Sovereignty

I love social media. It’s fun and engaging and I like exchanging ideas with others. But during the last presidential election, I saw a disturbing trend that has become a given now. It involves individual sovereignty and the unwillingness of some folks to respect that.

Every time I open Twitter, I see users threatening others with blocking (oh, the horror) if they don’t happen to support their candidate. I saw this last time between Bernie supporters and everyone else but this go-around, it’s happening with everyone. Beto’s people don’t like Bernie’s people, Kamala’s people don’t like Amy’s people, Joe is too old, and Elizabeth is too smart.

It’s like herding cats on steroids. And I’m not going to participate in it beyond the writing of this post.

Nothing makes any sense anymore. Kellyanne Conway’s husband George is an active anti-Trump presence on Twitter and has also written at least one op-ed expressing sentiments that make everyone reading them scratch their heads. How are these two still married? Is this a scam? Is she a mole or a plant? Are they shopping for a book deal? Is she his source? What’s going on with these two people? But then, what’s going on everywhere?

Relationships are strained if not in tatters and in my case, there are grocery stores where I no longer shop due to too many volatile men who can’t seem to control their behavior around women. Seriously. I no longer shop in my favorite store because of this. And I told the owner of my decision as well. I’ve shopped there since 1981, but now I’m too uncomfortable to return.

Our personal sovereignty has been overwhelmed by anger, grievance, and a willingness to demean and harm. And now we have a member of Congress talking about a Civil War breaking out if (again, oh, the horror) impeachment proceedings continue. Okay, it’s Louie Gohmert, but still.

Never mind that crimes have likely been both committed and admitted to by the current occupant of the White House. Never mind the rule of law that Congress agrees to uphold by the oath they each take. Never mind any of that.

No. It’s better to stomp all over the individual sovereignty of everyone who takes a different view, to threaten them with violence or death. And yes, I realize it’s Louie Gohmert.

In truth, all of this began when we stopped respecting individual differences and insisting that everyone believe as we do. It begins on Twitter and ends at the grocery store or in our homes, or with our friends, or family.

And I’m done with it. Anyone who wants to block me for saying any of this is welcome to do so. In fact, I insist on it.

We’re all entitled to our own viewpoints, particularly when it has to do with who governs and we have no right to be hurtful to others in the process. I know we’re in desperate times now. We have a guy in the Oval Office who just may be the most degenerate criminal we’ve seen in a long time. But if we don’t stop attacking each other, he may be there even longer.

So, let’s end the conflict and focus on the real task at hand. We must stand together and defeat this stain on our country.

Focus on nothing else.

Blessed Be