Mixed in America, in the Trump world

[RocCityRoller]

My own history is far left. 1990’s-2000 ish. I was a registered socialist. I did vote for Clinton I, and Obama I. I otherwise voted socialist in most elections.

 

After that I was an ‘Independent’, voting mostly Democrat. I voted Republican for DA positions. Who wants criminals among us? Let’s be real.

 

In 2016, I voted for Jill Stein. I thought that neither Clinton, nor Trump deserved my vote. I voted my conscious. That ended up being a female on the green party ticket. I am not ‘misogynistic’, I voted for the right woman in 2016. I stand by that. Jill Stein did not rig a primary to be her party’s voice. She won it fair and square. In my opinion she was the best president.

 

I hold an MBA in Sustainability Management. The degree was conferred by a private North Eastern college held in high regard in engineering and business circles. I attended my MBA school at 35. I was too white to get help, and too black to know better. Somehow the college considered me a ‘success’ when I finished. No one in my graduating class was ‘dumb’. It was mostly white and Chinese nationals. Somehow a mixed boy at 35 yrs old graduated with a 4.0 in their MBA program, beat all of them. (yep that was me)

 

PS by 40 I was debt free, including student loans. I refused to be a government slave.

 

I wish I had a patriarch that told me to get a degree, and then pay it off quickly. Patriarch’s are rare these days. I would also tell any young man these days to become an electrician without kids, or have a plan. A BA in Sociology doesn't cut it anymore.

 

Believe it or not there are many ways to be climate aware, and profitable. I wish the USA would figure this out. People like me are working on it. My own thinking changed around 2016. I started leaning more and more center right around then. I found Thomas Sowell, and Larry Elder.

 

Since 2016, the vocabulary toward me has been horrible. Really terrible. I have been called awful things by my ‘friends and family’ and 'the neighborhood' since 2016 when I simply voted neutral. I get all the names; ‘Sell out’, ‘Uncle Tom’, ‘Coconut’ and worse. It is what it is. I will fight to stop the DOE teaching my cousins, nieces and nephews to be victims until I die.

 

Most of my friends, and even my girlfriend at the time were Democrats. Let’s call one friend Aron, an Asian, and my ex gf Lucy, a white girl. My dad is ‘Todd.

Aron and Lucy were both PBS Democrats. ‘Todd’ is more difficult to pigeonhole. In the past you could have a civil conversation, disagree and go about your business. Like PBS pre 2016 there was a discussion about ‘hot topics’. I thought this was the same Democrat party I was speaking to.

 

About Aaron:

 

After a small break in communication, I met Aaron at the Shipyard Brewery in MA around 2017. I had decided to sit on the fence and see how Donald Trump would be as a President, after voting for Jill Stein. I had read reports of TDS, and thought it the fanciful dreams of a media trying to get views.

After a few draughts we got into a heated political debate. At the time it was Russia Gate and other political nonsense. My point was, and is, forget what they say, and look at what he does. Are we better off now or then? Do the tariffs make sense? And by the way are brown and black people are doing well?

Instead of answers I got very vocal and embarrassing arguments. Aron decided to raise his voice to embarrassing levels. Instead of being his friend, he attacked me with all the vitriol and hatred he could summon in public. I was now a ‘Trump lover’ and not worthy of any respect. (Even though I didn’t vote for Trump, and am a minority)

‘Take it easy, I exclaimed, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter, in 2016. He continued to berate me in public. Funny thing his fancy Google Phone crapped out when we left Shipyard. He needed my $80 phone to get an Uber and take him to an iPhone store to continue his tirade against me on social media.

A year or two ago he moved to LA among his other trust fund baby friends, and I have ignored his calls since. It wasn’t a loss, he was the most racist person I have ever known. He liked me when I was a victim, or assumed I was a victim because of my color. When I proved it wasn’t true he left me.

 

Lucy the Racist Teacher

 

I met Lucy online via a dating website. We hit it off at first. We had a few good dates. I liked her for her arts and crafts mentality, I wanted a family, and an arts and crafts background in a woman in her early 30s seemed perfect. This was not about looks for me. But I found out Lucy was all about getting off dating a brown guy.

About 5 dates in she ‘went in on Trump’. I guess since I am brown, she expected her typical Democrat biased racism to be ok. As a political neutral, I mentioned how black and brown unemployment was at all time lows with Trump. I mentioned how I had a paid off MBA by myself. I also mentioned how female wages were rising. As you can imagine It was a poor date. We decided to have another dinner date though.

 

On our next dinner date, we got to discussing politics early. ‘You do know, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter (again). She decided to make our dinner conversation public by raising her voice, she then continued her verbal assaults including ‘my own’ race, gender, politics and anything else you could imagine. It was the most embarrassed I have ever been on a date with any race. I’d rather take a ratchet girl to a nice restaurant in the future. After the public tirade had passed, I called a cab. I asked them to take her home.

Goodbye Lucy. We didn’t speak after.

 

‘Todd’

 

My dad. He walked out on my family when I was 4 in 1979. Typical. I was a 1970-1980 mixed baby. I am the 1975 born Pro Life baby, I am the 1980’s latch key kid:

When you lefties talk about aborted babies, I should have been one of them.

 

Broken home, check

Single parent home, check.

Mixed Race, check.

Latch key kid in the 1980’s, check.

By all accounts I should be a waste, or by Democrat measures aborted.…but nope. Here I am and I refuse to be a victim.

