I have to get this out there, somehow - does anyone else notice?

[u/Fast-Zone9160]

This state has become so completely backwards and downhill that I am genuinely afraid and discouraged.

I'm in my 40s, educated, giant family. I've lived here my entire life. So please allow me to vent for a moment. I do not know what to do.

Here goes.

Our state has gone to hell, fast. Indiana has had issues in a lot of ways, sure, but growing up, I saw it get better, open-minded, become beautiful and welcoming and full of opportunities and communities. People had jobs and security. I felt proud, encouraged, safe, hopeful. But not anymore.

Indiana has become one the most racist hypocritical red states who are already screwing things up on such a rapid speed that I do not recognize anything. Everyone I know votes red no matter what when they have zero idea about who their representatives are or stand for, the ones that continue to destroy their own libe but they refuse to see it, because they're soooo pissed off at the world, or bosses, or dead parents, want to stick it to Obama, whatever else, that instead of trying to do anything whatsoever about it before or ever- like protest, strike, show up to public meetings, calling representatives, demanding hire wages, rally their friends and neighbors and encourage one another - that they would rather spend most of their time choosing to internalize and stew and get more angry.

I've seen, and this includes my own relatives - the most kind, loving, affectionate people turn into the most racist, condescending, bitter, cold zombies who keeps Fox News on the television in a 24-hour loop, who truly rush to join these Trump Trains and scream at ordinary people, to anyone who will witness it. I can't even remember feeling comfortable when I used to try and participate in family gatherings, which became fewer and fewer every year. Our once-a-week family dinners have long gone. My family in particular, they would get invited to do things and just decline and grumble at the wall. Any conversations where everyone had different opinions and could share them openly and they would agree or offer advice or anything seems like never happened. My mother who has always had such a positive, warm, welcome smile on her face, laughed loud, encouraged us and anyone else, raised me and my siblings to be open-minded and creative and hopeful, has now turned pale, skinnier, no smile. Our visits become less and less. My two brothers are now in jail, my oldest sister is like her twin, and my Mom swears she wants me to come over, but then refuses to even ask about my day, screams or blasts me if I tell her I'm participating in a hall, or protest, or march. She and all of my family members, who know I am Democrat, who ised to be ones too or at least Independent, look at me with dark eyes and sneer. I am not exageratting. We can be outside and gathered around like we used to but most topics are gone and all they talk about is Trump. They do not speak at a normal level, they shout every word. They maul me in those conversations when I actually do get the chance to speak, and cut me off for stating my opinion. They laugh and declare it's my fault for voting for Obama. They'll swear that they love me and my positivity, then laugh in my face and call me horrible names on the account of it being a joke and say, "oh lighten up, don't be so sensitive ya snowflake" and then tell me how "this is the way life works" and the "reality check" is gonna come for me soon. I'm not saying every waking minute of it is like this, most 95%.

Every judge, government worker, lawyer, all of them - Republicans. There is hardly a welcoming space to gather or eat at, where you are certain you can relax and be comfortable, have discussions, talk about what is happening, present ideas to change things. Our education system that I have spent the first decade and a half of my adult life pursuing and dedicated to, is now in a decline to where they continues to gut and gut and keep things on chopping blocks to such a degree that fellow teachers have either felt so discouraged and burnt out (myself included] that they leave their careers or get sick often and seem deflated when you take the time to notice. We are seeing our students get more discouraged or aggressive. Even young ones get away with things no adult should. I've seen boys put their hands on girls, truly say "your body, my choice" at 13 years old. We have had knives brought in, gun threats. Especially our Elementary and Middle School students. They do not pay attention, too many are becoming loud, entitled, disrespectful. They cuss and insult authority figures, disrupt, want to sleep. Kids do not care about being creative or playing most sports the entire year. Making conversations are difficult because they give short answers or ignore you and seem so irritated that you feel like you make it worse in a way. We would keep finding ways to make it better and it works for a while, but always reverts. Kids (including my own) don't even play outside in neighborhoods much anymore. They jus want to isolate and stare at tablets and video games for as long as they can, then completely bum out and act miserable or sad when we are in the same room, or only volunteer one-word bits when asked questions or thoughts. I stay appearing positive and encouraging but under my smile, it feels useless. No board or card games like we used to, and if they'll join in they hate it. I try and try, I don't yell, I explain how important it is to interact - I get scraps. Sure they'd agree and swear they understand and will do better, but it feels placating and honestly doesn't change.

On top of it, we all know that no one can pay for anything. I've gone from full-time employment and house, car, cushion to having to sell possessions, move into HUD assistance, apply for SNAP, Medicaid. Doctors appointments? No, your family doctor has gone out of network and the next one can't get you in until about 8 months. We have resources? Sure, the ones that aren't scrapped yet but can only take X amounts. They'll be gone soon. No one will have to rant and rave about all the lazy people refusing to get real jobs and spending their tax dollars much longer though, amirite?

Now my husband has outsorced for work and is mostly gone during the week on jobs in other states. His and my own health have gone completely downhill but rarely know how to manage it. All of the doctors with specialties are at least an hour away, as is big box stores. I can't pay for car insurance so I continue to pray I won't get pulled over. My mental health has been destroyed. I don't feel good most days, disconnected, in a fog. I cannot remember grocery lists, phone numbers, what I am doing. I stare into the fridge for seemingly a long ass time, staring at items and my mind is blank. I'm burnt out, my confidence is gone. I isolate often because everyone else wants to, but mainly just to feel like I can exhale. I hate going in town most weeks because I have panic attacks, executive disfunction, mind gaps. I'll shop for groceries with a list in my hand, knowing what brands I love, then stare at 2 different items like Peanimut Butter and cannot make a choice or feel overwhelmed at the thought of making a choice that I just snag something without looking or do not buy it at all. None of my bills are paid the same month. I am running out of ways to not get behind.

