Many of you may breathe a sigh of relief to hear I’m sidestepping those first two. Probably. I’m most likely sidestepping those first two topics depending on how this post breaks.

We’re living on the edge today.

I’m in North Carolina, a pretty freaking red state. People like to talk about how we went blue in 2008 and before that in — checks notes — 1976 but otherwise I’m seeing a steady red voting record. NC friends tell me about their blue cities but seeing as I’m personally buried in a county so red it practically screams STOP from town hall it can be hard to remember we’re not a monolith.

A recent journal prompt started with how are you like the supporters of the opposite political party. My kneejerk reaction was graphically how I’m nothing like a MAGA supporter…then I acknowledged we’re both passionate about the political process, have strong feelings about the direction America should go in, and believe deeply our way is the right way. It forced me to look critically at my behavior so I’m going to talk about this election in a way I haven’t before.

Donald Trump hates me.

In years past I knew my ideology is incompatible with conservative Republican values but this year hate stands front and center. It comes from Donald Trump’s own mouth, in multiple venues, while cameras are rolling.

He calls political opponents vermin and the media, our way of staying informed about our government, an enemy of the state. He talks about Democrats being the enemy from within and how they will be punished once he is president.

He talks about closing the department of education and pulling funding for schools that teach curriculum his administration doesn’t approve. He specifically mentions not sending money if a school teaches about slavery, an objectively historical fact.

Trump campaigns on Project47 and concerns abound there. A few of mine are:

  • Creating a new credentialing body to only certify teachers who “embrace patriotic values.”
  • Eliminating legal liability for police officers.
  • Calling for legislation saying “the only genders recognized by the U.S. government are male and female — and they are assigned at birth.”

He actively pursued and claims credit for undoing healthcare protections for women. He placed the government in every gynecology department and hospital treating pregnant people. He either believes women do not have legal autonomy to make their own healthcare decisions or he is so indebted to the anti-abortion movement he acts that way.

I cannot and will not discuss how this man talks about women who have been sexually assaulted.

He’s calling November 5th a “day of liberation,” rhetoric stoking that “stop the steal” fire from 2020. There are people in my area who speak openly about the civil unrest coming if Kamala Harris wins this election. To be plain, Trump supporters are speaking openly about violently overthrowing our government if their political candidate does not win in a free and fair election. I will never dismiss this as heated election rhetoric after watching the carnage on January 6, 2021.

The man running for president, who hopes to revamp our government once he’s in office, hates me and everything I stand for.

Look around. If you know someone scared about this election they have their own reasons. Ask them. Listen to them.

Politics sits at your kitchen table whether you invite it or not.