I understand Russell Wilson, Colin K, and others more than you can imagine. Being a 1980-1990 mixed kid sucked. Mixed is the hot caramel now.

We are ‘hot stuff’, but it wasn’t so 20 yrs ago.

I found 'Todd’s number. I tried to catch up. I understood he was a Vietnam Vet. I was told he had issues.

I called 'Todd'. I let him know I didn’t blame him. I let him know his first born son had a BA.

We had these conversations before. This was ok @2000.

After some time, I contacted Todd to let him know I had a graduate degree and had it paid off. I also had bought a house. I was a self made man even as late as 40. I wanted to celebrate the success of the USA, even if it was solo, and not perfect. His son made it with an MBA and a house.'

'But Dad' could not celebrate the success with me..

How dare I want a border? How dare I sell out? How dare I besmirch my Native Relatives?

Nothing about my graduate degree (first in immediate family) or about buying a house on my own (after a generation)

He berated my success and left me empty and hung up on me.

So it is.

After these experiences, from Democrats, why would I ever vote Democrat again?

Edited July 15, 2020 by RocCityRoller

[dubs]

Thanks for sharing Roc. Powerful stuff and although I’m sure a that’s all been every difficult to go through, I hope you are very proud of what you’ve done and what you are. Free thinking, successful men seem rare these days. I’m proud to live in a country that is build on a framework that gives individuals an opportunity to do what you’ve done. 

Edited July 15, 2020 by dubs

[The Guy In Pants]

It’s tough isn’t it? To be verbally attacked by an insatiable mob? No matter what you say; no matter what argument you make, they still resort to defamation of character whether or not  It’s based on facts.

 

That’s tough man. Trump gets it too. I think many of us do.

 

Attacked by people you thought you were close to. People you figured had your best interest at heart and over what? Donald Trump? A guy they’ve been programmed to hate and probably still know nothing about? Over your intellectually superior understanding that it’s about whether or not we are being set up for success and this country is set up   to help every American willing to help themselves. 
 

I have been voting across party lines since I could vote. I voted for Barack Obama in 2008 because I fell victim to the gift of gab. I wanted to believe that he had the best interest of all Americans at heart. It wasn’t long before I realized that he really did not and our career politicians are not in it for us. That their level of corruption went far beyond anything I could comprehend. In cake Trump; a man who’s opinion on what would help this country didn’t change in 30 years worth interviews. A man who had friends on both sides of the aisle and until he decided to run for president and said enough with the bad deals for America; they all liked him and looked to him for support. I voted for him. I liked what he had to say and even though they constantly put words in his mouth and made him out to be all of these horrible things; to me, they were lying. Why? I think I’m finding out now.
 

You are in good company. You don’t have to be democrat, republican or independent to have a brain and be capable of independent thought outside of the collective group think mentality of the mob.
 

Contrary to popular belief; it’s not race that determines who a person becomes. It’s not gender or sexual orientation that determines who a person becomes. A person is made up of much more than all of that. They’ve perfected the art of manipulation and They routinely use those small and inconsequential elements of an individual as a bargaining tool and a wedge between neighbors. Then, you have the career politicians on both sides of the aisle who latch on to the flavor of the week and try to save face with their selective outrage. I refuse to be manipulated to believe any of it.

 

As you have indicated above; having a rational discussion with people who are brainwashed; is impossible. They’ll scream, insult and project. That’s what they do. I’m sorry you have had to endure that asinine behavior. Thanks for sharing. 
 

Stand tall and be proud of who you are. Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. You built that.
 

 

Edited July 15, 2020 by The Guy In Pants

[BillsFanNC]

This is great stuff. Much respect for standing against the mob.

[plenzmd1]

all good points @RocCityRoller, but i would point out that the same reaction comes from most of the MAGA supporters i know when we discuss politics. Impossible to discuss ideas or criticize Trump without being characterized as a "far left liberal" . It is the extremes at both ends that hold us back as a society. 

 

BTW, not to take this thread completely off the rails, but can you expand on your Russell Wilson comment?

[LB3]

47 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

all good points @RocCityRoller, but i would point out that the same reaction comes from most of the MAGA supporters i know when we discuss politics. Impossible to discuss ideas or criticize Trump without being characterized as a "far left liberal" . It is the extremes at both ends that hold us back as a society. 

 

BTW, not to take this thread completely off the rails, but can you expand on your Russell Wilson comment?

? And yet here in PPP, the liberals think you're an alt right Trump supporter.

[SoCal Deek]

Everything about the current struggle in America boils down to the individual versus the collective. It’s really that simple on every level. Including the original post here. Early on I was shaped by the ideals of the individual and have remained true to that devotion my entire life. Unlike what the collectivists would opine it doesn’t mean you don’t care about others! 

[Taro T]

6 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

My own history is far left. 1990’s-2000 ish. I was a registered socialist. I did vote for Clinton I, and Obama I. I otherwise voted socialist in most elections.

 

After that I was an ‘Independent’, voting mostly Democrat. I voted Republican for DA positions. Who wants criminals among us? Let’s be real.

 

In 2016, I voted for Jill Stein. I thought that neither Clinton, nor Trump deserved my vote. I voted my conscious. That ended up being a female on the green party ticket. I am not ‘misogynistic’, I voted for the right woman in 2016. I stand by that. Jill Stein did not rig a primary to be her party’s voice. She won it fair and square. In my opinion she was the best president.

