I GUESS I AM JUST NOT A PATRIOT

Tribal warfare is intense in this country.  I wonder if it existed on this level prior to the invention of Twitter and Facebook?  I think it did exist on some level but these two companies have brought more of it to the forefront of our national experience.

One of the things I have learned from listening to the “right leaning” political tribe is that I am not a patriot.  The list of reasons for this is long; see if you find yourself in any of these examples.

1. There is no such thing as “fake news”.  It’s only a term used to describe news that doesn’t agree with one’s political leanings.
2. I don’t believe in “alternative facts”.  I find this expression ignorant and illogical.  There are facts, and there are non-facts (non-truths). 
3. I believe that a huge majority of “white evangelicals” have been duped by a con man that shares none of their beliefs and, in fact, thinks their beliefs are moronic.
4. I believe that the “prosperity gospel” and those who bend scripture to spread it are doing huge damage to the cause of Christ.
5. I believe that supporting this President is sure grounds to ruin the Christian witness of many of those who do.
6. I believe Russia interfered in the 2016 election.
7. I believe that Russian interference in the election paved the way for the narrow victory that placed a complete fraud in the White House.
8. I believe that Trump uses the term “hoax” to deny the reality of any given moment.
9. I believe conspiracy theories are incredibly ignorant and an excuse for not believing the truth.
10. I believe that the Trump Campaign used this Russian influence knowingly.
11. I believe Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort had extensive ties to Russian operatives and shared critical information about our electorate with them giving them more ammunition to circumvent our electoral process.
12. I believe Roger Stone is a criminal and has never been anything but a criminal.
13. I believe Roger Stone interceded with Russians to arrange their responses to assist the Trump campaign.
14. I believe taking information from Russians or any other foreign country is a felony and those who participated should be charged and at the very least eliminated from electoral opportunity.
15. I believe Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia should have been a warning to Donald Trump but instead it was a positive factor in making him National Security Advisor.
16. I believe Michael Flynn had to know that his conversations with his Russian counterpart were being recorded because he was deeply involved in the process of recording conversations in his prior position in the government.
17. I believe Michael Flynn made the decision to lie about his conversations with Russia operatives in spite of the fact that he knew the conversations were recorded.
18. I believe the only logical explanation for Michael Flynn to lie to the FBI was that he was protecting someone else and knew that that someone else would pardon him when he was convicted.
19. I believe the Mueller Report when it lists hundreds of contacts between members of the Trump Campaign and the Russians.
20. I believe that this version of the Trump Campaign is still doing that.
21. I believe that Trump is under the influence of political tyrants and that Russia definitely has something they are holding over Trump’s head and when it is finally revealed all of his actions will make sense.
22. I believe that millions of dollars of money that was donated to the Trump Inaugural Committee was stolen by members of the committee.
23. I believe rewarding political donors with Ambassador jobs robs the country of seasoned, respectful individuals who know what they are doing.
24. I don’t believe the conspiracy theory that Russia spread through Rudy Gulliani and others regarding the Biden’s and Ukraine.
25. I believe that this conspiracy theory was Russia’s attempt to pin the interference in our election on Ukraine and that any attempt to further that theory by political operatives in this country does nothing more than glorify a completely debunked Russian effort. (making those who try look totally ignorant).
26. I believe that Senate Republicans are sniveling cowards for not voting to convict the President during his impeachment proceedings.
27. I believe he was guilty and that his crime rose to the level of an impeachable offense.
28. I believe the brave individuals who testified during the impeachment hearings in the House of Representatives should have been thanked for their incredible service instead of being fired from their jobs.
29. I believe the death toll from Covid is directly related to the Presidents lack of intelligence and his horrific response that is continued to this day.
30. I believe that nothing illustrates the ignorance of Donald Trump more than his comment about treating those with the virus with bleach. (You can’t be more stupid Donald.)
31. I don’t believe the President can do anything that is not transactional.  (The “what is in it for me” syndrome.)
32. I believe the President is not smarter than “his” generals.
33. I don’t believe his “only I can fix it” bullshit.
34. I believe the President’s comments about those who have given their lives in service to this country are reprehensible and indicate his lack of love for this country.
35. I believe people who worked in the Presidents administration when they say he is a child and doesn’t belong in the Oval Office.
36. I believe that standing up against this President is the moral thing to do.
37. I believe that not supporting this President is the spiritual thing to do.
38. I believe that the President’s daily lies are an open window into his basic nature.
39. I believe all lies come from “the father of lies” and his lies indicate who he serves.
40. I believe that this President is incapable of empathy in any form.
41. I believe this Administration is without equal when it comes to criminal convictions and behavior.
42. I believe that the President will be indicted for obstruction of justice and campaign violations when he is out of office. (Prosecutors will pounce soon).
43. I believe that Trump knowingly participated in Russian money laundering when he sold so many of his properties to Russian Oligarchs so they could launder their ill-gained money from the Russian people. (“I sell to Russians because they never argue about pricing”).
44. I believe Trumps business record completely debunks his claim to be a successful businessman
45. I believe sexual affairs with porn stars and playboy models while his wife is pregnant tell me all I need to know about the President’s lack of character and his qualifications to lead this country.
46. I believe that putting children in cages is abominable.
47. I believe that categorizing immigrants as rapists, murderers and criminals to gin up hatred in his political base is immoral and un-scriptural.
48. I believe that any so called “Christian” who supports Trumps horrific immigration policies is ruining their witness for Christ because of the fact that these policies are directly opposite of scriptural imperatives. You can’t have it both ways.
49. I believe that the national press has a job to do and that they are not enemies of the people.
50. I believe that investigative reporting is critical to keeping any Presidential Administration from behaving in ways that are against the Constitution.
51. I believe that voting for Trump once can be excused, and voting for him twice will never be the right thing to do for the country.

I have learned that I don’t love America, that I am a “hater”, that I am out of the will of God because I don’t support “God’s chosen man” and that I should leave this country because I don’t deserve to be here.   I have been told these things by “born again believers” and other “right leaning” individuals.

Lastly, I believe I will never support this pathetic con-man with my vote, and I believe that is the moral, spiritual thing to do and is the only right thing to do for this country.   

I guess I am just not a patriot.   Or am I?