Politically Homeless - I Don't Want To Participate Anymore
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 41:
5/21/23
Dear Bridget,
I am politically homeless. I mean, I think I am a leftist. Probably left of leftist. But not in the way that most "leftists" these days think of themselves. I am what I think of as a traditional, anti-war, commie pinko Liberal. The kind of Liberal that would make Ronald Reagan cry. Remember Reagan?
You see, I was born in 1964, which probably makes me one of the last "Boomers", and one of the youngest of a family of 5 kids. My older siblings would have been candidates for being drafted into the Vietnam war, if it were not for their gender or for the fact that the US participation in the war ended "just in time". Some of their friends were.
For most progressives today, war is an abstract thing. It happens "over there", and as affluent suburbanites, in their minds it happens to "other people", while they prepare to send their kids off to college, not boot camp. They don't think it could happen to their children. They don't even realize that their children are required by law to register with the Selective Service, as I was required to at 18.
As the parent of a now draft-eligible son, all I can think of, politically, is war, and the chance that my only child could be drafted to fight for a cause that some OLD has decided is important. Because, in their mind, Democracy is worth dying for. Or more to the point, that it is worth SOMEONE ELSE dying for. I don't see Trump sending Ivanka or Donald Jr to lead the first wave. I don't see Biden telling Hunter it's time for him to go to Ukraine not to consult for gas companies, but to crawl around in a ditch and take a bullet for Freedom.
All I see in politics is tribalistic hatred. Whether it's "our guy" vs "the other guy", breathless "threats to democracy", or nationalistic jingo bashing of other cultures overseas, I find it all incredibly narrow minded, short sighted, and depressing. Enough that I don't really want to participate in this political charade any more.
Like the other Elvis says, "What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?"
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.
You are the counter balance I have always appreciated to my more conservative beliefs. I am not pro war, but I believe in defending our country and can be persuaded by patriotism. It is important we have these two sides in real dialog before goingbto war. This didn't happen with Ukraine. Weirdly the left became pro-war and silenced their anti war voice. Tucker is now that voice. We are all closer to each other than we realize. I hope more wake up to that and speak up about it.
From a 1953 boomer, yes we are all against war - until it comes into our backyards. I'm not talking about soldiers, artillery, tanks, etc. I'm speaking of political chaos in the cities, mental illness wandering the streets in every metro downtown, not to mention when it walks into a school armed to the teeth and slaughters a new group of innocents. Thoughts and prayers? Sure, of course. But somebody has to make sure the damn doors are locked, the entrance is monitored, and SOMEBODY is present to aggressively take on a threat - RSO, trained security, trained staff - SOMEBODY! But I digress.
We all have issues we oppose - but what are we FOR? If Ukraine is not worth dying for, fine. What IS?? Next month I'm in to New Orleans for my 70th birthday. I'll make my usual stop at the WW2 museum, find the Higgins boat display - the boat used to land combat troops on the beaches. I'll pause and take a quiet minute or two and think of Uncle Ted, Uncle Dick, Cousin Wallace - the other 18-20 year olds shitting their pants as they hear the bullets hitting the front ramp. I want to be the kind of American worth dying for.