I haven't posted one of these in many months because, quite frankly, I've lost count. Sixteen feels like the right number but some are arguable. Not counted in there are two friendships that ended and have since resumed because these folks felt Trump has gone too far. There are also one or two where I've decided I don't want to talk to this person anymore and he may well have decided he doesn't want to associate with me any longer…but we haven't told each other yet. I'm not counting these in the sixteen either.
I actually have a number of friends who support Trump, though none of them seem to have unconditional love for the guy nor do they believe everything he says. They just like the alternatives less. I have to admit that my vote has often gone to one person because I liked the alternative less.
It's usually possible to have a civil conversation with these people. Their support for Donald doesn't kill that. Hysteria and demagoguery are the problem just as hysteria and demagoguery about almost anything are bad for friendships. That especially true when you're not both hysterical and demagoguing in the same direction.
One ex-friend is apparently going around telling people, "Evanier let political differences come between us." No, I'm fine with political differences. I even have some with myself of a few years ago. My friendship with this guy broke up because I felt he was being rude to me and that too much racism, homophobia and misogyny were leaking out of him, poorly disguised as political principles. Also, there was some antisemitism sprinkled in there and being half-Jewish, I'm half-offended by that kind of thing.
You might say, "Well, maybe it's for the good that all that's come out instead of remaining suppressed." I might have agreed with that in theory. In the real world though, it's hard to see how all the negative emotions swirling about can lead to anything good.
Lastly, about the "R" word: Some time back here, I tried to make the case that Trump wasn't necessarily a racist; that it seemed to me he was better described as someone who had no problem appealing to racists. A number of my colleagues jumped on me to argue it was a distinction without a difference and I gave in. I couldn't say what I was trying to say as well as Kevin Drum did in this post.
Thank you. I'm hoping that writing this post will get him out of my head for a while so I can work on the really important stuff…like this just-announced project I have coming out next year. (No, it's not my big book on Jack Kirby but I'm working away on that, too.)