 

I hold an MBA in Sustainability Management. The degree was conferred by a private North Eastern college held in high regard in engineering and business circles. I attended my MBA school at 35. I was too white to get help, and too black to know better. Somehow the college considered me a ‘success’ when I finished. No one in my graduating class was ‘dumb’. It was mostly white and Chinese nationals. Somehow a mixed boy at 35 yrs old graduated with a 4.0 in their MBA program, beat all of them. (yep that was me)

 

PS by 40 I was debt free, including student loans. I refused to be a government slave.

 

I wish I had a patriarch that told me to get a degree, and then pay it off quickly. Patriarch’s are rare these days. I would also tell any young man these days to become an electrician without kids, or have a plan. A BA in Sociology doesn't cut it anymore.

 

Believe it or not there are many ways to be climate aware, and profitable. I wish the USA would figure this out. People like me are working on it. My own thinking changed around 2016. I started leaning more and more center right around then. I found Thomas Sowell, and Larry Elder.

 

Since 2016, the vocabulary toward me has been horrible. Really terrible. I have been called awful things by my ‘friends and family’ and 'the neighborhood' since 2016 when I simply voted neutral. I get all the names; ‘Sell out’, ‘Uncle Tom’, ‘Coconut’ and worse. It is what it is. I will fight to stop the DOE teaching my cousins, nieces and nephews to be victims until I die.

 

Most of my friends, and even my girlfriend at the time were Democrats. Let’s call one friend Aron, an Asian, and my ex gf Lucy, a white girl. My dad is ‘Todd.

Aron and Lucy were both PBS Democrats. ‘Todd’ is more difficult to pigeonhole. In the past you could have a civil conversation, disagree and go about your business. Like PBS pre 2016 there was a discussion about ‘hot topics’. I thought this was the same Democrat party I was speaking to.

 

About Aaron:

 

After a small break in communication, I met Aaron at the Shipyard Brewery in MA around 2017. I had decided to sit on the fence and see how Donald Trump would be as a President, after voting for Jill Stein. I had read reports of TDS, and thought it the fanciful dreams of a media trying to get views.

After a few draughts we got into a heated political debate. At the time it was Russia Gate and other political nonsense. My point was, and is, forget what they say, and look at what he does. Are we better off now or then? Do the tariffs make sense? And by the way are brown and black people are doing well?

Instead of answers I got very vocal and embarrassing arguments. Aron decided to raise his voice to embarrassing levels. Instead of being his friend, he attacked me with all the vitriol and hatred he could summon in public. I was now a ‘Trump lover’ and not worthy of any respect. (Even though I didn’t vote for Trump, and am a minority)

‘Take it easy, I exclaimed, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter, in 2016. He continued to berate me in public. Funny thing his fancy Google Phone crapped out when we left Shipyard. He needed my $80 phone to get an Uber and take him to an iPhone store to continue his tirade against me on social media.

A year or two ago he moved to LA among his other trust fund baby friends, and I have ignored his calls since. It wasn’t a loss, he was the most racist person I have ever known. He liked me when I was a victim, or assumed I was a victim because of my color. When I proved it wasn’t true he left me.

 

Lucy the Racist Teacher

 

I met Lucy online via a dating website. We hit it off at first. We had a few good dates. I liked her for her arts and crafts mentality, I wanted a family, and an arts and crafts background in a woman in her early 30s seemed perfect. This was not about looks for me. But I found out Lucy was all about getting off dating a brown guy.

About 5 dates in she ‘went in on Trump’. I guess since I am brown, she expected her typical Democrat biased racism to be ok. As a political neutral, I mentioned how black and brown unemployment was at all time lows with Trump. I mentioned how I had a paid off MBA by myself. I also mentioned how female wages were rising. As you can imagine It was a poor date. We decided to have another dinner date though.

 

On our next dinner date, we got to discussing politics early. ‘You do know, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter (again). She decided to make our dinner conversation public by raising her voice, she then continued her verbal assaults including ‘my own’ race, gender, politics and anything else you could imagine. It was the most embarrassed I have ever been on a date with any race. I’d rather take a ratchet girl to a nice restaurant in the future. After the public tirade had passed, I called a cab. I asked them to take her home.

Goodbye Lucy. We didn’t speak after.

 

‘Todd’

 

My dad. He walked out on my family when I was 4 in 1979. Typical. I was a 1970-1980 mixed baby. I am the 1975 born Pro Life baby, I am the 1980’s latch key kid:

When you lefties talk about aborted babies, I should have been one of them.

 

Broken home, check

Single parent home, check.

Mixed Race, check.

Latch key kid in the 1980’s, check.

By all accounts I should be a waste, or by Democrat measures aborted.…but nope. Here I am and I refuse to be a victim.

I understand Russell Wilson, Colin K, and others more than you can imagine. Being a 1980-1990 mixed kid sucked. Mixed is the hot caramel now.

We are ‘hot stuff’, but it wasn’t so 20 yrs ago.

I found 'Todd’s number. I tried to catch up. I understood he was a Vietnam Vet. I was told he had issues.

I called 'Todd'. I let him know I didn’t blame him. I let him know his first born son had a BA.

We had these conversations before. This was ok @2000.

After some time, I contacted Todd to let him know I had a graduate degree and had it paid off. I also had bought a house. I was a self made man even as late as 40. I wanted to celebrate the success of the USA, even if it was solo, and not perfect. His son made it with an MBA and a house.'

'But Dad' could not celebrate the success with me..