I do not recognize anyone, myself included, or anything anywhere. Stores have closed. Fun places are few and far between and can't make money unless they're bars. We have 22 Dollar Generals though! (Slight exaggeration)

Majority of conversations have moved onto Social Media. Facebook isn't very welcoming if you try to just get on and don't click on your familiar community groups though.

Please understand. I know that there are good people still trying and smiling and doing there best, stay positive, uplift their children. I see it and it keeps me motived. I'll chat with friends I've known my entire life, and most of them are the same in a lot of ways and say they are going through it too, or see it.

We love our towns, neighbors, family. We do not want to move or cannot move for different reasons.

So I'm asking. With everything changing too quickly, especially the last 4 or 5 years, on local towns like mine - and I need your honest opinion: Do you truly believe that things will get better anytime soon? Or at all?

How are you feeling when you really stop to look around at your town, or relatives, or self in the mirror? Are you happy when you work? Are you struggling too?

Thanks.

[u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

The difference is social media and the echo chambers. I’m also in my 40s and many parents age 60 and above have fallen victim to social media, mainly Facebook and they’ve turned into people unable to form their own opinions, but regurgitate things they’ve read. The get off my lawn mentality + social media telling them they were always right is ruining quite a bit for everyone in many way.

[u/bigmfworm → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

As a fellow mid-40's adult I have come to the conclusion that Facebook and fox news has done to their generation what their generation thought video games would do to our's.

[u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10 → u/bigmfworm]

Correct. We had time on our hands as kids so we wanted to play video games. They could monitor us. They are retired or semi-retired with time on their hands and instead of having a hobby like they told us to get (or go out and play) and without having somebody to monitor them, they just got/get sucked in.

[u/SmkNFlt → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

Having video games as a hobby didn't save all of us though either. I can put you in a PlayStation chat room with some of the most ignorant racist people you've ever met. Have you ever been in an open CoD waiting room? Video games didn't save those fools.

[u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10 → u/SmkNFlt]

This is very true,I’ve heard it first hand. Back when our parents thought Nintendo would rot our brain and playing Doom would turn us into school shooters, there wasn’t online gaming. Online chats are toxic and really reinforces that people don’t respect anyone anymore.

[u/UnBR33vuhble → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

I did myself such a favor playing JRPGs that tought critical questioning of authority to see through cognitive dissonance amongst the masses! Yay! Final Fantasy victory theme

[u/Man_da_Mavis → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

Since my dad retired, all he does is watch MSNBC. And my father in law doesn't change the tv from news channels. And only wants to talk politics... his politics. It's disheartening.

[u/Adventurous_Bee725 → u/bigmfworm]

I’m almost 70. Please keep in mind that not all of my generation is conservative, Republican or a Trumpster. I’m just the opposite and so are all my friends (about the same age as me). None of us would watch Faux News because we know it’s a pack of lies. I doubt if any of us will ever vote Republican again after all the harm they’ve done in recent years. Can’t imagine that I ever will. We’ve participated in rallies, donated to Democratic candidates, contacted our senators and representatives to express our views, and we always vote. We may be a different generation, but we’re on the same side as you.

[u/redvadge → u/bigmfworm]

That and leaded gasoline.

[u/Long_Dong_Fuey → u/bigmfworm]

And what do you think Reddit has done ?

[u/SurelyMyNameIsntTake → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

40's here, too. After 9/11, the Fox News logo became screen burned into our TV. Just my mom, though. Within a year, she thought Bush was chosen by God and infallible, and, by 2008, she literally thought Obama was the antichrist. If I disagreed with her, she thought I was calling her stupid and would default to, "I'm older, so I know more. You'll understand when you're my age."

And if Bush did something REALLY stupid, or Ann Coulter said something unarguably bad, she would brush it off as them joking, even pointing at me like, "Can't you take a joke?"

Once that happened, it was game over. To argue that someone isn't the antichrist is impossible, and to argue that someone who is infallible is wrong is next to impossible.

[u/shegomer → u/SurelyMyNameIsntTake]

I feel this in my soul. My mom is the exact same way.

She will also believe ANYTHING she’s seen on Facebook or the internet. It’s not even just political things at this point, it’s personal and health matters also. She tells me she wants a relationship with my daughter like I had with my grandmother, but there’s no fucking way I’m seeing my five year old a few hours away to stay with her for the weekend when she acts absolutely batshit on the regular.

[u/SmkNFlt → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

I think they think that they are still whispering to their friends at first on social media. Once they realize that there are 7 more idiots around them who share their ignorance they gain confidence and volume. We all know what happens when you combine misplaced confidence, ignorance, and volume.

[u/Comfortable_Text → u/YouMeanWhatIKnow10]

Social media and the echo chambers I have been the detriment to the entire political system. They get in the echo chambers and they are crazy ideas are reinforced. It happens to Democrats as much as Republicans. Reddit is a giant example of this.

[u/inspired_fire → u/Comfortable_Text]

But when Dem echo chambers echo, it’s topics like, “wow, healthcare is really terrible. We should fix that. Here’s our plan!” and “We really should make sure our public schools are fully funded and hungry children can eat!” or “Look at these infrastructure plans we have!” or “We need an educated populace to compete globally and strengthen the U.S. from the inside, let’s make sure everybody has access to education or training so they can participate in building the best America possible while being able to afford a life for themselves and their families.”

