I was asked to write on this by a pen pal who felt ostracized by friends and family. He is essentially the only conservative in his network, even facing criticism from his own relatives. After Biden’s stolen win, he now feels heavier pressure because they feel validated in turn. It is so bad that he doesn't even want to spend time with his family as a result, which is a terrible thing to me. However, as with everything we have the power to get through tough times by mastering our response to them. So here are my thoughts on how to move forward in Biden’s America.
It does not matter if your sister, cousin, uncle, or whoever insists that Biden won in a fair election even though we know he cheated. It doesn’t matter if they also think that President Trump was a racist who incited an attempted coup. You still have to stay in touch with them and behave courteously. The core objective of leftwing ideology is destroying the family. You don’t need to make that easier.
Instead, build bonds with your family by focussing on nonpolitical topics. Be the voice of stability among your relatives. Try even planning a trip or a weekend visit. God knows we’ve all been “socially distant” for long enough. Anything that will get the family together and provide opportunities to remember why you all love each other regardless of who you voted for is going to be a good move.
I get that you might be really nervous about the outcome of the election. You have plenty of reason to be but you can’t give into the temptation to panic. Instead, you should adopt a dogged mindset and get a stiff back up for your beliefs. Is someone hassling you for being conservative? Be tougher than them. A resolute man will inspire the respect even of his enemies, a pushover will be shamed even by his friends.
Take some time to also prepare for some tough days. Remember right when the Covid-19 lockdowns started and all the stores were sold out? With Biden in charge that is likely to happen some more. So stock up on essentials just in case. Also, increase your savings as much as you can. It can never hurt to have an emergency budget. Basically, decide to be prepared and center yourself rather than panicking.
There has never been a better time to come out of the closet as a conservative. What? It sounds counter-intuitive but it’s true. At minimum, 75 million Americans voted for Donald Trump and it defies both history and reason to think that 80 million voted for Biden. I would guess that around 40 to 50 million actually did. I say that because in the past 6 months, in supposedly leftwing Los Angeles, I only counted about a dozen Biden-Harris bumper stickers.
At the same time I received hundreds of compliments for wearing a MAGA hat wherever I went. Not only in Los Angeles, but also in Sacramento, Newport Beach, Balboa Island, all places I would consider more liberal. People in Chicago, Denver, and Austin gave me identical positive responses when I visited them the weekend before the election. Oh and I never even attended a Trump rally. These were all honest-to-God, unsolicited comments from strangers out in everyday situations.
This still happens even after the election and fake inauguration. So a lot of people are feeling your frustration - a lot MORE than are against you. Hesitating now is plain foolish. Conservative groups are everywhere doing meet-ups and social gatherings. Get off your butt and join a few.
People think that because I work in a field that touches on politics, I must be a big political-talker. I’m not. I know that in most cases it leads to an argument that I don’t feel like having. My advice to you is to do your best not to be drawn into political debates. This means that you should challenge yourself not to talk politics at all, to try disengaging the topic when others bring it up, and not to escalate the issue with people who really, really disagree with you.
With that said, remember to be resolute in your beliefs, as I said before. If someone is spouting off about Climate Change, Socialism, or how great the Minimum Wage is, just tell them this: You are not going to come to an agreement on positions that are fundamentally wrong, and that there is no point continuing the discussion. Offer to talk about something else, and move on. If they can’t, they aren’t someone you need to talk to at all. Save your energy for better people.
Look, the beautiful thing about America is that no matter who is in office, the people are the rulers. I’m absolutely positive that fake president Biden is going to unleash malarky ad nauseam on our nation. But is that an excuse to let myself go, or a reason to master myself? Clearly the latter is called for.
In America, when you ignore figureheads they lose their power. When you build positive networks your beliefs gain power. Biden is not my master anymore than President Trump or any other president. I’m my own master, and you are your own master. So get a hold on yourself. Proceed with confidence, courage, and positivity in the face of adversity. That’s all you need to do.