How dare I want a border? How dare I sell out? How dare I besmirch my Native Relatives?

Nothing about my graduate degree (first in immediate family) or about buying a house on my own (after a generation)

He berated my success and left me empty and hung up on me.

So it is.

After these experiences, from Democrats, why would I ever vote Democrat again?

 

Thank you for posting that.  Glad that you had the fortitude to make it.  

 

Truly hope we find a way to instill your attitude in more people that with a lot of effort that success can come.  We as a society can and should do better to let people have that hope, but at the end of the day it has to come from within.  

 

 

 

[TakeYouToTasker]

6 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

My own history is far left. 1990’s-2000 ish. I was a registered socialist. I did vote for Clinton I, and Obama I. I otherwise voted socialist in most elections.

 

After that I was an ‘Independent’, voting mostly Democrat. I voted Republican for DA positions. Who wants criminals among us? Let’s be real.

 

In 2016, I voted for Jill Stein. I thought that neither Clinton, nor Trump deserved my vote. I voted my conscious. That ended up being a female on the green party ticket. I am not ‘misogynistic’, I voted for the right woman in 2016. I stand by that. Jill Stein did not rig a primary to be her party’s voice. She won it fair and square. In my opinion she was the best president.

 

I hold an MBA in Sustainability Management. The degree was conferred by a private North Eastern college held in high regard in engineering and business circles. I attended my MBA school at 35. I was too white to get help, and too black to know better. Somehow the college considered me a ‘success’ when I finished. No one in my graduating class was ‘dumb’. It was mostly white and Chinese nationals. Somehow a mixed boy at 35 yrs old graduated with a 4.0 in their MBA program, beat all of them. (yep that was me)

 

PS by 40 I was debt free, including student loans. I refused to be a government slave.

 

I wish I had a patriarch that told me to get a degree, and then pay it off quickly. Patriarch’s are rare these days. I would also tell any young man these days to become an electrician without kids, or have a plan. A BA in Sociology doesn't cut it anymore.

 

Believe it or not there are many ways to be climate aware, and profitable. I wish the USA would figure this out. People like me are working on it. My own thinking changed around 2016. I started leaning more and more center right around then. I found Thomas Sowell, and Larry Elder.

 

Since 2016, the vocabulary toward me has been horrible. Really terrible. I have been called awful things by my ‘friends and family’ and 'the neighborhood' since 2016 when I simply voted neutral. I get all the names; ‘Sell out’, ‘Uncle Tom’, ‘Coconut’ and worse. It is what it is. I will fight to stop the DOE teaching my cousins, nieces and nephews to be victims until I die.

 

Most of my friends, and even my girlfriend at the time were Democrats. Let’s call one friend Aron, an Asian, and my ex gf Lucy, a white girl. My dad is ‘Todd.

Aron and Lucy were both PBS Democrats. ‘Todd’ is more difficult to pigeonhole. In the past you could have a civil conversation, disagree and go about your business. Like PBS pre 2016 there was a discussion about ‘hot topics’. I thought this was the same Democrat party I was speaking to.

 

About Aaron:

 

After a small break in communication, I met Aaron at the Shipyard Brewery in MA around 2017. I had decided to sit on the fence and see how Donald Trump would be as a President, after voting for Jill Stein. I had read reports of TDS, and thought it the fanciful dreams of a media trying to get views.

After a few draughts we got into a heated political debate. At the time it was Russia Gate and other political nonsense. My point was, and is, forget what they say, and look at what he does. Are we better off now or then? Do the tariffs make sense? And by the way are brown and black people are doing well?

Instead of answers I got very vocal and embarrassing arguments. Aron decided to raise his voice to embarrassing levels. Instead of being his friend, he attacked me with all the vitriol and hatred he could summon in public. I was now a ‘Trump lover’ and not worthy of any respect. (Even though I didn’t vote for Trump, and am a minority)

‘Take it easy, I exclaimed, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter, in 2016. He continued to berate me in public. Funny thing his fancy Google Phone crapped out when we left Shipyard. He needed my $80 phone to get an Uber and take him to an iPhone store to continue his tirade against me on social media.

A year or two ago he moved to LA among his other trust fund baby friends, and I have ignored his calls since. It wasn’t a loss, he was the most racist person I have ever known. He liked me when I was a victim, or assumed I was a victim because of my color. When I proved it wasn’t true he left me.

 

Lucy the Racist Teacher

 

I met Lucy online via a dating website. We hit it off at first. We had a few good dates. I liked her for her arts and crafts mentality, I wanted a family, and an arts and crafts background in a woman in her early 30s seemed perfect. This was not about looks for me. But I found out Lucy was all about getting off dating a brown guy.

About 5 dates in she ‘went in on Trump’. I guess since I am brown, she expected her typical Democrat biased racism to be ok. As a political neutral, I mentioned how black and brown unemployment was at all time lows with Trump. I mentioned how I had a paid off MBA by myself. I also mentioned how female wages were rising. As you can imagine It was a poor date. We decided to have another dinner date though.

 

On our next dinner date, we got to discussing politics early. ‘You do know, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter (again). She decided to make our dinner conversation public by raising her voice, she then continued her verbal assaults including ‘my own’ race, gender, politics and anything else you could imagine. It was the most embarrassed I have ever been on a date with any race. I’d rather take a ratchet girl to a nice restaurant in the future. After the public tirade had passed, I called a cab. I asked them to take her home.

Goodbye Lucy. We didn’t speak after.