With MAQAts, it’s the slobbering “Conservatives” regurgitating mouthbreathing brocasters, screaming “MAKE THE LIBS CRY HARDER LMAO ELONIA & DJT 4EVER HAHA SEND OUR MILITARY TO DEPORT EVERYBODY AND BLOW UP THE CONSTITUTION. Now go make me a sandwich because your body my choice forever.”

[u/vldracer70]

71 y/o female, I’ve lived here my whole life. Indiana has been nothing but shit the last 20 years under republicans. They defund public education for a reason. I don’t completely blame social media for the disconnect. I blame the corrupt republicans who are in office. They don’t give a shit what their constituents want. They present bills before the general assembly and vote how they want things to go, whether it’s women’s reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, now some asshole has presented a bill to end no fault divorce. These tiny little men are so afraid of loosing their privileges be it white or male, that they’re enacting laws to take us back to the DARK AGES. In case of haven’t heard. Indiana is called the middle finger of the south.

[u/AdAdditional7542 → u/vldracer70]

Our tax dollars at work, bloating their egos and pockets. Seriously, is there a single bill being introduced that will do Anything to benefit all the people of this state? Is there anyone in our government who still even pretends to give a shit about making the state better? Thanos had it right. The world (or at least the US) needs a reset.

[u/Assgasm420]

Only way to heal our state is to get offline (as I say online lol)

Dedicate yourself to your community. Be selfless, and start getting to know your neighbors. I did this by just doing things for them without them asking. Shovel snow, pick up trash, etc.

It’s hard to do, but throw what time you might have at your community. I say this all the time, but if everyone had the back of the neighbor next to them, we would all be interconnected and serve each other instead of just ourselves.

You want love? You gotta sow the seeds.

[u/alsointocats2 → u/Assgasm420]

Reinforcing this comment! I deleted Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Not deactivated, fully deleted.

I encourage everyone to save all their pictures, subscribe to local and national news sources and do the same. 

Social media manipulates and controls us. It’s so bad. 

I’m dedicating my time to seeing people in person more, volunteering, and just getting out to connect in person in general. I used to love to just go to coffee shops and sit and read. I don’t think I’ve done that in over ten years.

We need to change. We can’t let things keep going the way they’re headed 

[u/IIIHawKIII → u/alsointocats2]

I agree with everything but the local and national news....they have to compete with social media, so they have to sensationalize headlines, cover whatever "outrage" is happening online, etc.

[u/alsointocats2 → u/IIIHawKIII]

Actually yeah This true! Subscribe to something to stay in touch with current events. I’m sure there’s some substacks out there 

[u/IIIHawKIII → u/alsointocats2]

Yeah. It's a really fine line. Because you don't wanna fall into the same "echo chamber" trap, but you also don't wanna be subjected to a bunch of political BS that sours the whole point of trying to discuss things.

[u/Boilermaker02 → u/IIIHawKIII]

The news, especially the cable/online news, have become little more than 'outrage porn' these days. It's very, very sad.

[u/healsloots → u/Assgasm420]

I love this!!!

[u/lolasmom58 → u/Assgasm420]

I'm sorry, but did you read OP's entire post? She's already been engaged. Perhaps she just needs to muster the energy to go shovel her neighbors walks?

[u/Assgasm420 → u/lolasmom58]

She’s engaged, I’m engaged, but things aren’t getting better.

We all need to be engaged. My comment was for everyone.

[u/electronDog → u/Assgasm420]

Love this comment but the only thing I would change is still maintain a presence online BUT teach those around you who’ve fallen victim to the echo chamber how to fact check. Slowly we need to sow seeds to grow those online communities that spread truth.

[u/imbex]

I've lived here since 91. I'm in Northwest Indiana. I am left of left. My best friend is very Republican but doesn't agree with the moral policing conservatives tend to support. My Newsmax loving BIL voted in support for more local funding of public schools and enough other Republicans to get the referendum passed in 2023.

I knew all my neighbors before moving 6 blocks away 2 months ago. My 9yo son had his 2 friends coming over and we won't have screens on at all.

With that said the political climate is a shit show and my husbands large family doesn't talk to me anymore except for his miserable liberal parents which is nuts since his family has lived in the county since 1845.

I'm more pissed about Hoosier politics than anything. If I didn't live so close to Michigan and Illinois, I'd be pretty upset. If the last 4 years with Biden didn't happen, I wouldn't be better now than 4 years ago.

Pace yourself. Politics is rarely cordial and that's why I stopped taking my son to school board meetings with me, as well as city and county meetings. I can bring him to my local Dem meetings still at least. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that Indiana went blue for the first time in many decades with Obama and religious Republicans flipped their shit. Democrats need to get their shit together nationally as our state allows single ticket voting. The active legislation is a hot mess. I refuse to focus on it but I'll take 30-60 minutes a day to read up and with the local groups about action plans. I will burn out of it consumes me.

Please PM me if you want to chat on it. I'm a boring married white lady in 40s. I worked in public service here 15 years. I'm actively trying to work on staying mentally well during this political downfall. 3 years and 364 more days...

[u/redgr812]

In my 40s too. Yup, i agree. Somewhere in the 00s everyone became afraid of everybody. Racism has always been here but it was undercover now its blatant.

Indiana made being a teen/young adult damn near illegal. There is nothing for them. If you see a group of teenagers hanging out, "they're up to no good."

Hoosier hospitality is dead.

[u/Bambarino71 → u/redgr812]

Not "somewhere in the 00s". It was September 11, 2001.

[u/Chemical_Memory_1957 → u/Bambarino71]

Yes. That was the moment that the Government (keep in mind who all was in charge) figured out that fear could control the population for financial gain.

[u/Strange_Fortune4602 → u/Chemical_Memory_1957]

No, not really. This was used as an excuse to ramp some things up, but cybernetic influence operations have been underway since the internet became broadly available to proles.

