Phoenix just hosted President Donald Trump. For many, this was an opportunity to support their president and the agendas they want to see fulfilled. To his supporters, Trump is a straight-talking-swamp draining-establishment shaking-America first leader.
For others, it was an opportunity to express their displeasure in his leadership. To many of his detractors, he is a Racist, Bigot, Misogynist, Hate-filled, Billionaire blow hard.
There has rarely been a more polarizing figure in American politics.
What is sad is the way it plays out not just in Phoenix but across the country and all over social media.
Trump supporters are hated by his detractors. His detractors are hated by his supporters.
Each group takes the moral high ground as if they are justified in hating the other. It’s ok to hate Neo-Nazi’s because they are full of hatred. It’s ok to hate Black Lives Matter Supporters because they are pushing an agenda. It’s ok to hate the Right Wing because they are like Trump. It’s ok to hate the Supreme Court because they control the interpretation of the Law. It’s ok to hate the Left because they aren’t conservative. It’s ok to hate Politicians because they are just in it for themselves. It’s ok to hate those who support immigrants because immigrants are terrorists. It’s ok to hate refugees because they are a drain on our system. It’s ok to hate those who come into the country illegally because they don’t belong here. It’s ok to hate the Police because they are unjust. It’s ok to hate the Media because they are biased. It’s ok to hate the Church because it covers up abuse. It’s ok to hate gays because they are different. It’s ok to hate abortionists because they kill babies. It’s ok to hate Pro-lifers because they want to take away women’s rights. It’s ok to hate Christians because they are hate-filled hypocrites. It’s ok to hate Muslims because they want to destroy the West. It’s ok to hate the Clintons because they are liars. It’s ok to hate the Bush’s because they are stupid. It’s ok to hate the Obama’s because they tried to ruin America. It’s ok to hate Wall street because they represent the wealthy 1%.
It’s ok to hate people who aren’t like you or don’t appear to support your world view.
Nelson Mandela, a man deeply familiar with hatred said “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite... Man's goodness is a flame that can be hidden but never extinguished.”
People must learn to hate.
But.
They can be taught to love.
What if…
Trump supporters are loved by his detractors. His detractors are loved by his supporters. Each group takes the moral high ground as if they are justified in loving the other. It’s ok to love Neo-Nazi’s because they are full of hatred. It’s ok to love Black Lives Matter Supporters because they are pushing an agenda. It’s ok to love the Right Wing because they are like Trump. It’s ok to love the Supreme Court because they control the interpretation of the Law. It’s ok to love the Left because they aren’t conservative. It’s ok to love Politicians because they are just in it for themselves. It’s ok to love those who support immigrants because immigrants are terrorists. It’s ok to love refugees because they are a drain on our system. It’s ok to love those who come into the country illegally because they don’t belong here. It’s ok to love the Police because they are unjust. It’s ok to love the Media because they are biased. It’s ok to love the Church because it covers up abuse. It’s ok to love gays because they are different. It’s ok to love abortionists because they kill babies. It’s ok to love Pro-lifers because they want to take away women’s rights. It’s ok to love Christians because they are hate-filled hypocrites. It’s ok to love Muslims because they want to destroy the West. It’s ok to love the Clintons because they are liars. It’s ok to love the Bush’s because they are stupid. It’s ok to love the Obama’s because they tried to ruin America. It’s ok to love Wall street because they represent the wealthy 1%.
It’s ok to love people who aren’t like you or don’t appear to support your world view.
Love is for people we don’t like and don’t agree with. What if we loved the way we hated?
Love is a choice – like hatred.
People must learn to hate.
But.
They can be taught to love.
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