 

‘Todd’

 

My dad. He walked out on my family when I was 4 in 1979. Typical. I was a 1970-1980 mixed baby. I am the 1975 born Pro Life baby, I am the 1980’s latch key kid:

When you lefties talk about aborted babies, I should have been one of them.

 

Broken home, check

Single parent home, check.

Mixed Race, check.

Latch key kid in the 1980’s, check.

By all accounts I should be a waste, or by Democrat measures aborted.…but nope. Here I am and I refuse to be a victim.

I understand Russell Wilson, Colin K, and others more than you can imagine. Being a 1980-1990 mixed kid sucked. Mixed is the hot caramel now.

We are ‘hot stuff’, but it wasn’t so 20 yrs ago.

I found 'Todd’s number. I tried to catch up. I understood he was a Vietnam Vet. I was told he had issues.

I called 'Todd'. I let him know I didn’t blame him. I let him know his first born son had a BA.

We had these conversations before. This was ok @2000.

After some time, I contacted Todd to let him know I had a graduate degree and had it paid off. I also had bought a house. I was a self made man even as late as 40. I wanted to celebrate the success of the USA, even if it was solo, and not perfect. His son made it with an MBA and a house.'

'But Dad' could not celebrate the success with me..

How dare I want a border? How dare I sell out? How dare I besmirch my Native Relatives?

Nothing about my graduate degree (first in immediate family) or about buying a house on my own (after a generation)

He berated my success and left me empty and hung up on me.

So it is.

After these experiences, from Democrats, why would I ever vote Democrat again?

Thank you for sharing your story.

[Unforgiven]

6 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

My own history is far left. 1990’s-2000 ish. I was a registered socialist. I did vote for Clinton I, and Obama I. I otherwise voted socialist in most elections.

 

After that I was an ‘Independent’, voting mostly Democrat. I voted Republican for DA positions. Who wants criminals among us? Let’s be real.

 

In 2016, I voted for Jill Stein. I thought that neither Clinton, nor Trump deserved my vote. I voted my conscious. That ended up being a female on the green party ticket. I am not ‘misogynistic’, I voted for the right woman in 2016. I stand by that. Jill Stein did not rig a primary to be her party’s voice. She won it fair and square. In my opinion she was the best president.

 

I hold an MBA in Sustainability Management. The degree was conferred by a private North Eastern college held in high regard in engineering and business circles. I attended my MBA school at 35. I was too white to get help, and too black to know better. Somehow the college considered me a ‘success’ when I finished. No one in my graduating class was ‘dumb’. It was mostly white and Chinese nationals. Somehow a mixed boy at 35 yrs old graduated with a 4.0 in their MBA program, beat all of them. (yep that was me)

 

PS by 40 I was debt free, including student loans. I refused to be a government slave.

 

I wish I had a patriarch that told me to get a degree, and then pay it off quickly. Patriarch’s are rare these days. I would also tell any young man these days to become an electrician without kids, or have a plan. A BA in Sociology doesn't cut it anymore.

 

Believe it or not there are many ways to be climate aware, and profitable. I wish the USA would figure this out. People like me are working on it. My own thinking changed around 2016. I started leaning more and more center right around then. I found Thomas Sowell, and Larry Elder.

 

Since 2016, the vocabulary toward me has been horrible. Really terrible. I have been called awful things by my ‘friends and family’ and 'the neighborhood' since 2016 when I simply voted neutral. I get all the names; ‘Sell out’, ‘Uncle Tom’, ‘Coconut’ and worse. It is what it is. I will fight to stop the DOE teaching my cousins, nieces and nephews to be victims until I die.

 

Most of my friends, and even my girlfriend at the time were Democrats. Let’s call one friend Aron, an Asian, and my ex gf Lucy, a white girl. My dad is ‘Todd.

Aron and Lucy were both PBS Democrats. ‘Todd’ is more difficult to pigeonhole. In the past you could have a civil conversation, disagree and go about your business. Like PBS pre 2016 there was a discussion about ‘hot topics’. I thought this was the same Democrat party I was speaking to.

 

About Aaron:

 

After a small break in communication, I met Aaron at the Shipyard Brewery in MA around 2017. I had decided to sit on the fence and see how Donald Trump would be as a President, after voting for Jill Stein. I had read reports of TDS, and thought it the fanciful dreams of a media trying to get views.

After a few draughts we got into a heated political debate. At the time it was Russia Gate and other political nonsense. My point was, and is, forget what they say, and look at what he does. Are we better off now or then? Do the tariffs make sense? And by the way are brown and black people are doing well?

Instead of answers I got very vocal and embarrassing arguments. Aron decided to raise his voice to embarrassing levels. Instead of being his friend, he attacked me with all the vitriol and hatred he could summon in public. I was now a ‘Trump lover’ and not worthy of any respect. (Even though I didn’t vote for Trump, and am a minority)

‘Take it easy, I exclaimed, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter, in 2016. He continued to berate me in public. Funny thing his fancy Google Phone crapped out when we left Shipyard. He needed my $80 phone to get an Uber and take him to an iPhone store to continue his tirade against me on social media.

A year or two ago he moved to LA among his other trust fund baby friends, and I have ignored his calls since. It wasn’t a loss, he was the most racist person I have ever known. He liked me when I was a victim, or assumed I was a victim because of my color. When I proved it wasn’t true he left me.