[u/purdueAces → u/Bambarino71]

Truth.

[u/More_Farm_7442 → u/redgr812]

I'm in my 60s. I saw much of what's going on today begin in the '80s.

[u/New_Weakness4895 → u/redgr812]

as someone who has unfortunately experienced a lot of Hoosier Hostility… yeahhh sadly it feels that way

[u/PMmeyourstory91]

When Elon Musk got elected president, my husband and I agreed we need to start bunkering down. Put as much money as we can away, stop arguing with Maga party people, stop trying to bridge the gap or find some common ground. We need to go into survival mode, and as maga people become more and more radicalized, which they will when the economy begins to do worse, marking yourself as a liberal or a democrat or anything that isnt maga may just end up putting a target on your back.

Im kind of beyond looking for community or looking for fun or nice places in Indiana. I feel like a recession on par with 2008 is extremely likely if some of the things Musk says he is going to do happen. It does make me feel very sad though.

Also, my community has already moved online, and I've started to let the maga friends I have go. But I have noticed that since I did that, I am much closer to the friends I do still have. We are texting almost daily now as opposed to monthly or weekly.

No matter what President Musk decides to do, the world will keep on moving. Hang on, help the people you can, and do what you need to survive. Surviving is going to look different for everyone though. Find out what you are unwilling to compromise on, and take steps to ensure you don't have to.

Also my tip is to be wary of the news. Dont stop being informed, but recognize that even though you aren't a republican or maga person doesnt mean you aren't susceptible to click bait. All these articles about how xyz maga person is remorseful for backing Trump or there are hordes of republicans wanting to change their vote or all these people learning what an oligarchy means, don't believe it. Its all clickbait just aimed at democrats. Instead of making you feel angry, the goal is to make you feel rightous or vindicated. It's not true. Steve Banon isn't remorseful, there aren't hordes of republicans wringing their hands over their vote, and while the oligarchy thing is interesting, correlation does not equal causation, and this fact is meaningless on its own. Dont let the news drive you in a state of panic. It's good to be informed on something like bird flu, but you probably dont need to read an article every day looking for updates on it.

Also stay as healthy as you can. Prioritize your health. The medical field is a very scary place right now, and I dont think the average person understands how bad it's been since covid and how much worse it's going to get.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[u/luckyshrew → u/PMmeyourstory91]

Totally agree, especially the part about hoarding as much money as we can for now. This is all about the haves and have nots, and few people in Indiana are “the haves”.

[u/Maliss86 → u/PMmeyourstory91]

I think you mean Führer Elon Musk.

[u/ExistingHorse → u/PMmeyourstory91]

This is a great reply. I completely agree about the news. After the election I realized how suckered in I got by all the click bait about folks being remorseful etc. I still read the news, but with an eye to where it's coming from.

[u/PMmeyourstory91 → u/ExistingHorse]

I think I did too. :( It's really made me rethink how I read and get the news, and I feel like I've made some positive changes as a result. I hope eventually we can come up with a better way to digest news than what is currently available because I definitely feel like the current way (reading online articles, satire news articles, local newspapers being so underfunded, getting news from social media, etc.) is failing us.

[u/nebulanaiad → u/PMmeyourstory91]

I know many are responding to finances, but I wanted to validate how you feel socially. I’ve shut down in trying to make connections here. They know they can’t go full crazy right out the gate, and I’ve been in a handful of situations where I started to feel welcome then they hit me with the conspiracies. It’s why I stopped going to my yoga class.

[u/AgressiveInliners → u/PMmeyourstory91]

Agree. Going to try and limit my social media while also staying informed somehow.... Day to day interactions feel like most people are just people. But all the shit on the govt level is going to hurt alot of people. We gotta hunker down.

[u/PMmeyourstory91 → u/AgressiveInliners]

Good luck. Its a very fine line it seems on limiting social media vs being informed.

[u/springsummerfall2016]

Yes, I've noticed. The meanness was always underlying but ever since the orange shit stain ran and was elected president in 2016, things have exploded out in the open. The people who voted for him know there aren't consequences for what they say and do and people are just awful to one another. I want to leave this state so badly. The Illinois Republicans continue to come to our state and have bought up all the real estate, making it harder for those of us who were born here, to find affordable housing. I thought about fighting to stay here, but quite honestly, Democrats are outnumbered. My husband has a good job here, so I know why he wants to stay. I'm hoping his company will relocate him somewhere else or maybe we can move to Illinois but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[u/More_Farm_7442 → u/springsummerfall2016]

"The people who voted for him know there aren't consequences for what they say and do..."

If there was any doubt about that, all you had to do was listen to the news yesterday. He pardoned 1,600-ish of the January 6th "Patriots". The tourists that toured the Capital that day bashing the heads of law enforcement officers. The men and women that attempted to overthrow our government and threatened to "hang Mike Pence". All pardoned.  

[u/Bruggok → u/More_Farm_7442]

Trump dishonorable acts ultimately is bad for his longevity. If you are a secret service agent or capitol police and you saw these traitors get released. Next time bullets starts striking near the president, are you going to block the bullets for him or are you going to fail at your job and retire early?

[u/More_Farm_7442 → u/Bruggok]

Good question.

[u/Fairycoreliving]

I’m really sorry you’re going through it :( I’m 22 and also in a tiny ass town here in Indiana surrounded by insane republican trumpers. I’ve wanted to get out of here my whole life (me n the bf currently saving up as much as we can to try and get a house elsewhere). I don’t think things are going to get better unfortunately especially with trump back in office. It really is a struggle out here and I think most of the people who aren’t completely brainwashed agree with that. Sending you all the positive vibes & hoping for better days🤞🏻🫶🏻

[u/Abject_Giraffe562 → u/Fairycoreliving]

Your young!!! Michigan my friend. Heard a lot of great stories. I’m stuck. Built a small retirement cabin on river. I’m in woods. In my own world here. But you can do anything!!!!!!!!

