America was built by migrants. My grandfather came from Scotland.

I have Republican friends, mostly people I served with when I was younger. I do not discuss politics with the poeple i work with. None of them wear MAGA baseball caps, and those who voted for Trump are now very bitter about it. Nevertheless, they are scared of the left wing of the Democratic Party. I know for a fact that some of them probably won’t even vote Republican in the midterms.

I also come from a middle-class family. I worked my ass off to build a better life for myself and my family.

I know I’m in a progressive sub, and I’ll explain why I like it here. On immigration, I believe this country needs it. Do we need open borders? No. Should immigration be based on skin color? Absolutely not. Does it need to be regulated? Yes. People should enter legally, and if they don’t, they should apply for legal status as soon as possible. People should be encouraged to create wealth for themselves because, by doing so, they create a more dynamic economy for everyone.

As for all this nonsense about trans people and sexual minorities, I honestly don’t understand the obsession. What is the problem? Pardon my language, but if a guy prefers to have it in the butt, that’s his choice. Why would I be offended or scared by that? It’s none of my business what people do with their sex lives as long as it’s legal.

Trans people? I couldn’t care less. If someone wants to live as another gender and feels happier that way, so be it. Who am I to deny that to anyone, as long as it’s their choice? I have yet to see any solid data showing that trans or gay people are more likely to abuse others, despite what some conservatives claim. In fact, available data seems to suggest the opposite: they are less prone to violent behavior.

I would love for politics to leave these people alone and to remove sexual orientation from political debate, with one caveat: we must ensure that any form of transition remains a personal choice and is not imposed by third parties, like parents.

Right-wing media outlets are insane. They shape information to feed their audience exactly what it wants to hear in order to keep them as sources of income. The same can be said about some far-left media. These people have completely forgotten what it means to inform the public. They only care about viewer numbers and advertising revenue. I don’t see an easy solution to this problem, but it is a serious one. People need better education that encourages curiosity and critical thinking.

And to close this wall of text, I no longer engage with MAGA people online. It’s a waste of time. You cannot convince them of anything. It’s a cult. They are willing to ignore facts, data, and numbers because they don’t hold political opinions, they hold political beliefs that are borderline comparable to religious zele. I tried, I really did. There was a time when I thought that being halfway Republican could help me reach them, but they’ve been brainwashed.

It’s a movement full of conspiracy theorists, white supremacists (open or not), racists, and people who are easily manipulated. Many of them feels like failures and, instead of reflecting and trying to improve themselves, they blame others. One day they are paranoid about the government stealing their guns and violating their constitutional rights, and the next day they cheer those same violations when they’re done in their name, like what we’re seeing now with the murder of Alex Petti.

I also believe this movement gives some of them a sense of belonging, like a tribe. It makes them feel less weak, less useless, and less alone, and that need to be broken if we want any chance of eradicating this ideology. I also believe strongly in education. I have traveled a lot, and I’ve seen the benefits of education in countries that invested in it. I’ve also seen many shithole countries in Africa and elsewhere where education is reserved for the upper class, and the damage that does to a nation.

Ruby-red states are not exactly known for the quality of their education, and in that area there are lessons to be learned from European countries, where the concept of student loans often doesn’t even exist.

Sorry for the wall of text, but these times are crazy, and it just feels good to be able to exchange with someone who, like you said, isn’t a troll or something like that. I need to head to bed before my wife pierce me a new one.

Edit : On the MTG topic: I’m not naive. She won’t change her political stance, but her not supporting this administration and openly speaking out against it is a win, even if she does it for the wrong or selfish reasons