 

Lucy the Racist Teacher

 

I met Lucy online via a dating website. We hit it off at first. We had a few good dates. I liked her for her arts and crafts mentality, I wanted a family, and an arts and crafts background in a woman in her early 30s seemed perfect. This was not about looks for me. But I found out Lucy was all about getting off dating a brown guy.

About 5 dates in she ‘went in on Trump’. I guess since I am brown, she expected her typical Democrat biased racism to be ok. As a political neutral, I mentioned how black and brown unemployment was at all time lows with Trump. I mentioned how I had a paid off MBA by myself. I also mentioned how female wages were rising. As you can imagine It was a poor date. We decided to have another dinner date though.

 

On our next dinner date, we got to discussing politics early. ‘You do know, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter (again). She decided to make our dinner conversation public by raising her voice, she then continued her verbal assaults including ‘my own’ race, gender, politics and anything else you could imagine. It was the most embarrassed I have ever been on a date with any race. I’d rather take a ratchet girl to a nice restaurant in the future. After the public tirade had passed, I called a cab. I asked them to take her home.

Goodbye Lucy. We didn’t speak after.

 

‘Todd’

 

My dad. He walked out on my family when I was 4 in 1979. Typical. I was a 1970-1980 mixed baby. I am the 1975 born Pro Life baby, I am the 1980’s latch key kid:

When you lefties talk about aborted babies, I should have been one of them.

 

Broken home, check

Single parent home, check.

Mixed Race, check.

Latch key kid in the 1980’s, check.

By all accounts I should be a waste, or by Democrat measures aborted.…but nope. Here I am and I refuse to be a victim.

I understand Russell Wilson, Colin K, and others more than you can imagine. Being a 1980-1990 mixed kid sucked. Mixed is the hot caramel now.

We are ‘hot stuff’, but it wasn’t so 20 yrs ago.

I found 'Todd’s number. I tried to catch up. I understood he was a Vietnam Vet. I was told he had issues.

I called 'Todd'. I let him know I didn’t blame him. I let him know his first born son had a BA.

We had these conversations before. This was ok @2000.

After some time, I contacted Todd to let him know I had a graduate degree and had it paid off. I also had bought a house. I was a self made man even as late as 40. I wanted to celebrate the success of the USA, even if it was solo, and not perfect. His son made it with an MBA and a house.'

'But Dad' could not celebrate the success with me..

How dare I want a border? How dare I sell out? How dare I besmirch my Native Relatives?

Nothing about my graduate degree (first in immediate family) or about buying a house on my own (after a generation)

He berated my success and left me empty and hung up on me.

So it is.

After these experiences, from Democrats, why would I ever vote Democrat again?

Watch out some idiot here is going to accuse you of being DR

[All_Pro_Bills]

1 hour ago, SoCal Deek said:

Everything about the current struggle in America boils down to the individual versus the collective. It’s really that simple on every level. Including the original post here. Early on I was shaped by the ideals of the individual and have remained true to that devotion my entire life. Unlike what the collectivists would opine it doesn’t mean you don’t care about others! 

This is a big part of it.  The belief that individuals belong to "groups" and if the individual holds views that differ from that groups "characteristics" and "beliefs" then there is something fundamentally wrong with that person.  This "group" view contradicts every principal of individual freedom.  Freedom to think as we choose, freedom to say what we choose, freedom to do what we want to do.  The entire concept of "America" is based on the principals of individual freedom.  Group-think despises concepts like facts, critical thinking, and individual experiences and the concept of individualism.  Despise it so much so at this point in time that people pushing grouping and categorizing everyone cannot every comprehend the concept of the individual.   Things like:

 

You can support parts of the administrations agenda and not like Trump. 

You can support police reforms but not support the entire BLM agenda.  

You can be socially liberal but fiscally conservative. 

You can believe we need to evaluate historical monuments but deplore the unilateral destruction of them by the mob.

You can listen and behave in a civil manner towards people you don't agree with and still hold a different opinion.

[Doc]

Sorry for what you've had to go through.  And congrats on getting to where you are.  I figure your mother should get a shout-out as well.

[Westside]

4 hours ago, plenzmd1 said:

all good points @RocCityRoller, but i would point out that the same reaction comes from most of the MAGA supporters i know when we discuss politics. Impossible to discuss ideas or criticize Trump without being characterized as a "far left liberal" . It is the extremes at both ends that hold us back as a society. 

 

BTW, not to take this thread completely off the rails, but can you expand on your Russell Wilson comment?

I agree, both sides have their radicals. At this moment in time the radicals on the left are far more violent than the radicals on the right. 

[billsfan1959]

@RocCityRoller  Good post, brother  

 

Rising above one's origins and/or expectations of him/her is always a good story.

 

What is your relationship with your father now? Just curious. I had similiar (and other) issues with my father that I never had the opportunity to resolve with him.

[Just Joshin']

Nice post and thanks for sharing.  Reminds me of the Clarence Thomas show on PBS.  Started as a radical in college and he ends up the most conservative Justice on the Supreme Court.

[Cinga]

9 hours ago, RocCityRoller said:

My own history is far left. 1990’s-2000 ish. I was a registered socialist. I did vote for Clinton I, and Obama I. I otherwise voted socialist in most elections.

 

 

Thanks for sharing your amazing story!  I think in today society the saddest part of all is the divisiveness almost all of us face and I think it comes down to more political ideology more than any race or religion.