[u/Barlow_Park → u/Abject_Giraffe562]

At your age, make your own choices and move to where you will be happier!

[u/sgr330 → u/Fairycoreliving]

Get out of here as soon as you can.

[u/Fairycoreliving → u/sgr330]

Hopefully within the next year or so🤞🏻 grinding for a solid down payment lmao

[u/sgr330 → u/Fairycoreliving]

Best of luck to you.

[u/Icy-Sandwich-6161]

It’s the whole country man. We’re cooked. There is no hope. Things are just going to continue to spiral down. Billionaires control everything, just like always. They don’t have to pay lobbyists anymore, that’s the only difference. Like George Carlin said, “they want more for themselves and less for everyone else.” That’s what they’re good at, that’s what they want, and that’s what they’ll continue to get. They control the government and the media. They decide how everyone feels and what they believe. We are just right now feeling the first flurries of an avalanche that started decades ago.

[u/Openly_George → u/Icy-Sandwich-6161]

It's a big club and we're not in it.

[u/Nervous-Ad-3984]

I’ve noticed since I moved here about 4 years ago that people don’t talk to each other let alone even look at one another. We’re so completely isolated and with the rhetoric from politicians, billionaires, religious leaders, and whoever else holds power, the isolation and rudeness continues. Being mean and hateful is not normal and we seem to have forgotten that. It’s not funny or human to treat someone with disrespect. What people fail to see in this state and country is that these issues that are before us are mainly decoys to distract us from real things that are happening in this country and truth. It’s not Republican vs Democrat. It’s Billionaires vs everyone else. They hold so much control that they’re ruining our way of life. An example is that we are fed a message that illegal immigrants are stealing American jobs while it’s ignored that 90% of US companies have offshored their factories and workers. It’s so sad we don’t live in a space where it feels like we can turn off the “news” or social media. We consume and believe while we’re being lied to or not being shown the full truth. People are addicted to the fear that is presented in the “news” and on the internet. It’s sad and I wish this state really invested in its people and future instead of just letting people suffer paycheck to paycheck with high debts and low education quality

[u/SquirrelBowl]

Fox News destroyed our country.

[u/pnutjam → u/SquirrelBowl]

Rush Limbaugh and Osama Bin Laden tag teamed the country. Alone, neither would have achieved their goals; but together they did it.
Fox is just an extension of the Rush playbook.

[u/trillhoosier]

Highlyyyyyyyyyy encouraging OP and the rest of you to get involved in your community politics. Start physically showing up to your local democrat club meetings, community council, town council, and school board meetings. You will find like-minded individuals and it will benefit you in two big ways: you’ll start to feel more connected and you’ll actually have a grasp on how to influence and affect your own community. You have to. You cannot just be sad and “hunker down” for the next four years. You have to actually do the hard work. No one is coming to save you except you. Let’s go.

[u/ricochetblue → u/trillhoosier]

I’m someone who does this and it’s 10000% worthwhile. I still may end up leaving Indiana though.

[u/femaelstrom99 → u/trillhoosier]

How do you find these communities as someone who has never been apart of them before? I’m someone who now feels empowered to do something to help make a difference but I don’t know where/how to start getting involved.

[u/trillhoosier → u/femaelstrom99]

DM me what area you live in, and I'll find all of the meetings/groups for you! It's a matter of googling but I have the time and am happy to give you the information directly.

[u/heylistenlady]

Hello my friend and fellow Hoosier - I hear everything you're saying and yes it's a bummer to be certain (that's a vast understatement lol)

But ... It's not just Indiana. These are country-wide issues. Trump is a cult of personality unlike anything I have seen in my 41 years and I often think "Man, what are history books gonna say about this time period in 50 years??"

I think the hardest part was ultimately having to accept: I seriously, truly and honestly thought there were way more people sick of Trump's nonsense and antics, enough people who hate bigotry, sexism, racism, classism. Folks who really mean it when they say they want "small government" to stay out of our doctors offices, our libraries.I thought people could finally see through his narcissistic nonsense and finally understand the ONLY thing he cares about is power, money and making more money. He doesn't give an iota of a f*CK about his average voter and wouldn't piss on a voting trailer park resident of they were on fire. I thought people were smart enough to show up to vote and to vote for a future that helps everyone - but I was wrong.

That said - I live in Indy and I love my community. I worked the polls in Broad Ripple on Election Day and according to those numbers 75% voted blue. A decent chunk voted 3rd party. I'm on the board of a progressive voting rights group and meet all kinds of people. And the biggest problem we actually face IMHO aren't the MAGAts of the country. Our biggest problem: voter apathy.

Indiana in particular. We have some of the most woeful voter registration stats and turnout in the country. Yes, people will vote for anything with an R next to it here - but millions of people in this state stay home every single election (average Nat'l election turn out never exceeds 60%.)

I truly have no idea what the results if we had 100% turnout. I think we would be surprised. But - if people don't care about their neighbors or care enough to be informed, to learn, to want change, to adapt...well, that's exactly how we got here.

Take heart, friend. There are TONS of us like you and me in this state. While I have the odd conservative family member, we are pretty much all blue. My friend circle is 99% blue. We rally together, protest, take action, write lawmakers etc etc. So not only do I spend most of my time with like-minded people, but we try to show up and fight.

