I have a close friend that I’ve known 20 years who became obsessed with right-wing politics. even though I’m liberal, I don’t make it my entire personality and life. But anyway… I was talking to him this morning casually like friends do.
Me: “Hey man. Do you have off today for MLK day?” Friend: “No, I have to work today.” Me: “Damn, sorry to hear. I have off today since it’s a company holiday.” Friend: “Yeah, I work for a living. Guess that’s the difference me and people who live in an ivory tower.” Me: “Uhh I work for a living too. Idk why you’re acting like I don’t?” Friend: “I didn’t mean you specifically. But you’re off and I’m not so it shows that you get to relax at least. You should be able to handle the truth lol. There’s no shame in admitting that I’m a harder worker than everyone else. you shouldn’t be so sensitive”
Honestly, he’s not unique, either. I’ve met so many people who are conservative, obsessed with right-wing stuff, and they’re all like this. They act like they’re special and the whole world is lazy, “no one wants to work anymore” attitude.
Lol this same person once told me that he doesn’t support LGBT or Black lives matter or any of that because he doesn’t agree with those communities and thinks that they are hateful
Sometimes I’m struck by the way that framing impacts a situation. To many people feeling that a minority group is hateful is a legitimate reason for them to oppose our rights, and the response so often is (rightfully and accurately) that that group isn’t or that it’s ridiculous to imply that they’re hateful. It was even my gut response to say that as a white person who’s protested with black lives matter I was treated as one of them.
But the framing is wrong. Even if every blm protestor is a belligerent asshole, does that mean that the facts of american policing aren’t still horrifying? If every gay person was an annoying jerk why would that have any away in whether you should be allowed to discriminate against us for being gay? If trans people were all unpleasant, why would that matter for our right to live as we please and to be seen and recognized as the genders we live as?
Because while you can probably find people in each group who argues the majority should have less rights or should suffer as we have, they’re a small and powerless contingent. Majority rights have never been on the table, except when necessary to further oppress the minority (such as the right of cisgender girls to compete in athletics without genital examinations).
Have you ever considered that your buddy just might be a fucking idiot?
They are hateful of him. And should be.