Even the riots etc going on now, even though it's claimed to be all about BLM, it's anything but and totally political in nature. I had an old friend at work that was totally opposite of me, he is an admitted socialist and really likes Bernie Sanders. We were able to have a lot of really civil discussions over the years. I've since moved to a different location and actually miss those conversations. It's one of the reasons i enjoy this board so much though some of the extremists that try to incite can KMA.... 

 

[RocCityRoller]

On 7/15/2020 at 11:10 AM, All_Pro_Bills said:

This is a big part of it.  The belief that individuals belong to "groups" and if the individual holds views that differ from that groups "characteristics" and "beliefs" then there is something fundamentally wrong with that person.  This "group" view contradicts every principal of individual freedom.  Freedom to think as we choose, freedom to say what we choose, freedom to do what we want to do.  The entire concept of "America" is based on the principals of individual freedom.  Group-think despises concepts like facts, critical thinking, and individual experiences and the concept of individualism.  Despise it so much so at this point in time that people pushing grouping and categorizing everyone cannot every comprehend the concept of the individual.   Things like:

 

You can support parts of the administrations agenda and not like Trump. 

You can support police reforms but not support the entire BLM agenda.  

You can be socially liberal but fiscally conservative. 

You can believe we need to evaluate historical monuments but deplore the unilateral destruction of them by the mob.

You can listen and behave in a civil manner towards people you don't agree with and still hold a different opinion.

 

I took some time off of social media in all forms shortly after this post. I didn't find the exchanges I was having to be to be helpful or positive. I also shared a lot here that I did not intend to. TBH I am pleasantly surprised by all of the reactions on this thread. Well done TBD. I replied to this thread because All_pro_bills nailed it. This is really a great post and 100% correct.

 

The question now is about collectivism versus independence. Classical liberalism (which has been the driving philosophy of the USA since its inception) vs socialism/communism. Personal responsibility vs Victimhood. In a long winded way I guess I was sharing my experience in all of this.

 

You can support parts of the administrations agenda and not like Trump.  - BINGO, not a fan of the man, got to love how he puts the USA first. He is crude, unpolished, pro-USA to the core. So was Teddy Roosevelt.

 

You can support police reforms but not support the entire BLM agenda. - Let's talk police violence. Why are 1k people (all races) killed by police each year? All Lives Matter. 2x white folks are killed by police each year. Let's build coalitions and address the bigger issue. I would also 'encourage' all people to visit the BLM website and see what they support.... It is not an equal rights organization.

 

You can be socially liberal but fiscally conservative. - I found out over time I am what is called a Libertarian. Socially liberal and fiscally conservative. The basis of fiscal conservatism is in itself a check on the government. Small government = less areas they can tell a person what to do or not to do. It also doesn't allow people to become dependent on it. I highly recommend giving a read of 'The Road to Serfdom', by Hayek. Hayek was an Austrian, no American 'spin'. It's free here:

https://cdn.mises.org/Road to serfdom.pdf

 

You can believe we need to evaluate historical monuments but deplore the unilateral destruction of them by the mob. - Erasing history doesn't change it, and if we do not understand it, it can be repeated. Sometime this leads to uncomfortable conversations. It actually makes sense that the left would destroy monuments of its most reprehensible behavior. But then smashing Frederick Douglas, Abe Lincoln etc makes no sense unless the goal is anarchy.

 

You can listen and behave in a civil manner towards people you don't agree with and still hold a different opinion. - I miss those days. The era of 'identity politics' destroys the dialectic method. Marx and his philosophical basis, Hegel, even agree that an exchange of ideas is required. (Thesis/Antithesis/Synthesis)

 

Anyway, great post.

[DFT]

On 7/15/2020 at 3:31 AM, RocCityRoller said:

My own history is far left. 1990’s-2000 ish. I was a registered socialist. I did vote for Clinton I, and Obama I. I otherwise voted socialist in most elections.

 

After that I was an ‘Independent’, voting mostly Democrat. I voted Republican for DA positions. Who wants criminals among us? Let’s be real.

 

In 2016, I voted for Jill Stein. I thought that neither Clinton, nor Trump deserved my vote. I voted my conscious. That ended up being a female on the green party ticket. I am not ‘misogynistic’, I voted for the right woman in 2016. I stand by that. Jill Stein did not rig a primary to be her party’s voice. She won it fair and square. In my opinion she was the best president.

 

I hold an MBA in Sustainability Management. The degree was conferred by a private North Eastern college held in high regard in engineering and business circles. I attended my MBA school at 35. I was too white to get help, and too black to know better. Somehow the college considered me a ‘success’ when I finished. No one in my graduating class was ‘dumb’. It was mostly white and Chinese nationals. Somehow a mixed boy at 35 yrs old graduated with a 4.0 in their MBA program, beat all of them. (yep that was me)

 

PS by 40 I was debt free, including student loans. I refused to be a government slave.

 

I wish I had a patriarch that told me to get a degree, and then pay it off quickly. Patriarch’s are rare these days. I would also tell any young man these days to become an electrician without kids, or have a plan. A BA in Sociology doesn't cut it anymore.

 

Believe it or not there are many ways to be climate aware, and profitable. I wish the USA would figure this out. People like me are working on it. My own thinking changed around 2016. I started leaning more and more center right around then. I found Thomas Sowell, and Larry Elder.

 

Since 2016, the vocabulary toward me has been horrible. Really terrible. I have been called awful things by my ‘friends and family’ and 'the neighborhood' since 2016 when I simply voted neutral. I get all the names; ‘Sell out’, ‘Uncle Tom’, ‘Coconut’ and worse. It is what it is. I will fight to stop the DOE teaching my cousins, nieces and nephews to be victims until I die.

