Politically Homeless - Gaining The Courage To Speak Up

Real people, real letters, real problems, no solutions.

Politics these days have become so divided and divisive that it’s become the norm to view the other side of the aisle as “the enemy”. People are being told to “pick a side” and that there’s no room for middle ground. We here at Phetasy believe that there are a lot more people in the middle than politicians and the media would have us believe.

We’re collecting stories from the ever growing number of people who are finding themselves Politically Homeless and posting them here on Substack. If you have moved from conservative to liberal, or liberal to conservative, if you feel you’ve stayed in the same place and your party has swerved drastically away from you, if you had a moment that awakened you to the insanity and hypocrisy on both sides, if you keep your mouth shut anytime a political topic comes up because you’re afraid your opinion will cause you to lose friends or your job, you’re not as alone as you might think.

Our goal is to shine a light on people’s earnest, individual experiences and show them they’re not alone.

Some letters have been edited for clarity and brevity. If you’re politically homeless and would like to share your story, please email us at iampoliticallyhomeless@gmail.com. All submissions will remain anonymous.

Letter 40:

5/6/23

I am a hairdresser, so I have conversations all day long that span the political spectrum. I can say that I find these conversations mostly encouraging when we get down to the nitty-gritty. Mostly people just want to be able to work and live their lives in peace.

I consider myself to be a true moderate. I do find, however, I feel more aligned with the Republicans lately. My basic tenet has been that if the government can keep our money straight, the social issues will largely work themselves out.

What frustrates me are the people who parrot talking points and I can tell which news they watch! I had a woman tell me recently that she had never, in her entire 70+ years, voted for anyone other than a Democrat. She won’t visit Florida anymore. Why wouldn’t I think Joe Biden is a great guy? Hillary dishonest?? No way!

I am 52 years old and I have voted all over the place! I have changed and evolved and I have different priorities.

I have lived in other countries and I have experienced the lack of freedom first hand. I love this country, warts and all. I am from the south, so I understand “white guilt” and the horrors of our history. This is a time of growth and that is always a challenge, but I have faith in us. I am gaining the courage to speak up. Finally.

Sincerely,

Politically Homeless

Some letters have been edited for clarity and brevity. If you'd like to share your story, email us at iampoliticallyhomeless@gmail.com. All submissions will remain anonymous.