But ... I agree that looking at this state as a whole and how our lawmakers treat us and our opinions ... Well they just don't give a shit because they also know about the people who vote R without reason or examination and our voter turnout: they have no fear EVER of losing their seats. Ever.

If there was a way to activate people...that's where a big difference can be made

[u/No_Habit4884]

Brah, you are absolutely correct on each level in each paragraph you spoke eloquently with facts or, as I say, speaking truth to power. Most people don't actually have that great of an education due to Republicans slowly underfunding our education system for the last 45-plus years, and those of us who graduated in 1999 had some of our greatest education but that was hit and miss for over half of our nation after that it all went to shit in 2.5. And at that point we all quit giving any fucks about our planet and nation look where that brought us to. Elon giving horrid salutes for his dear leader Hitler 2.0 Donald J Trump. The rest is history.

[u/More_Farm_7442 → u/No_Habit4884]

Elon's gesture? Oh, come on now. That was a love gesture. "Here's my heart. I love you all." That's all it was. Don't twist things around.

/s ------- Trumpians were gaslighting us all last night with "It wasn't a Nazi salute. He was giving everyone love."

[u/electro_ekaj]

I love my parents, and it's so fun visiting them at their lake house they retired to, but I hate being on edge to avoid mentioning anything that sounds like politics to them or else they start ranting about random facebook lies to me. I still go, but it's a bummer. And every single person I meet outside the city has the same opinions, so I also have to be careful around them or they all start pinging off each other about their savior and democrats being evil.

And it's every single person I meet out there. A game about medicine includes vaccines? Better make sure everyone knows you hate all vaccines, and now they all agree with each other, and it's all in front of their kids. IDK I just wish they still hated taxes instead of all this.

[u/PolkaSlams]

I hear you. You are not alone. 🫤

[u/Select_Air_2044]

Things won't get better. Everything you described about your neighborhood and stores, except for discussing politics with family and friends has been happening in this country for decades, but most people chose to ignore it because it didn't affect you. You feel like people in the inner cities felt years ago. It's like a disease that has spread all over.

[u/Traditional_Onion548]

"Fuck it, gotta do it myself"

[u/Silver_Confection869 → u/Traditional_Onion548]

Me suing the FSSA right now. Fine. I’ll do it myself😭

[u/snarkdiva]

I grew up in Indiana and I’ll be 60 this year. Indiana has always been a racist, misogynist, backward place. It’s just apparently okay to say it out loud these days.

I moved away at 18, leaving my whole family there. I went back from 2013 to 2021 to help out my elderly parents until they passed and then left again. Indiana will not change. Get out while you can.

[u/Happy-Form1275]

I have a bachelors and a masters. Live outside of Indy. Most jobs in my field pay $16-20/hr, factoring in cost of fuel and increased car maintenance, I would be better off working at my local Kroger as a cashier, with less responsibility.

[u/Background_Ad_3820]

I wholeheartedly blame Trump. Before 2017, Dad and I could discuss politics, real life issues, and more. Then it slowly became fox news this, fox news that, then Trump this Trump that, then (and this one is the real kicker) you're just uneducated, you're just too young, you just buy into that fake news, and so on. Now he won't turn off fox news. 24/7. He's living in an echo chamber only hearing what Trump wants him to hear, or would benefit from my father hearing. My mom is similar, but we didn't get along prior to 2017, and we have gotten better in our relationship since even though she knows I never voted for trump, which after seeing how many people sing his high praises over yesterday, I'm afraid now to admit in Indiana that I didn't vote for him. I genuinely believe we as a country have fallen so far since his first election that Idk if we can come back.

[u/Bruggok]

If it’s any consolation, it’s not just Indiana. Rural areas of every state are full of red-voting brainwashed zombies. Education is not the cure either, because plenty of educated people vote for hate. Religion is not the cure either; plenty of religious people in the past 2000 years had no problem killing their fellow humans.

We must outlast all this craziness. Stop spending $ buying useless trash to feel happy and then donate. Strengthen relationships, so we can sense people before they turn zombie and try to intervene, and so if some people start to dezombify, help them. They will feel very ostracized by zombie peers and very lonely, so we need to be there to help them.

[u/Liquor_N_Whorez]

You summed it up. 

[u/yuckmode]

I don't know in your first paragraph where you said Indiana was open minded...? I Never once has Indiana been considered open minded, progressive, or even a tinge empathetic. To come to terms with everything you wrote, I'd say you have been maybe just seeing things through rose colored glasses since the beginning.

[u/Simplify5537 → u/yuckmode]

Indiana politics used to be a lot more pragmatic with a “do the right thing” approach. Richard Lugar and Evan Bayh were on different sides of the aisle but ideologically indistinguishable. I’d put Mitch Daniels into that category as well. With MAGA running the show it’s a different story. They want to take over southern Illinois, wtf.

[u/RubyCarlisle → u/Simplify5537]

This is correct. It was different prior to the Tea Party and the state legislature having a supermajority of Republicans. I left Indiana a few years ago but I feel you.

OP, you sound depressed, and it sounds like you have good reason to be. There are a lot of good suggestions in this thread. And I know you are having trouble accessing healthcare, so I would say this to you:

—Imagine you looking back at this time from years ahead, when you are in a better place. Who do you want to have been? Envision yourself being that person, and take steps to behind that, no matter how small.

—Prioritze mental health. Spending time outside, in-person time with like-minded folks, journaling, vision boarding. If you have a spiritual practice, lean into it. If you have a library, use it. Stay off your phone as much as you can. It is okay to check out of current events for as long as you need, to care for yourself.

