Never Be The Same

Responding to some mildly vitriolic political diatribe—by current standards, anyway—posted by a Trump supporter on her Facebook page, a friend emphasized her desire for civility and the need for all of us to recognize that one day this current president will no longer be in office, but we will still have to contend with each other, namely the family and friends with whom we’ve disagreed or even feuded over our feelings regarding POTUS45.

My immediate reaction, aside from disagreement, was to refer to Chris Rock’s most recent comedy special, Tambourine, in which he talks about how his infidelity—among other things—led to the end of his marriage. But there was one particular aspect that came to mind: how once it’s confirmed that there’s been betrayal, a relationship can never be the same.

Aside from the fact that the presidency of this vulgar bigot and con man has further coarsened the public discourse for decades to come, I feel there are a great many of us who have felt betrayed by those from our inner circle who support a morally decrepit individual of this magnitude. It goes much deeper than disagreeing about political ideology, it’s the realization that people we loved and/or respected have decided to stand with a monster. And what that reveals about them.

Yes, in many if not most instances, these folks will remain in our lives long after the Orange Nightmare has subsided. But as anyone who has remained in a relationship tainted by betrayal can attest to, it will never be the same.