The Lie that 50% of Americans are White Supremacists (or want one as their leader)

Note: This was written for those of us with the privilege of not feeling physically threatened by the results of this election. To those who are personally suffering or feeling threatened, no one can diminish your thoughts and feelings. This conversation is directed to the rest of us who have emotional capacity to engage in nuanced conversation and confront our assumptions about each other.

It's a really rough week right now if you are reading headlines and believing that 50% of Americans are white supremacists, or at least they want one as their leader. If I was a person of color, I'd be feeling a tremendous amount of pain right now. For those of us doing the hard work of undoing racism in our own biases and judgements, it feels like a giant leap backwards that half our country would want to re-elect Trump.

But... (deep breath)

It's a lie that half of Americans are white supremacists or want one as their leader. I know for many people, that's an incredibly hard pill to swallow. But zero-sum thinking ('You're either for Biden or a racist') suffocates empathy and nuance, both of which are required for civil discourse. Both are required for not hating each other. Both are required for progress.

I'm no political expert. I have no reason to step onto a soap box whatsoever in this wild, maddening arena, but I'm also not one to shy away from hard conversations. So here's simply my perspective as someone who loves many people who voted blue and voted red.

(As a prefix, I'm going to err hugely on the benefit of the doubt that most of us voted to protect others and not out of greed, hate or otherwise.)

In many ways, I believe this election was about what victim was most important to you.

For example, many people of color suffer under the leadership of a President that deflects opportunities to renounce racist hate in order to attack their opponents. When we can't acknowledge racist policies, racist actions, or racist thoughts, we can't undo the twisted, entangling of its grip on our culture. This President has shown little concern to do that hard work, let alone acknowledge it. Many people voted to protect people of color and advance the assault on racist thoughts, actions, and policies. At the same time, many people who advocate for unborn children can't stomach the suffering of over half-a-million babies lost every year. They believe that re-electing Trump, even if they don't like him, ensures that the government is protecting the right to life. Their vote was to protect unborn children. At the same time, many people are concerned about the irreversible impact we're having on our planet. The possibilities of devastation are staggering. Their vote was to protect earth and all of human-kind. At the same time, many people are suffering under the financial and psychological impact of strict COVID-prevention measures. Their vote was to protect the wellbeing of small businesses, those suffering with mental illness, and their own families. At the same time, many people are grieved by the treatment of asylum seekers, immigrants and refugees who have been treated inhumanely in the name of security. The reality that children were isolated away from their parents in detention facilities is unfathomable. Their vote was to protect immigrants, families, children, and refugees.

At the same time. Many people. Voting to protect.

The list could go on. Healthcare. Right to arms. Death penalty. Taxes. LGBTQ rights.

It's not so simple. Then, to add to the messiness and nuance, remember the line-up of people of color speaking at the National Republican Convention or reading essays of pro-life people passionately voting Democratic. Very few of us are willing to hold the tension. Instead, we diminish one another to being white fluffy barn-yard animals.

It's so tempting right now to look at each other in disgust.

It's so easy to be baffled by the outcome of this election when surely, any reasonable person would vote the way you did. I confess, I've had these thoughts over the last several days. I'm not the only one. For months, throngs of celebrities shouted "VOTE!" from the rooftops, several times a day, and voter registrations soared, but now after the results, they're moaning, 'What happened? How is the election so close?'. Those people who you inspired to vote, voted differently than you. But that wasn't the point, right? It was to empower people to exercise their rights (or no?). When it doesn't go our way, when people choose the victims they feel compelled to protect, and it's not the ones we chose, it's too easy to make enemies of each other. They must hate babies. They must be greedy. They must not be compassionate. They must be racist.

How exhausting to despise half of your fellow countrymen this week.

How depressing to feel like people prioritized the rights of other people, the elimination of their suffering, over your own.

I admit, offering empathy and nuance as the solution to hate and disgust is my desperate attempt to find solidarity. I wish it was that simple. Earlier this week I posted, "Our solidarity is stronger than the sum of our differences!" But within a few hours, I felt a gnawing in my gut. There's a major flaw hidden in my well-meaning intent. Maybe solidarity shouldn't come at the cost of diminishing our differences. What if the sum is equal? Maybe we are as similar as we are different. Or gosh, maybe we are more different than we're alike. Is downplaying our differences really necessary to getting along? It's eerily reminiscent of my recent journey from thinking 'I don't see color!" as an attempt to justify my non-racist intent, to fully embracing diversity and dignity by (finally) declaring "I see color… and it's beautiful".

I don't know, friends. So many are suffering. So many are confused. So many are feeling righteous anger. So many are feeling justified in their hate. So many are wielding words, emoji's, and memes as weapons. I just can't do it.

I can hate racism. I can hate small businesses dying. I can hate COVID. I can hate abortion. I can hate climate change. I can hate the caging of children.

I just can't hate ‘them’.

Picture Credit: Frank Perez Imagery 909-938-0872