I attended the Trump rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, and let me tell you, what I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears was nothing like what you’ve read in the mainstream media. Not even close.
Contrary to reports painting the event as a gathering of racism, rage, and misogyny, I observed a crowd brimming with joy and camaraderie. Ears ringing from all the chants of “USA! USA! USA!,” I left the venue reflecting on Trump’s latest slogan: “Make America Dream Again.” And, I have to admit, for the first time in a long time, it felt like better days might still be possible. Others there that night, however, walked away with much darker and foreboding interpretations of the very same event.
It’s as if there were two rallies for Trump on Sunday night: one for those who love him and one for those who hate him. Thanks to modern psychology, we now know that’s exactly what happened.
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The illuminating concept here is confirmation bias, which basically says you look for evidence to support what you already believe, not the other way around. So, when you go to a Trump rally looking for hate, you will find hate. Conversely, if you go looking for hope, you’ll probably find hope.
Empathy requires us to step back and truly experience what others see, even if you disagree. This notion echoes a poignant verse from Hebrews 12:15, which warns us about the dangers of how when we become bitter, we can fail to see: “See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”
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In politics, when you harbor bitterness toward someone, that person can seemingly do nothing right. When our political opponents truly succeed, our animosity blinds us to their achievements. Instead, we focus on their failures, confirming our bias and reinforcing our preconceived beliefs. This is a vicious cycle afflicting both sides of the political divide.
Were there dark moments during Trump’s speech? Certainly. I wasn’t there early enough to see the “comedian” make his misguided and awful joke about Puerto Rico. In fact, I wasn’t there for many of the clips that have been replayed repeatedly because those comments were not made by the headliners. Despite some moments of indignation and anger (which Democrats express all the time without all the media pearl clutching) the room was filled with countless uplifting moments of hope and patriotism. But remember, those moments are impossible to see when you’re on the hunt for hate.
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Trump resonates with tens of millions of Americans because he doesn’t look down on them. He doesn’t ridicule their lives or the people they are or the things they like. Rather than scolding them, he empowers his followers to dream big again. He acknowledges their feelings and gives them permission to push back against elite liberals. He challenges the status quo, highlighting that those who boast superior intelligence because they attended prestigious schools are often out of touch with reality. He stands up for the everyday American, acknowledging their struggles and insisting they are not too naïve to question the system.
While the media may characterize Donald Trump as narcissistic, his followers see him as a champion for their values and rights.
“Is everything really fine?” Trump asks, pointing out glaring issues like rising crime rates, unaffordable living costs, and troubling educational directives that instruct children to confide in teachers rather than their parents. He calls for straightforward solutions, whether they are popular or not, reminding us that what we have been told is “normal” is, in fact, anything but.
Rather than merely criticizing the current administration, Trump resonates with his supporters by not only voicing their frustrations, but also offering up solutions and fighting for them every day. While the media may characterize him as narcissistic, his followers see him as a champion for their values and rights.
If you’re not careful, dismissing the other side – as so many do of Trump –devolves into dismissing his supporters and fence sitters as well. This alienation will cause those voters to dig in their heels, making it clear that they don’t believe the other side will ever be their champion. By closing off the chance to earn their votes, the left is reinforcing the very divide they claim to hope to bridge.
In short, don’t go looking for hate unless that’s all you want to find.
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