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Dear Editor:
The letter I wrote last month brought out some interesting reactions. As I attempt to make sense of things that are going on in our country, I seem to have caused some opposition. This is not my intention.
I try to ponder what the various developments in the U.S. mean. Looking for answers sometimes makes it appear that I have chosen sides. My observations in that last letter may have seemed to do that. I hope I can try to be more nonpartisan in the future.
I recently came across an idea that rang true to me. The divide we have developed in our political stances is less the product of misunderstandings or even hatefulness. What we have in these diverse sides is simply separate realities.
It feels very real to those on the left that President Trump is attempting to assume powers that are not in the Constitution’s definition of his job. They see him as some sort of tyrant. On top of that, they just don’t like him. They don’t like how he looks (Orange Man), how he is so straight-forward and confident in his actions, or how he has no compunction about telling the news media that they are liars, or fake, or just plain biased against him.
That is their reality. There are no false feelings about any of it. They are very often filled with strong emotions, in fact, up to and including hatred – not just for the president, but also for his supporters.
An opposite and separate reality also exists. Some right-wing minded Americans see many on the left as leaderless, hateful, and ineffective. They love Trump, feeling that he is doing the work he promised to do, which is what people voted for. They seem to think he can do no wrong, that he is facing off against the entire world for the benefit of his American ideals. Their reality sees a turning away from what they define as the previous administration’s excesses and mistakes.
Two different realities – causes and feelings that are true and correct in the minds and in the hearts of the members of each side. If you read American history, you know it has been this way for a very long time. It’s human nature and it is very American.
Morris Bedlam
Noblesville
Those differing realities are at the root of our current political tribalism.
The irony being that both sides desire the same things ; a prosperous & a bright future, they just disagree on how best to get there.
Without shared facts there will be no end in sight & the issues facing this country don’t lend themselves to being solved in a single election cycle, as the pendulum swings back & forth, precious time is squandered.
Over it’s relatively short history America has succeeded on the strength of its institutions & adherence to the premise of the rule of law.
Guess we’ll see how this experiment involving the purging of both works out, culminating in the question asked on four year intervals ; ‘are you better off than previously’.
.
Hello! I, as you are aware, I was part of the opposition in your last post. I do agree that there are two very different realities impacting both sides, as you stated, is very human. However, the opposition comes with good reason. To open up exactly why we have people believe in what we believe in.
I want to challenge you on reflecting how you wrote realities of the left and the right. Why did you write the left with a more negative outlook than the right? Why you only stated “some right-wingers” and “those on the left”. Why are you specifically only choosing an insult that is said by the left, but none of the insults those on the right had stated?
Those on the left have just as much as a right to critique the president, and be displeased with his performance. Why does the president have the power to destroy the entire east wing of a historic landmark? Why didn’t they move funds around like they did with military families to feed other families for SNAP? Why do Republicans want to take 100% of the state of Indiana, when roughly only 60% of the state votes Republican, what about the other 40% (Politico 2024, 39% voted for Harris and 58% voted for Trump)? Why has there been more death in ICE detention centers this year than previous years (NPR), and why are federal agents getting more violent (Politico). Why are specifically Democratic cities being stated as “dangerous” when Indianapolis has a higher violent crime rate than Chicago (Newsweek). Why did this administration created a partisan specific language for airports for the shutdown (IndyStar)?
Thank you for your time.
Gwen, FYI Indianapolis is a Democratic city. Mayor Joe Hegsett