 

Most of my friends, and even my girlfriend at the time were Democrats. Let’s call one friend Aron, an Asian, and my ex gf Lucy, a white girl. My dad is ‘Todd.

Aron and Lucy were both PBS Democrats. ‘Todd’ is more difficult to pigeonhole. In the past you could have a civil conversation, disagree and go about your business. Like PBS pre 2016 there was a discussion about ‘hot topics’. I thought this was the same Democrat party I was speaking to.

 

About Aaron:

 

After a small break in communication, I met Aaron at the Shipyard Brewery in MA around 2017. I had decided to sit on the fence and see how Donald Trump would be as a President, after voting for Jill Stein. I had read reports of TDS, and thought it the fanciful dreams of a media trying to get views.

After a few draughts we got into a heated political debate. At the time it was Russia Gate and other political nonsense. My point was, and is, forget what they say, and look at what he does. Are we better off now or then? Do the tariffs make sense? And by the way are brown and black people are doing well?

Instead of answers I got very vocal and embarrassing arguments. Aron decided to raise his voice to embarrassing levels. Instead of being his friend, he attacked me with all the vitriol and hatred he could summon in public. I was now a ‘Trump lover’ and not worthy of any respect. (Even though I didn’t vote for Trump, and am a minority)

‘Take it easy, I exclaimed, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter, in 2016. He continued to berate me in public. Funny thing his fancy Google Phone crapped out when we left Shipyard. He needed my $80 phone to get an Uber and take him to an iPhone store to continue his tirade against me on social media.

A year or two ago he moved to LA among his other trust fund baby friends, and I have ignored his calls since. It wasn’t a loss, he was the most racist person I have ever known. He liked me when I was a victim, or assumed I was a victim because of my color. When I proved it wasn’t true he left me.

 

Lucy the Racist Teacher

 

I met Lucy online via a dating website. We hit it off at first. We had a few good dates. I liked her for her arts and crafts mentality, I wanted a family, and an arts and crafts background in a woman in her early 30s seemed perfect. This was not about looks for me. But I found out Lucy was all about getting off dating a brown guy.

About 5 dates in she ‘went in on Trump’. I guess since I am brown, she expected her typical Democrat biased racism to be ok. As a political neutral, I mentioned how black and brown unemployment was at all time lows with Trump. I mentioned how I had a paid off MBA by myself. I also mentioned how female wages were rising. As you can imagine It was a poor date. We decided to have another dinner date though.

 

On our next dinner date, we got to discussing politics early. ‘You do know, I didn’t vote for Trump’ I said, but it didn’t matter. Simply by raising neutral points I was now a ‘Trump’ supporter (again). She decided to make our dinner conversation public by raising her voice, she then continued her verbal assaults including ‘my own’ race, gender, politics and anything else you could imagine. It was the most embarrassed I have ever been on a date with any race. I’d rather take a ratchet girl to a nice restaurant in the future. After the public tirade had passed, I called a cab. I asked them to take her home.

Goodbye Lucy. We didn’t speak after.

 

‘Todd’

 

My dad. He walked out on my family when I was 4 in 1979. Typical. I was a 1970-1980 mixed baby. I am the 1975 born Pro Life baby, I am the 1980’s latch key kid:

When you lefties talk about aborted babies, I should have been one of them.

 

Broken home, check

Single parent home, check.

Mixed Race, check.

Latch key kid in the 1980’s, check.

By all accounts I should be a waste, or by Democrat measures aborted.…but nope. Here I am and I refuse to be a victim.

I understand Russell Wilson, Colin K, and others more than you can imagine. Being a 1980-1990 mixed kid sucked. Mixed is the hot caramel now.

We are ‘hot stuff’, but it wasn’t so 20 yrs ago.

I found 'Todd’s number. I tried to catch up. I understood he was a Vietnam Vet. I was told he had issues.

I called 'Todd'. I let him know I didn’t blame him. I let him know his first born son had a BA.

We had these conversations before. This was ok @2000.

After some time, I contacted Todd to let him know I had a graduate degree and had it paid off. I also had bought a house. I was a self made man even as late as 40. I wanted to celebrate the success of the USA, even if it was solo, and not perfect. His son made it with an MBA and a house.'

'But Dad' could not celebrate the success with me..

How dare I want a border? How dare I sell out? How dare I besmirch my Native Relatives?

Nothing about my graduate degree (first in immediate family) or about buying a house on my own (after a generation)

He berated my success and left me empty and hung up on me.

So it is.

After these experiences, from Democrats, why would I ever vote Democrat again?

Roc, thank you for sharing your story.  Great points and a very entertaining read!!   Appreciate the time you took to type it up for us and your well-deserved perspectives.  We may not agree on everything, but I sincerely respect your thoughts.  What would this world look like if we could all just listen intently, not to respond, but to receive...   again, a sincere thank you!

[RocCityRoller]

On 7/31/2020 at 8:17 PM, DFT said:

Roc, thank you for sharing your story.  Great points and a very entertaining read!!   Appreciate the time you took to type it up for us and your well-deserved perspectives.  We may not agree on everything, but I sincerely respect your thoughts.  What would this world look like if we could all just listen intently, not to respond, but to receive...   again, a sincere thank you!

Thanks DFT, see above. Let's have a dialogue from it. I think we as a country need it. My position is not popular, but is gaining traction.