Does this mean that all is lost and nothing is worth fighting for? Of course not. But we should understand the enormous obstacles people have to overcome just to begin the fight.

Some of my family is part of this MAGA lot. They sit in the front rows of the church believing they are righteous in the present and the beyond. It’s easy for me to lose contact with them because of distance but it’s entirely different for those living in their home town.

We also watched as these neighbors went to the capitol on Jan 6th. Sure some were prosecuted but it’s really a moot point since they are all pardoned now. We know how violent they can be (even if they are the minority) while the larger group stands idly by.

Another example: Knoxville Tennessee with a pop close to 200k has a Democratic mayor that won with 57 percent of the vote. It’s in a county that has a Republican Mayor (former WWE star) that won with 55 percent of the vote. It’s not an overwhelming win.

For example I taught at a university in the Deep South. After the 2016 election I was shouted at by students wearing their MAGA hats demanding to know who I voted for. This was early in the move towards authoritarianism.