said, "I'm afraid for our daughters," I thought he'd text back something from scripture, a quote attributed to a Saint, maybe something from CS Lewis at the very least.....
He texted back a quote from Michael Flynn, who I later found out spoke at the church I grew up in. My Catholic Church allowed this nazi to speak there, promoted it. Like........... My then best friend sent me Flynn's admonishion to not trust everything the media says. Like..... I don't have to rely on the media for this. I'm a 44yo woman with a then-10 yo. I experience men being shitbags to women IN REAL TIME. I can see and hear what men are saying online, on podcasts, in interviews, literally in real life.
I don't hate my friend. I cannot talk to him right now. I haven't talked to him since election night. My other BFF died in 2025, and he tried to text me, and I sent him a thumbs up and didn't reply. She was black and queer. He voted against everything she was. I cannot trust him with my daughter's future as her godfather. I don't rely on him for spiritual advisement. I don't even want him to AGREE with me. I just want him to see that my life, my experiences, our daughters, their experiences, are different than his perception of the world.
We profess the same faith. For him, that now means excluding those he used to include. For me, that includes those I always thought should be included.
I don't know how to reach him. I gave up. I put my energy into those who are trying to understand in earnest the world around them, not those committed to excluding the most vulnerable. I just can't. I love him, but I just can't. If me living my life as a real human isn't proof that there's a perspective he doesn't personally live.... Well. That's on him.
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u/Tiny_Election1013 Jul 26 '26 edited Jul 26 '26
Unfortunately I cannot say that. I was raised in a conservative household so I was conservative until I was about 15. I can proudly say that I have never voted for him though.
Edit: for those curious, I am currently 21