I’m not political in a sense that I monitor the happenings going on everyday. I pay casual attention. I vote, listen to speeches, and I feel like I’m a pretty good listener when it comes to both sides.
Like a good driver. I watch both lanes, and figure out which one is going to work best for me. But once I’ve picked my lane, it doesn’t mean that I like everything about this lane, it just means its working for me. I can still watch what’s going on in the other lane, just in case I need to get over. And inevitably, I will probably need to change lanes to go around an idiot, or get off at an exit.
On social media, I have MANY friends of different races, religious backgrounds, political views. Some are actual friends, some are friends I knew a long time ago, and some are people I have never met. And I usually (used to) appreciate seeing their posts, and contemplating their side of view, and enjoyed making a decision, for me. “Oh. Yeah, I see where you are coming from, and why you might feel that way. But nah, I’m not ok/dont agree with that. You do you”.
The last year has been intense. Last 2 years really, with all the Antifa, and BLM stuff. The police shootings and resulting chaos. Being in the Atlanta area, some of it felt pretty close to home, especially with the Wendys shooting. And also a primary reason I have not actually been in the Downtown Atlanta area for many years. Between the traffic, and the violence, I’m not interested. And now you add the stress of Covid, and it is a non-option.
People are at their breaking point. And I would like to NOT be in their lane when they do. Without supporting, or condoning anyone, I would rather make the best decision for me, and my family.
So when I post a fairly neutral picture about if you didn’t bitch then, don’t bitch now, I feel it accurately represents my current opinion. While it may NOT be my only opinion on the subject, it sums it up, at this moment. Prior to my posting, I had names popping up that I had not seen in YEARS. People (public) I forgot were either liked. Or forgot they existed. And yes, they had very specific opinions about the capital situation, but never said a word the last 2 years. Wtf. Really? One lady even made a statement about “yall know if that was us, we would be shot dead.” I’m guessing she was referring to black people, or maybe specifically BLM folks. No, you wouldn’t. You don’t know what would happen. I don’t know either. No one has been outright shot, even when they were blocking people, jumping on cars, throwing molotov cocktails through local businesses and screaming at people with bats in their hands. (Which, btw, is NOT my interpretation of a peaceful protest). When they shot a kid at the Wendys, with his family when they pulled into a parking lot because they were ” protecting” and saving it for homeless people. After they burned it to the ground of course, no one was shot, other then the 7 year old. The armed “protectors” had been left alone to make whatever stand they choose.
So when I post this, don’t want to hear it picture, this person actually makes a comment, immediately.
“Awwwwa no. Tabs, don’t make me delete you for actually buying into this shit. These people fucking stormed the capital. You’re way smarter than this sweetie.”
Seriously? This is a person who has rarely commented on my page. Never said anything about me having cancer, my car accident, nothing when my kid graduated. I really wanted to go the hell off, but it really wasn’t worth it. Not on that platform. You have grossly over estimated your value in my life.
Not going to argue, because you obviously aren’t capable of hearing any opinions other than your own. The arrogance and ignorance of assuming that I would dismiss my own personal thoughts and views, so you don’t delete me from your friends list? Are you kidding me right now? This is the value you want to place on our previous friendship? Where you “draw the line” at being “facebook” friends even though we haven’t spoken in probably over 10 years? Let alone hung out together. Or even hung out with any mutual friends. Or friends of friends.
You have not given 2 shits about my life in probably 10 years? 15 years? And really weren’t all that involved then.
And whether or not I feel storming the capital was right, or wrong, or setting the wendys on fire was right or wrong, is irrelevant. I dont feel I have enough information to feel any certain way about it.
People are so reactive these days, im not sure why anyone didn’t expect this. Hell, im reacting right now to some stupid Facebook crap that I really don’t need in my life. How could the public NOT see this. How could anyone talk about how repulsive and un American charging into the Capital is. And not be horrified and upset about people destroying their neighborhoods and killing and hurting their neighbors? And threatened to not like me anymore, because I call out the people who think one is ok, but not the other? You are the idiots who can’t pick a lane on the highway. Actually, more than likely, you are the dumbos who will run the stop sign, to get out in front of me by a millisecond, but refuse to go 1 mph over the posted speed limit. Yep, thats you.
So what would be the right action? A sit in? Write a letter to your congress man? Block an interstate? Tear down a statue? Burn down a business? Disown all your associates who don’t conform to your opnions?
Yeah. Isn’t this behavior is what sparked the American Revolution? The Boston Tea Party? My history may be lacking, but I dont remember reading about the colonists burning up their neighbors grain barn, or shooting their children. They went for the people who were keeping them under their thumbs. The went for the British. Right? Im pretty certain that was the basics of it.
I saved him the trouble and deleted him from my friends. And while I was at it. I went ahead and stopped following alot of people I dont know, and who were being poltically belligerent. So maybe he does have the right train of thought. Maybe it is a good idea to remove anyone from MY page who doesn’t agree with me wholeheartedly.
Stay in your own lane
Maybe that will decrease my stress and make me blissfully ignorant.
One can only hope.