It's official - We've parted ways over politics [View all]
I've tried every which way to understand the hate that has consumed what used to be my brother.
I've always considered him the smartest one of us.... with several different kinds of intelligence. He was gifted at birth with book smarts, mechanical ability, a great sense of humor, and a heart in the right place. The man he grew into made me honored to be his sister.
He had a heart bypass around the same time Barack Obama was running for president. For a long time I blamed the change on the bypass. I've seen people become angry and agitated for a long time after bypass... sometimes years. But this was different. It became toxic. He acquired Obama derangement syndrome to the point it was difficult to have even a family business conversation with him that didn't veer off into a rant again Barack Obama.
About 2 years ago there came an even uglier edge to his comments. A racism I am ashamed exists in my own family. He supported Trump full bore and still makes no excuses for it. He told me "today Trump should dissolve the Congress."
It was the last straw. I started crying. I told him all of the above in quiet tones. I told him I don't know if it was the bypass or that Trump has made him feel bold enough to speak out racism I never knew he had, but he's barely recognizable as my brother anymore. I told him I don't understand the anger and hatred. I told him he only has one life and it's about over. He's over 70 yrs old. He's had 3 heart attacks. His last one could be any time. He deserves more happiness in his old age. I could not stop crying.
He wasn't reachable. He yelled, he called me horrid names. He left.
This was a week ago. I have barely stopped crying since. My husband is beside himself.... wants to fix it. He can't. It is what it is.
I want to hate the architects of hate radio, and the politics of this age. They stole my brother from me. My only brother.
I want to hate them. But I can't. I just want my brother back. While he breathes on this earth, I have hope.
This post is in honor of all of us who have lost someone out of our lives because insanity has taken over the day. Nearly all of us have lost someone dear. If you have, I hope you will remember them here. Let them not be lost forever. Let us try to find hope.
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