I Love You, Trump Supporter

Hear me out. I know this is devastating. Many of us are incredibly fearful and uncertain about the future. Having lived under dictatorship and experienced the reality of a “supreme national leader”, I’d like to share my perspective.

Normalcy bias - our tendency to assume things will stay as they are - prevents many from seeing the potential for drastic change as a result of this election. Authoritarian leaders often rise to power by being directly elected and supported by millions of people, usually by tapping into widespread fears and economic uncertainties.

The decisions we make as a collective in the years to come will substantially shape the future of humanity. Having been part of activist circles and attended a small women’s liberal arts college, most people in my life don't support Trump. But the country I come from has had the same president since 2005, so I know a thing or two about how these leaders stay in power. Authoritarian regimes use division among people to foster suspicion and distrust among citizens. These power structures benefit when people do not come together to challenge them. Solidarity is always a threat to authoritarian rule.

In light of this, I’d like to lovingly critique our knee-jerk reaction to judge Trump voters - something I observe in myself too. I’ve seen many posts that imply or outright say that Trump supporters are dumb, uneducated, sexist, or racist. It’s undeniable that a vote for Trump is a vote for the increased suffering of so many vulnerable people. It greatly raises the probability of America becoming an authoritarian state. But assuming that 70+ million people are simply “bad” is neither logical nor useful. Human beings, thankfully, are far more complex.

Labeling and judging those who disagree with us might feel like justice, but it only feeds the divisive worldview that enabled someone like Trump to rise in the first place.

We may be angry and grieving, and we should without a doubt care for each other and prepare for some very challenging times ahead. Alongside this, we must remind ourselves that it’s not people who are the enemy. It’s these cycles of cruelty, punishment, and violence that are so normalized by our culture that we must focus our energy on. 

I believe humanity is inherently good, and no one is beyond saving. As a mother to a 1-year-old, I see firsthand that each of us arrives on this Earth as pure love. If we want to build a better world we must embody the compassion, kindness, and empathy we want to see. This is incredibly challenging work and I do not claim to be perfect or even successful at it. But I must try anyway, because it’s the only way to create a lasting movement of peace.

People are in survival mode, caught in systems that exploit rather than nurture us. These systems work as intended, leaving many scared and vulnerable, without the tools to thrive financially, spiritually, or emotionally. It’s no surprise that under these cruel conditions, people make decisions that do not serve their best interests.

With empathy, we can see ourselves making similar decisions given the same circumstances. People who voted for Trump are trapped in the same system of domination and exploitation that affects us all. While we may view them as “the oppressor”, we can also see them as fellow humans navigating a complex and uncertain world. When we do this, we step out of the system and realize that the current divide between Americans is precisely what oppressive forces thrive on.

From the election results, I also see 70+ million people who likely want a positive future—who want joy, peace, and abundance for all. Imagine the impact if everyone who didn’t vote for Trump held grace and space for just one Trump supporter. This doesn’t mean letting people off the hook for the harm they cause with their decisions. It means we realize that empathy is a key ingredient in the healing transformation of society.

I could never claim this was an easy thing to do. But in the future I see, all people are held lovingly and accepted wholly. I believe every human being deserves this, and ultimately, it’s what we’re all here for. Patriarchal ideals of judgment and violence can only be neutralized by empathy and love. If we can do this, we lay the foundation for the unified, peaceful world we envision.

I love you, Trump supporter. I love you because I know ultimately you’re doing your best. I want the best for you. You deserve peace, we all do.