Practice What You Preach

I have many friends who are actresses, but only one who makes her living from acting.  She always had a passion for acting so when she was in her mid 30s, she quit her "day job" to follow her dream.  Family commitments have prevented from relocating to a bigger city.  She knows she will never be famous but has managed to build a life worth living by acting.  She is currently acting in a play at our Fringe Festival.  The play is about a family living in the American mid-west.

We don't see each other as often as I would like so I was excited when she invited me out for coffee yesterday.  I was much less excited when we met.

In her current play, she is playing the family matriarch.  It doesn't have much to do with the plot of the play, however, the family are all Trump supporters.  My friend researches every role she takes in order to fully get into character.  I expected that we were going to have a lot of laughs as she was going to tell me what it is like playing someone who supports Trump.  I was wrong.  

We didn't have laughs.  Instead, we had an uncomfortable political discussion.  At first, I didn't take her seriously, but, it appeared she was taking her role too seriously.  She was "all in" Trump.  She was actually making some arguments that I didn't have a response.  I always knew she was talented, but this was some amazing acting skills.  

At one point when I had no response, I said, "but, you are too smart to support Trump."  

She said that I needed to learn how to practice what you preach.  She pointed to a blog entry that I had recently posted indicating that insults rarely worked in getting someone to change and that you caught more flies with honey than with vinegar.  I didn't understand.  

She said that I, and many others, essentially call Trump supporters stupid, racist, and bigoted.She asked how I expect to change their minds when I am insulting them.  She further went on that many right-wing supporters regret their vote for Trump, however, will likely vote for him again because there is no alternative.  

She pointed out that most people when faced with personal attacks tend to double down on their original message.  Ever get into a fight with a teenager?  You know what it means to be entrenched in your position.  

She was absolutely right and I was right a year ago when I said the most dangerous thing was not Trump, it was the fact that there were Trump supporters.  If I did want them to change their position, I would need to listen more to them and woo them with facts and not personal insults.  In short, we have to show them a path with compassionate kindness.  

I probably never will understand what motivates some to support Trump, however, I do have to try.  We all need to listen more and talk less.  We have two ears and one mouth for a reason.  

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As I am typing, Trump is tweeting his latest thoughts about his former lawyer, Michael Cohen.  What kind of idiot can't see the inconsistencies and that he doesn't even make sense?  Whoops.  I need to practice what I preach.  I just wish Trump wouldn't make it so difficult to do.....