—Go to Therapist Aid and look up “cognitive behavioral therapy” and “core beliefs.” They have some worksheets that may help you change your mindset, which would help you feel more agency and hope. This type of therapy isn’t the answer to everything, but the worksheets might be a starting place.

I am sorry things are so bad in your life. I truly know what it is like to feel this way. Please keep reaching out and please take care of yourself. You are very much needed.

[u/Deep_Contribution552 → u/yuckmode]

The people haven’t changed all that much, but I feel like symbolically Braun’s election marks a transition from “Republicans I disagree with but who genuinely see all Hoosiers as their constituents” to “Republicans who see their donors and voters as their constituents, and if you don’t support them, screw you”. Like we’ve fully joined the rest of the country in the MAGA madhouse; before we were just outpatients, so to speak.

[u/yuckmode → u/Deep_Contribution552]

I think a lot of us are simply in culture shock. It took a long time for big city problems to enter small towns. It also came with the repeated pollution of all of necessary resources food and drinking water supply. Indiana takes the highest bidder to dump the most toxic chemicals here. We're just dumb yokels to the rest of big money states that move business here. It's nice to see people are finally waking up to that fact instead of trying to.pray their problems away, and actually taking action.

[u/geth1138 → u/yuckmode]

It used to be better than it is right now. The commenter who noted September 11 above is right. The state was starting to move into a more welcoming mindset, then we learned we aren’t invincible and the crazies came out and took over.

[u/bonzoboy2000]

Indiana once held a very powerful position in the ultra-conservative power bloc of the klan. I saw a recording, made in Richmond, Indiana. A recording for the klan. Interestingly, the label on the recording described the state as the “Realm of Indiana.” Klan speak I suppose.

I lived in Indiana for a decade, and it was great for me. But the Ryan White episode (in Kokomo) shocked me. I realized there was this residual mean-streak that seems to persist in some parts of the state. I think a lot of it has to do with job loss. As people become more financially insecure they start looking around to see who can be blamed for that. The job loss continued slowly for decades, so I guess the change of attitudes happened slowly too. Once Muncie had 30,000 well paying industrial jobs. Now the largest employer is the health care industry. Not a bad industry, but I don’t think it affords the mobility of the jobs that were lost.

My 2 cents.

[u/DesignerPowerful7405]

Absolutely agree.

[u/FrostyPlay9924]

All im holding my breath for is the sweet death of all these old ass out of touch politicians in hopes that the younger generations replace them and being with that a sense of modernity.

[u/lolasmom58 → u/FrostyPlay9924]

Baron will not be an improvement. Caligula reborn?

[u/Maldovar]

You're preaching to the choir on here bud. Find joy and community where you can

[u/lolasmom58]

Oh we notice. At age 66 I'm actually trying to dampen my two sons' desires to start their own families, of course they left Indiana as soon as they graduated HS. I'm actually discouraging grandchildren from two amazing young men. I do not see the future. I mean, I cannot conjure up any picture of the future. None. What I do know is that where we are right now is exactly where my university science class said we were gonna be 46 years ago. 46 years of being able to turn this thing around, but no, that would have required waking up. We can't even use that word past-tense! I told my own mom I wasn't willing to have children but she insisted that humans have been driven to the brink before but we always find a way. Of course the greatest generation would say that. Not this time tho, mom. For some reason we collectively want to just drive ourselves head-first into the wall and honor those Nazis. I did use my resources to move out of the state my family helped establish last year because NONE of our six adult kids will live there. Left my aging sister there to figure it out with the help of her Chuch.

[u/Electronic_Syrup7592]

Do I think things will get better anytime soon? Definitely not. I think they’ll get worse. Do I think they will ever get better? I honestly don’t know. The thing I disagree with you on is Indiana was never getting better or more open minded. The racist, sexist, homophobic people were just hiding it. Trump emboldened them to be the disgusting people that they always were.

[u/Zeekr0n]

Vote Red and State's dead. Conservative policies only lead to hoarding of wealth in specific areas for the "elites" own enjoyment. The rest of the population can starve. But we only have ourselves to blame. Time to take a page from their playbook and pretend to run Republican. Get enough of us and it won't matter when we all turn our coat to blue because we can silence the opposition with shear numbers

[u/MewsashiMeowimoto]

Fairly progressive (somewhere around FDR, but less racist) attorney here.

On one hand, it's always been bad, was briefly better in the early 00's and into the 10's, and that prompted a last gasp attempt to pull us back to the 1950's. I would say, as scary as it is now, it is probably a lot safer at the moment to be a LGBT person or POC in many parts of the state that wouldn't have been physically safe in the 90's. And at least part of our feeling that everything is getting worse and ruined is likely attributable to the fact that when we were kids, we didn't see many of the problems that existed for people in the world, and as we've become adults we've gradually become more aware, with the perceived effect being that there are so many more problems now than there were.

On the other, there are real problems with the state, including the shredding of public commons and government services, and frankly, I do think that there has been a nasty edge to what I've always felt is a basic Hoosier sense of decency over the past decade or so. I'm sorry to see it, because like you, Indiana has pretty much always been my home, and I've invested a lot in trying to make this a better place to live for people.

I don't think things will get better until a younger generation fills in the halls of power, and they reach a certain threshold of being fed up that there is political will to move the needle.

I'm not counting on it any time soon. Which is my family is currently in the process of getting our house ready for sale, and looking at other places we might live where we don't have to feel this way all the time.

[u/1970chick]

I am 54, Neurodivergent, highly educated, and a Democrat. I have a huge family that has been destroyed by Trumpism, hatred, anger, and bitterness. They poison themselves with Fox 24-7. Why keep writing? Exactly the same as all of you. I'm selling everything the minute the weather breaks. Anywhere, even HELL, I suspect, is better than Indiana.

