Now it's your turn...

In the past couple days I've seen a lot of variations of a meme being posted on social media.  The wording varies, but it's something like this:

Dear Democrats,

For 8 years we put up with your crappy choice of president.  We complained but we accepted it.  You are showing us that you are weak, spoiled, and inferior because you do not have the same integrity to do the same thing.

It has taken most of my self-control not to start replying to these, but I know that it is pointless to do so and so I have refrained (and un-followed a few more people on Facebook).

There are many things wrong with this statement in my opinion.  The first being the phrase "we complained but we accepted it."  I spent the last 8 years seeing people criticize absolutely everything that President Obama said or did.  EVERYTHING.  I _guess_ you might say that is "complaining but accepting it?"  But, if that's what that means, then how is what we "liberals" are doing any different than that?  Is it because we're "complaining" louder?  Is it because we are protesting and showing more activism?  Is that beyond "complaining?"  I'd really like to understand what that means.

Second, because we are somehow doing more than "complaining but accepting it," we are "weak, spoiled, and inferior" and have "no integrity."  I guess I would make the argument that people who are engaged, show up for protests, stand up for what they believe in, and question our elected leaders, regardless of what party they are (both the leaders and the citizens) show a lot of strength, whatever the opposite of laziness is (so "spoiled" is pretty inaccurate) and sometimes courage depending on the situation.

When I protest or question something, I am protesting or questioning the issue.  I may be appealing to or questioning the judgement of leaders who have an opposing view point to mine on the issue, but I am protesting or questioning the issue.  Period.

But the thing that really bothers me is that somehow there is an implication that whatever party happens to have the person (in the case of the president) or persons (in the case of congress) that is currently in power or in a majority is there to punish the party that is not in power.  Or, conversely, that the citizens who voted for the person who was elected are somehow entitled to punish the citizens who voted for the previous person in power if the power changed hands.

The "us against them" mentality over the course of a presidency or congress is pretty ridiculous when you start to think about it.  Statistically, it is impossible or at least HIGHLY improbable that any one person is in COMPLETE agreement or disagreement with the president or with any other elected official they voted for or against, respectively.  I've been alive through 8 presidents now, 2 of which I was too young to remember, but 6 I can remember at least something about them, and 4 that I was a voter for.  Of those 4, two I voted 4 and two I voted against.

In all cases (and yes, this includes President Trump, even a few weeks into office), I can say that I agreed with some of the decisions of each president, and I disagreed with some of their decisions, and I can cite specific examples.  Did I agree more with the ones I voted for?  Yes, and it is likely that someone who voted for a president will, in most cases, end up agreeing with them more than disagreeing.  But I agreed with some of the things the presidents I didn't vote for did (INCLUDING the current one, yes).  And I have never had any wish that any of them (INCLUDING the current one) would not succeed or do a good job.  I hope every person elected or appointed to office does a good job and, on balance, improves the lives of the people they represent.  I say "on balance" because I understand that no one will always get everything they want, and in our society we have differing opinions on how we solve a problem or an issue.

Am I sometimes skeptical that someone who is elected will do a good job?  Of course.  Based on what they say and do in a campaign, their past history, etc. I may be more skeptical of some elected officials more than others.  But I still hope that they will do their best to serve their constituents.