This I need to understand

 

Think it would do us all well to try and understand this, this unthinkable. There’s something critically important being missed by many of us – missed by many in power, missed by those who genuinely care about a united country, missed by me.

I saw one of those breezy, light news articles yesterday entitled “why do we laugh sometimes when we are scared?” with a photo of someone riding a rollercoaster. I laughed a lot during yesterday’s debate. The incoherent, deranged tales of “greatest economy ever,” and migrants eating their neighbors’ family pets in Ohio are laughably absurd – if they weren’t so damn scary.

Terrifying in fact because (apparently) there are more than a few hundred equally unhinged Americans who plan on voting for Donald Trump. I say “apparently” because I just can’t fathom it. I can be cynical (blog post for another day, might even suggest I was trained to be). But how on earth can millions of Americans who demonstrate sound mind in so much of their lives – stop at red lights, hold down a job, don’t barbecue their neighbor’s cat – break from reality so wildly and dangerously when it comes to Trump?

It has to be more than racism - though certainly there’s a huge dose of that.

It has to be more than disrespect, fear, or generationally trained ignorance about “a woman’s place” – though certainly there’s a huge dose of that.

It has to be more than willful ignorance, that fear-based intentionality to not travel, not experience other cultures, not “walk a mile…” – though there’s a huge dose of that.

There’s more. Has to be.

I’ve begun to ask people. It’s really hard. I worry it could fracture relationships that have solid foundations through community, kids, work. But I’m beginning to be driven by a deep need to understand it.

There’s lots of labels I am fairly given for at least occasional actions or statements, but naïve is rarely one of them. I get why some people in this country will vote for him, no matter if he denies basic science, leads a violent attack to overthrow our election, or runs children over in the street. I get there will be some. But it’s many. He was elected once already and narrowly lost last time despite blatantly more sickening behavior.

Why so many? What is down inside there driving the “nose holding” that one person I respect told me will happen for many similarly educated, accomplished, decent people. He suggested many will “hold their nose” or look away (my words) when it comes to his dangerous, unhinged behavior out of some greater fear for the “very liberal” leanings of Kamala Harris.

Another friend bolstered this theory using different language but still suggesting we were facing some much greater threat from the “unknown” and “left” policies of Harris.

Like all of us, my circle is largely driven by the community where we raised our kids, the college I attended, the jobs I’ve worked. I suspect though that the roots of these few recent explanations from my circle might run deep underground to other circles. I also suspect that there’s a difficult to articulate disgust with so much of government at all levels. Trump and his supporters mine this. You don’t need to offer an umbrella to win a friend in the rain if the other guy tells him it’s not raining. You just need to bitch about getting wet.

I asked a Democratic candidate for state rep recently his thoughts on the Mass legislature outdoing even themselves with this year’s edition of “call recess for a long vacation and leave tons of serious work undone.” We agreed there’s a root of Trumpism even in this local dysfunction. When the Cape vacation and a part-time realtor gig is more important than passing a state budget, and the explanations reek of clueless arrogance, the ground gets watered for anger and conspiracy.  

But there’s more. Has to be.  

What perceived “liberal” threat feels so real and imminent to the “nose holders” that they deny Trump’s stated threats, and the actions that evidence they are real? I find myself checking if Trump supporters have daughters. Are those girls at greater risk from differences over tax policy or the Supreme Court emboldened attack on autonomy over their bodies? How about a convicted predator standing on the nation’s bully pulpit? That worry you, Dad?

What “liberal” threat feels so real and imminent to the “nose holders” that trumps the threat of mass shootings, lockdown trainings in every American elementary school, and Walmart shoppers buying assault rifles? Deaths – not just the threat of death – but real school shooting deaths of real children continue unfettered because Trump and his MAGA legislators bend to the NRA lower than any cowards ever have.

What’s really behind this smokescreen? What’s really causing competent, decent people to grasp for some exaggerated political policy threat to justify holding their nose?

There has to be more.

I’m going to try and understand. So much more than my cynicism in the balance.