Bob's Blog

We grew up together. We went to school and church together. We partied together in college, and backpacked through Europe together. We took family vacations together; and we attended the birthday parties, graduation parties, and eventually the weddings, of one another’s children. We grieved with one another when people we loved died, and we celebrated the arrival of grandchildren. And all of this, we did together!

So of course I thought I knew you! I thought you were kind, caring, and compassionate. We didn’t always agree – at least not on everything – but I still respected you, and I thought you were a person of character and integrity. I assumed we had, not the same, but at least similar morals and values. But most of all, I presumed that when it came to the basics, like standing up for others, or condemning things like lying, cheating, and breaking the law . . . well . . . I thought that surely we were on the same page.

Unfortunately, over the past 9 years, you’ve shown me how wrong I was! Our being together actually taught me very little about you: for you somehow managed to hide your true self, and I was apparently too naïve to see the real you! All those long talks on the beach and on the golf course, all the laughter over long dinners, and all the sharing of our deepest thoughts and dreams – they were all a great charade! You basically lied to me. You pretended to be someone you are not. And you led me to believe that we had more in common than we actually did!

But I’ll not put all the blame on you – I’ll own the charade as well. I didn’t see what I didn’t want to see. And so I was willing to overlook, excuse, and ignore the warning signs: signs that gave me glimpses of a heart that frightened me, even repelled me. I remember that time you mocked President Obama with your friends, and when you said things about people of color that played into stereotypes and perpetuated racist thinking. And each time, I said nothing! I remember when I first noticed our privilege, and when you failed to understand how that privilege biased and blinded us to the sins of our nation and culture; and again, I said nothing. I remember when you said things that sounded very spiritual, but that lacked the love that we both claimed to be at the very heart of God; and once again, I said nothing.

Looking back, too often, I said nothing. Because I didn’t want to break the relationship. I didn’t want to hurt your feelings and lose your friendship. I didn’t want to come across as arrogant, or ‘holier than thou’! And so I kept my mouth shut and said nothing! And as you continued to wear your mask, I continued to wear mine. I pretended to agree with all that you said and did, and made believe that we were of the same tribe. I convinced myself that when push came to shove, we were on the same page.

But you are not my tribe, and we are not on the same page! And as a result, I’m walking away. I’m sorry, but clearly, I misjudged you! I will never forget, and will likely even treasure, many of our memories. I will always remember your laughter, the things that got you excited, the songs that made you cry. I will never stop loving you. But sadly there are no more memories to be made. There will be no more game nights, no more pool parties, no more dinners out or nights at the movies. And it’s all because I misjudged you. I see that now.

And when I stop and really think about it, the misjudgment was not so much about our differing belief systems, significant though they may be. Rather, I misjudged the company you keep. I misjudged the people you like to spend time with. I thought I was like them, or perhaps I just wanted to be like them. But I’m not. I’m not like them at all. Your tribe, is not my tribe! And if I’m honest, I don’t like the way your tribe talks, acts, or treats people. And apparently, whatever your politics actually is, you’ve chosen to place it above the character, integrity, truth, kindness, and compassion of the people in your tribe. So while I may still love you, I need to around people who bring out the best in me: people who put the love that is God, above everything else . . . including their politics!

So, I’m walking away. I don’t have a choice. I’ll miss you – for sure! But I clearly misjudged you; and for that, I am oh so very sorry.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s concerns about the callous reproach of the MAGA movement was ignored because of the media’s distraction by her choice of words. Few adjectives better described the followers of Donald Trump than ‘deplorable’, but people were so offended by a presidential candidate’s honest but blunt assessment of her opponents radical followers, that they failed to seriously consider the reality of what she had to say. Today, eight years later, at the risk of being similarly honest, and offensively blunt; or worse, being labeled an arrogant elitist with an educational background worthy of little more than vilification, someone needs to openly address the intelligence of a movement that has become a cult. So let’s just consider the facts of this thing called MAGA.

In 2018, it was reported that 61% of non-college educated white voters cast ballots for Republicans; and this percentage increased in 2020. College educated voters accounted for 41% of the electorate, and 55% of them supported Joe Biden, to Donald Trump’s 43%. Trump received ⅔ of white voters without a college degree, and in 2024 the education gap only increased according to the Wall Street Journal. They reported that once again “the key division in (the emerging Republican) coalition is education. Voters without college degrees tilt far more Republican than those with them. (And) unfortunately for Democrats, voters without a bachelor’s degree outnumber those with one in the electorate by 57% to 43%!”

So what do we do with this information? Clearly, there is all kinds of evidence pointing to a lack of formal education among MAGA voters! That simply cannot be denied, and the implications cannot be underestimated. In fact it is evidenced by their susceptibility to conspiracy theories, ‘alternate’ facts, and most tragically their embracing of an arm of Christianity that lacks any sort of intellectual credibility. So is it any wonder that as the second presidency of the felon in the White House continues, so many continue to question his ability, as well as the ability of his friends and followers, to reasonably and rationally deal with any of the complexities facing our nation and our world.

Now let’s be clear, a college degree is not a measure of one’s intelligence! Intelligence is the ability to acquire, understand, and use knowledge; and a college degree does not guarantee any of this. Just as standing in a garage doesn’t make one a car, and just as going to church or being part of a faith community is not a measure of one’s spirituality, attending university does not necessarily affirm a person’s capacity to think, process information, discern truth from fiction, or learn. It does not guarantee intelligence! 

However, that being said, formal education is about learning to think. It’s about a person acquiring new information and discovering things that have never before been heard or considered. It’s about being exposed to a rational approach to concepts and ideas so that we might better understand what is, as well as what might be! And it’s about developing the skills needed to put this new information and understanding to use in the creation of a better world! Higher education may be far from perfect, however it has helped billions of people around the world  learning to think and growing their intelligence! And as a result, society has been bettered! Minds have been opened and new and advanced realities have been allowed to find their way to fruition! And while here in America, higher education has often been regarded as little more than a means to a good job, for countless students it has actually been about so much more! Education has been a means to intellectual, emotional, and psychological health, and as a result it has broadened minds and expanded hearts.

Tragically, the vast majority of uneducated citizens in this country voted for Donald Trump, both in 2016 and in 2024.  And while JD Vance believes that not everyone needs a college education, and that for some, tradesshools may be a better option, the success of any democracy depends upon a well-educated populace. Our nation’s founders knew this 250 years ago, and sadly, we’re all being forced to grapple with this truth yet today! And while using the adjective ‘ignorant’ to describe the MAGA cult today may not necessarily be any more appealing than using the term ‘deplorable’, it is no less accurate. And we simply need to admit that. This nation is being led by the ignorant, and unless things change, our democracy is doomed!

How do things change? Stay tuned for part 2.