The Human Perspective

Arguably the hardest thing to do as humans is to see something from another's perspective. As I sit here typing, I am thinking of two very different posts I just saw on Facebook. One was a video in which a baseball capped, boot wearing, guitar player was singing a country ditty about how his "dog must be a Democrat."

It wasn't flattering to Dems, just so you know. While he strums away on his guitar, rhyming away in a twangy voice how Dems are like his dog for the following reasons:

1. They expect free handouts like food and shelter
2. They're lazy freeloaders  
3. Basically he works while his dog does nothing but lay around and get fat.

It is supposed to be funny but I didn't laugh. All I could do was sit there and think - this is the way non-liberals think. They characterize Liberals as blind fools who have no common sense. They are looked upon as stupid, no matter how well educated and rational.

I, myself, am a Liberal. Truth be told, I lean more toward the Left, as in Socialist. I believe there is more than enough to go around and we need to do a much better job of evening things out. I consider myself a spiritual person who does not believe I possess the right to judge anyone's life choices. Oh, and I am a Vegan.

I believe the wealthiest of the wealthy need to pay more taxes - well more than nothing - which is, sadly, the way things get played out when you have enough cash to hire high priced lawyers and accountants.

You see, when a poor person aligns themselves with the Republican party I am more than a little confused. I don't ever remember a time when Republicans cared about the poor. I remember them wanting to break up unions and do away with government subsidies. Trouble is, those using food stamps are the very same people supporting the Republicans - and those conservatives despise.

I grew up in a Northern state - Western Pennsylvania. Specifically, Pittsburgh. A steel city. Made up of people from every race and ethnicity; working together to put food on their tables. My folks were Democrats. They were pro-union; pro labor; anti-gun and anti-white collar greediness. I cannot say my parents were exactly liberal, even though they aligned themselves with the Democratic party. They were blue-collar mentality, and more than a little prejudiced.

Maybe because they had survived the Great Depression, they had sympathy for those who struggled to put food on the table. They never begrudged anyone using food stamps. They did, however, despise laziness and if someone seemed to not be pulling their weight, well they were subject to criticism. I, myself, was never allowed an idle moment.  

Somewhere along the line, the two parties have switched or morphed into a strange mess. The lower middle class now claims allegiance with a party that has never had their best interests at heart. It's a little like a dog chasing - and hating - its tail. That's a better analogy if you're going to compare dogs to any humans.

Anyway, another post caught my attention. This one was a video of Melissa Etheridge, who wrote an incredible song, after the massacre in Orlando at a club called Pulse. Her song appealed to me way more than the country ditty. It made me cry, actually, as she described how we're all different but all have one thing in common - a pulse. The song is powerful and meaningful and I couldn't help but cry as I listened.

Different perspectives. Each side thinking the other is misguided. How on earth can we ever come together? How did we get so far apart? What is it going to take to bring everyone together with a similar mindset?

I honestly thought Bernie Sanders would be that unifying force. I thought he would appeal to all who work hard to take care of their families. I honestly thought people would see the sincerity in his heart. I honestly thought the middle class would realize their true "enemy" is corporate greed - not immigrants seeking asylum or children in need or those with a different sexual orientation or religion.

But, sadly, that was not the case. Instead, they have aligned themselves with a crooked, multi-millionaire, carnie barker who is filled with hate??? On what planet do they think he will give them another thought once he has their vote??

It has come down to "love versus hate" once again. Well, I'm on the side of love and I'm staying put.