One of my Facebook friends posts numerous memes of Trump depicting him as being chosen for the Presidency by God, being guided by Jesus, as being a pro-life family man of great Christian virtue and as a highly successful businessman who is only disliked because he is working so hard to make America great again. My Facebook friend is not alone as 35% of Americans still support Trump.
My friend’s view of reality is diametrically opposed to mine and I have other friends, family members and acquaintances who agree with my Facebook friend. This makes me question my view of reality. If I see these people as being misled, am I being misled? Are they not looking closer or seeking other sources of information? Am I engaging in confirmation bias?
In Trump, I see a twice divorced man who engaged in multiple extra-marital affairs, who inherited a lot of money, declared bankruptcy six times and often stiffed contractors and workers, who mocked a person with a disability on national television, has told over 6000 documented lies since becoming President and who believes that the National Enquirer has the same journalistic standing as The Washington Post or The New York Times. I don’t believe Trump was chosen by God and that he thinks “WWJD” when he makes decisions. Before becoming a pro-life Republican for the 2016 election, he was lifelong a pro-choice Democrat. He is more concerned with money and his brand than with the circumstances of the American people.
I am giving everyone the benefit of the doubt as I search for the truth. My hope is that everyone would fact check and research the reliability and motivations of their news sources. I hope that we can find common ground.
reilly m gray 