I live in a small community with a diverse political makeup. The local store owner was a Trump supporter. Several in the morning coffee klatch were as well. I’ve lived here for over 40 years, 30+ in the same little house.
I just completely lost it this week after the house vote to repeal Obamacare and put in its place a plan that will, essentially, kill people I know. People I love. People with cancer and kidney disease. People with serious immune system disease.
So as someone in the coffee klatch uttered… “But Obamacare is failing … “ I just LOST IT. I looked that person straight in the face from about three feet away and said something like this, the anger in my face quite apparent:
You remember “Bob”, my ex. The one that played music for every community fundraising event for three decades for free. And when he wasn’t playing, he was at the mixing board or setting up/tearing down the equipment. Or he was hauling stuff to the fair for fundraising. You remember him, right? Well he will die because of this vote. I want YOU to look ME in the eye right now and tell me that is okay. Do it! Look me in the eye and tell me that yeah, Bob has to die because instead of fixing the problems with Obamacare, these scumbags just ejected him from the plan. He’s on dialysis and a kidney donation list. Go ahead. Look me in the eye. Say it! Say he deserves to die and that you don’t care if he does. And while you’re at it, tell me that “Betty”, “Fran”, “Mary” and “Debbie” deserve it, too. Every one of them you’ve known for at least 25 years. They are all our friends. They have contributed enormously to this community. And ALL of them are cancer patients. So go ahead. Say it out loud. Let everyone know you don’t give one shit about any of them. Say it!
I am normally not this confrontational but known to have strong opinions. But I just lost it. And you know what happened? No one could say it. Not one could address the reality of what just happened.
They know this is wrong. They KNOW it. But no one will confront them about the people they know and love and make it real personal. And until they are almost forced to address it on a personal level involving people they know, they will never address the wrong. The death. The avoidability.
So confront them. Do it. Dare them to say it. They will either be shown to be a horrible human being or they will cower under their sheep coat. This will work with people you know and share friends in common. It won’t work with people you don’t. This is a case where familiarity doesn’t breed contempt.
Confront them. Dare them to say it out loud.