The Divide We Can’t Ignore: When Tolerance Enables Tyranny

When Donald Trump was elected the first time, it caught many of us off guard. I remember the disbelief — the idea that a reality TV personality, known for theatrics and controversy, had ascended to the highest office in the country. We had watched him over the years, weaving himself into pop culture, branding his name across buildings, navigating business successes and failures, and yet, somehow, always landing on his feet. A survivor. A skilled self-promoter. A master at working the system.

So, when he won, the outrage was real. And for many of us, it wasn’t just about him — it was about the people around us, our friends and family, who supported him. The realization that those we held dear had cast their vote in his favor was almost as shocking as the victory itself. Relationships fractured. Conversations turned into heated debates or ceased altogether. Some of us severed ties entirely, unwilling to reconcile such a deep ideological divide.

Over time, the intensity softened. We rationalized. Trump’s presidency was not what we had hoped for, but perhaps not as catastrophic as we feared. When his four years ended, many of us expected a return to normalcy and cautiously reopened the doors we had slammed shut. We told ourselves that political differences should not define personal relationships. We agreed to keep politics off the table, hoping that would restore harmony.

Yet, as the years passed, something lingered beneath the surface. The Capitol attack, legal battles, convictions — events that should have shaken even the most steadfast supporters — were brushed aside by many in our circles. The unwavering loyalty, the disregard for foundational democratic principles, became impossible to ignore. And as new political realities emerged, the conversation was no longer just about Trump; it had become about core values — about rule of law, human rights, and justice for all.

The unsettling truth is that some of us have been too willing to forgive, too eager to restore fractured relationships without addressing the deeper concerns. Believing in differing opinions is one thing, but when those opinions enable injustice, exclusion, and authoritarian ideals, where do we draw the line? When does acceptance turn into complicity?

This is no longer simply about Democrat versus Republican, liberal versus conservative. It’s about who we are as a society. It’s about the future we want to create. And as we continue navigating these divides, the question remains: Can we truly stand for justice and equality while allowing beliefs that erode those very values to persist unchecked?

The answer is clear: we cannot. As heartbreaking as it is, we must stand our ground and refuse to let those who seek to rewrite democracy control the conversation. This is not business as usual — it is a fundamental betrayal of America’s ideals. There must be consequences for supporting ideologies that dismantle freedoms — and for some of us, that may mean closing the door again on those we like and love, and locking it.

But the reality is even more complex. Complicity isn’t just about words — it’s about actions. We support our friends, family, and businesses. We help them, we show up for them, we invest in them. And in doing so, we unwittingly reinforce the very structures they would deny to others. By continuing to aid and uplift those who champion exclusion, we become part of the problem.

We cannot afford to wait it out. We cannot afford to ignore it. Because silence enables injustice. And in the end, those we once called friends and family — the very people we hesitated to hold accountable — could be the ones who, without hesitation, turn against us when the moment demands.

M.W. Van Dyke