Politically Homeless - It's Been Heartbreaking

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 35:

1/25/23

I’ve experienced such a drastic change in tolerance for different political opinions from friends but primarily family members. I think of myself as politically homeless because neither side fits my beliefs 100%.

I try to stay informed and what seems to get me in trouble is my constant desire to question everything. While I see that as a positive quality, my mother and siblings seems to think that I have become a fear mongering conspiracy theorist.

For them there’s no such thing as being in the middle. Pick a side! There’s no more healthy discussions with family members that do not share the same views. No more phone calls from siblings who want to debate but do not want a fight. What’s left for me is silence and judgement.

Because I have strong feelings for myself and children when it comes to forced vaccines, I have become the enemy. Because I lean a little more conservative, I have become the racist. The division is maddening to say the least.

Honestly, it’s been heartbreaking. I was once the daughter who was non-judgmental. The daughter who was an amazing mother. I was the sister who was level-headed. The sister who was the fun one.

Now I don’t exist in their eyes. I don’t get invited to family dinners. My mother doesn’t speak to me or my husband and our three children. All in the name of politics.

Would my life be easier if I had just conformed and agreed with everything that they believed in? Probably. But that’s not something I could live with. I’m actually very comfortable being politically homeless. I like that I see pros and cons within both parties.

While I’m saddened by the division between family, I’m also proud of who I’ve become and proud that I can stand up for myself and what I believe in. I have the love and support of my husband and kids. That is all I need. They are my forever tribe.

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.