Megan — Miami, Florida (1/07/21)
I️ am a 90's baby with gen-x parents who are children to baby boomers. I️ was raised in a working class (but middle class) conservative republican household. I️ was raised in the church and maybe it went over my young head, but I️ never felt like I️ was in a super-polarized home. My dad was a Reagan republican because he came to power as my dad was in his critical developmental years and my dad was a business owner. Then there was an incident when I️ was in elementary school. It was during the Al Gore election mess, in which my dad got into such an ugly fight with my friends dad, that I️ was not permitted to see her again. I️ was heartbroken.
In hindsight, this was the turning point. I️ had never heard racism from my parents growing up. I️ had many black friends and never heard anything unusual in their direction. Truth be told, I️ did not know racism existed. I️ had been so sheltered from that in my 70% white town. Then I️ turned 16 and I️ fell in love with a black boy on the football team. Mind you, this was the year Obama was running for president. I️ came home excited to tell my family and my father exploded. He then left the house for hours. Upon arriving home he threatened to divorce my mom and locked me in my room. Once he cooled down, he explained to me why he felt the way he did and banned the relationship. Obama era was a turning point too. Rush Limbaugh and Fox News is the only sources of information he inhaled. They accused him of being an illegal immigrant, of being the anti-christ. My dad screamed this all 8 years. He felt oppressed. He became increasingly intolerant to anyone who did not see things his way, using racial or classist slurs.
Then Donald Trump came along. And the rest is history. My parents are entirely delusional. They lap up every right wing conspiracy theory Trump and the right wing media put out. I️ saw this darkness in my parents and jumped ship as soon as I left for college. My brother, 7 years behind me, was not so lucky. Upon seeing my left leaning views, my dad ensured to brainwash my brother; who by the way, has developed right in the middle of the Trump era.
I️ am writing this the day after right-wing extremists sieged the Capitol in an attempted coup. My parents excused this behavior, actually saying BLM is worse. They really believe that. When I combatted this, my dad threatened to cut me off and write me out of their will. I am writing this from a sad and lonely place. It is so hard to see them entirely out of touch with reality. My reality and their reality is no longer the same. I️ cannot help them. They are so far down the rabbit hole, I️ am sure they will never get out. I️ can see the gradual brainwashing of my parents, creating willfully ignorant humans who actually believe they are in the right. It makes me sad. Deeply, deeply, sad. And although you cannot excuse human error, I️ do know they have been preyed on by the right wing media. Preyed on, strategized against, and maintained by fear.