Violent Political Rhetoric Exists in Prison, Too

 Wow. What a week. I thought I knew what I'd be writing about this week, but the recent assassination attempt on Trump has overshadowed everything that seemed so important. 

The level of vitriol in our country is disturbing, and it has been for a long time. The political divide, too, has widened to a distance that I haven't seen in my lifetime. It's highly discomforting that so many Americans think of other Americans as the enemy. 

In prison we're forced to live with people who are very different from ourselves, but that doesn't mean we always get along. Most of the time, we manage to live together by avoiding deep conversations about things that divide us. Oh, we have our opinions. I hear them from time to time. But rather than let what we disagree on cause us to hate each other, we more often focus on what we have in common. 

This afternoon, though, I overheard a conversation about yesterday's events. Another prisoner asked me a question, and I responded. I shared my opinion of former President Trump, followed by the statement, "Regardless, though. I don't support using assassinations to resolve political differences." 

I thought my opinion would be pretty widely agreeable, but I was wrong. The two who had been in conversation apparently disagreed. One turned to the other and said, "Well, everyone is entitled to his own opinion." 

I didn't feel threatened by their different opinions. Perhaps a bit disturbed by the implications of their statement, but not threatened. I was outright disturbed by another man who jumped into the conversation, though. He vehemently expressed his wish that the attempt on Trump's life had been successful. 

Although I strongly disagree with this man's value system, politics aside, I don't hate him or even fear him. I certainly have no desire to see him suffer the fate he wished on Trump. Instead, I feel sorry for him. I feel sorry for him and everyone else who lives with such hatred and fear of people he disagrees with. 

I wish I had hope that this fateful and tragic event in American history would lead to real change. I wish I could say I believed people would stop hating each other and try to start understanding each other. I wish I had hope that Americans would start talking through their differences instead of finding echo chambers to support their own beliefs. Sadly, I have no such hopes. 

Yet, rather than succumb to the status quo of hate and fear, I dig deep for patience, try to listen to others with compassion, and use questions to help others challenge their own beliefs. It's unlikely to change the world, but it's better than joining the mass of Americans who seem determined to march their way into another civil war.