Don't Fill My Cup with Liberal Tears

What is it about the suffering of others that puts wind in our sails?

Years ago, I told regularly people I wasn’t all that political. I knew enough to comment casually in conversation, and that was the end of it. Disgusted with the whole process, I hadn’t voted since George W. Bush won a second term against John Kerry. Don’t worry keyboard warriors, I’ve been scolded many times by people of all political affiliations for that, so you can save it. But during that time in my life, I’d rather talk art, sports, spirituality, morality, and various what-have-yous. I avoided CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News like a pile of filth my dog might leave on the living room floor while I was out running errands. I guess as I’ve grown older, I realize that it’s actually a lot of fun to be political.

But not so in the area I’m addressing today. I just don’t get what’s fun about the suffering of others. Okay, I will admit to a couple chuckles when I saw the wailing and gnashing of teeth in the streets when Trump was elected. But then I got to thinking, whether or not the reason for the response was valid, the emotions behind them were sincere and genuinely felt. Do I think they are unfounded? Sure I do. I didn’t vote for Trump, but I do support him as the duly elected president of our country. When he is voted out of office next year, or finishes a second term, and quietly drifts into the peaceful sunset of book and speaking engagement tours, we can seriously think about taking the Internet away from those who say he’s worse than Hitler, going to stage a violent and dictatorial takeover of America, and wants to enslave all non-whites. But I won’t take away from the dignity of those folks. They were made in the image of God, just like myself. The dignified and respectful treatment that entails cannot be diminished.

As the left continues its fervent march towards extremism and mainstreaming of radical ideas, the right has its own issues with this. Conservative commentators, bloggers, and pundits take a perverse glee in triggering those on the left. While not as severe an epoch as the Civil War, we are now engaging in a war of words that pits brother against brother. These are fellow Americans whose suffering are the cause of our revels. I find it off-putting at best, revolting at worst. I want my fellow Americans to have good jobs, see success in marrying and raising children, and find happiness along the way. Those on the left who worship government and depend on it to fix their problems may be misguided, but they are no worse than those on the right who worship money, power, themselves, or anything that puts itself in the place God should occupy.

We all attach the deepest of emotions and servitude toward that which we worship. So if Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez-Rodriguez-Himenez-Lopez-Empanada is ever elected president, I won’t be fretting or crying about it. I’ll still be able to get up the next morning in a reasonably well adjusted manner, and do the three things I’m put on this earth to do; love my children, earn money to provide for them, and worship God. If she and her Green New Deal are ever given the preeminence in our country and entail a government takeover of all that I do publicly, I can still roll with the punches and adapt to whatever life throws at me. That’s the freedom of movement my faith gives me. Christians often don’t understand, recognize, or acknowledge that while we have had a good run in this country, our faith doesn’t demand the laws of the land reflect it. Rather the opposite, one can argue. State-sanctioned and enforced religion is disastrous in all of its manifestations (including non-Christian faiths, so slow down in your passionate agreement, everyone who is against Christianity) I won’t be crying in the streets and posting emotional videos on YouTube (except in a satirical manner), but I also won’t be downgrading those who do.

I don’t take joy in the suffering of others. Now that their guy is in power, Republicans have been given a measure of time to gloat, boast, and pontificate. When their guy is no longer in power, they will have a measure of time to criticize and undermine. While a little more extreme, the current march left of the Democratic Party is similar to the Tea Party movement when Obama was in power. You see dear reader, it all goes in cycles, and most of us survive the process with little more than a bruised ego. That bruised ego is worsened by the gleeful gloating of those who have the spotlight. Makes a guy want to barf.

I was fat, had a stutter, and was awkward around pretty girls in school. Not content to let me just be, the bullies in my school latched on like leeches to my existent pain and made it worse with their needling. I have felt the shame and embarrassment of having a wife who would not remain faithful in our marriage. That was made worse by her going to court and brazenly blaming my faults as a husband for driving her into the arms of another. She used the courts to bully me in a way much more effective than schoolyard ruffians. I’ve had to answer embarrassing questions from my mentors of an extremely personal nature when I’ve fallen into sin. It was they who showed me compassion and love when I was down that made me realize I shouldn’t delight when I see tears welling up in the eyes of my fellow man, political enemy included.

Polls are showing up from conservative media outlets that show democrats are less willing to be friends with republicans than vice versa. The left regularly cannibalizes moderate democrats for recognizing the decency of republicans. Joe Biden recently experienced the obligatory Twitter lashing for saying Mike Pence was a decent guy. Corey Booker was eviscerated for asking people to send grace to the other side. What does this show? Democrats are a fractured and dysfunctional family. But they still deserve respect and dignity. They are the Americans who we see and engage with every day. We must not pray/prey/take joy on their downfall. Whether or not they reject the thought of a creator God, I must still treat them as if they are made in His image. Purposefully triggering them, informing them that their tears give me strength, and sharing their suffering with the world in an attempt to get others jumping on the laughing to scorn bandwagon only serve to drive a more significant wedge in this every polarized country. Besides, many republicans can be just as triggered, just as emotional, just as childish when things don’t go their way. Remember that scripture passage about focusing on the mote in your neighbor’s eye when you’ve got a beam in your own? It applies and should constrain here.

I love my liberal neighbors. I compassionate toward my progressive brothers and sisters. I empathize with my leftist friends. I want them to find lasting happiness, dare I say joy, in this life. I want to show them that they don’t need government to do that, but until they do, I won’t find any joy myself seeing them make their way down a dark and twisting path through the forest of fear and depression. I had to do so myself and it attuned me more to the suffering of others. Lord save me from myself if that suffering ever puts a smile on my face or a spring in my step.