I've been staying away from the news a lot these days, because I think there are better, more fulfilling, more positive uses of my time.
That said, these Berkeley Protests, Antifa etc. It just makes me sad. I see people on both sides who are consumed by a great deal of hate. Hatred consumes and fuels them. They project it out of themselves and outward toward the evil "other." In fact, I think most "Social Justice Warrioring" boils down to this behavior. Well, this and professional victimhood.
I have pretty much no respect for a great deal of political viewpoints, particularly of the "progressive" bent. But that doesn't mean everyone who doesn't think like me is stupid or evil or dangerous. I see conservative and libertarians who are proud of the fact that they've basically "purged" their lives (and facebook/social media) of leftists. I think that's sad and intolerant. What would it say about me if I couldn't be friends with someone just because they voted for Hillary, or Obama, or Trump, or held different views on political issues? I dare say it'd reflect far more poorly on myself than on them.
I lived with a hardcore leftist roommate for ~6 years. I considered him a friend and still do. What I'm seeing in America is a lot less of an ability to do this.
I also recognize that the hatred is NOT as widespread as it is among the Berkeley crowds and that the mainstream media, social media and social justice / race agitators want people to be at each others throats. They want us to think things are worse than they really are. I have spent a decade working in the city of Wilmington. Parking in and walking to and from a very bad area of the East Side. I am distinctly an "other" in that area. I keep my guard up, there are those who don't like me, and I've had my share of overtly racist "white boy / cracker" type comments. Even there, the majority of folks are not bad people, not out to get me nor I them, not criminals, etc.
I thought the hatred, the hysteria, the fake news and othering was bad during the Obama days, and yet now it has all intensified. I was a bit of a politics / news junkie and even I've gone "yeah, no" and tuned out much of the noise.
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