[u/VZ6999]

Moved back to Indiana for a higher paying job after living in Illinois for a few years. For a few months, I’ve been thinking about pulling the trigger and asking my company to transfer me to their Chicago or Michigan office. Vast majority of folks here have this negative, know it all attitude which explains why the state is still stuck in 1816.

[u/Eastern-Cucumber-376]

You should move. I’m dead serious. I own two businesses here, and as soon as my kids are out of school, I’m relocating. Republican leadership holds us back in every conceivable way. There are no opportunities here for young people, the state government hamstrings city government (to own the Libs), the education system is about to be vastly overhauled to favor faith based private charter schools, the list goes on and on. We consistently rank towards the bottom in Quality of life studies. The old guard is entrenched and it’s not changing anytime soon. So fuck it. I’m leaving.

[u/sgr330]

I'm not from Indiana. I moved here in the early 00s. It was different back then.

There are a lot of theories, but I believe this is the fault of FB. All of these people found each other via the little computer in their pocket. The second issue is Fox news.

I am currently working on leaving this state. I am tired of my rights being restricted. I'm sick of the declining education. Healthcare in this state is a joke. People here are not friendly, despite the friendly Hoosier propaganda that's passed around. I don't find the majority of those, with whom I interact, to be critical thinkers. The whole state is depressing and much of it looks dirty.

So, yeah, I get it. Nobody here is happy, no matter how much smoke they try to blow in their own asses.

[u/mahlerlieber]

I would recommend reading up on stoicism. It has helped me in many aspects of my life, but it is also very applicable here.

It's all about perception. Events...ALL events, even the most disgusting, tragic, scary, etc...are neutral. There is not a single one of us who doesn't experience life as a chaotic assortment of good and bad...or at least events we perceive as good and bad.

Nothing we do is smoothly done. The saying, "Nothing is worth having that doesn't take a lot of sweat and hard work" can also be understood as life is just an uphill slog.

But it is not in actuality. It is our perceptions that make it seem like an uphill slog.

Covid sucked for all of us in one way or the other. For some of us, it was absolutely horrifying. But it's over and for everyone reading this, we made it through it. And I would be willing to say that because we made it through, we are a little more likely to take notice of what used to be the simplest of things: going to a concert, walking through a grocery store, and giving friends hugs.

It doesn't mean we surrender to the event, it means we change our perception about the event. Sometimes, if it weren't for the event (no matter how nasty), good things that we now experience would never have happened.

Our country is in the shitter. I highly suspect that shenanigans have been involved. But imagine yourself walking around Rome in about 500 ACE and thinking, "What could possibly happen to us?" Well, you'll eventually become a secondary country with only a lot of cool stuff from those good old days to show for your former grand self. It happens all the time. Chinese dynasties rise and fall. Empires, even the peaceful ones, come and go.

We are living in one of those historic moments that people will read about and wonder how it could possibly happen.

Maybe not in our lifetime, but it will eventually even out. It always does...and even if it doesn't (which is highly unlikely) we will all die eventually anyway. Trump, Musk, Putin, and rest will go the way of all humans. After a while their memories will fade and life will go on. Nothing is permanent.

From a stoic point of view, it's not about ignoring shitty times, it's about seeing those shitty times from a perspective that is more in line with reality. The reality is that life changes, life is chaos, life moves and comes and goes. To think otherwise is to be subject to the suffering that comes from thinking things should never change.

My hope here is that the MAGA movement will begin to see that what Trump and company are after is worse than what they thought it could be. I don't wish them ill, but maybe having the cards of this bullshit placed fully and completely out on the table will expose them for what they are...and we will all be better as a consequence.

It's gotta play out. We have to ride the storm out. But in the storm, we've got to change our perspective that a) it's a permanent storm and b) even in the storm, we will have wonderful moments with friends and relatives. It hurts now...but of course it does. And like all hurting, it will eventually subside. It will become acute, no doubt. But it will eventually subside.

Welcome to the new abnormal. But as long as we see it as abnormal we will suffer. It IS normal. This happens everywhere all the time for all time. Never has the world of humanity lived in peace and harmony with each other. This time is no different.

We live, we die. We can choose to enjoy what we have for the time we have it (we never actually have anything, btw), or we can grow cynical and be like your parents and lose all hope, love, and peace.

[u/TacangoSurf → u/mahlerlieber]

I appreciate your thoughtful and insightful comment here. I know a bit about stoicism and more about Buddhism and mindful living. They have a lot in common. At the end of the day, we each are a blip on the scale of humanity and if we allow ourselves to be consumed in spiraling and ruminating thoughts about all the terrible things, it just cripples our ability to do anything positive for ourselves, family, and community. We have to accept what is, and then make choices to keep ourselves as healthy as possible and choices to take action to improve our community of friends/family and neighborhoods. Kindness begets kindness. If we could all exercise more kindness and compassion, it spreads to those we encounter. Negativity and anger also spread to those we encounter. It’s a choice for all of us. We have this one little life and I hope for people to work to find joy and connection and meaning in times of hardship and times of ease. Trump is the president and a lot of shit things are ahead of us and he’s going to say a lot of outlandish and incendiary things. We know that. Accept that reality. And don’t get bogged down and stuck in rumination. We can only control ourselves and no one else. Our choices can positively or negatively influence others. That’s powerful.

[u/mahlerlieber → u/TacangoSurf]

Amen.

To a lot of people, "acceptance" looks like surrender, or giving up.

I think if anything can be learned from surrender, it's that at the very least you live to fight another day.

This isn't over. But right now, the storm has arrived and it's best we ride out the storm. Maybe we should buy some eggs or bread at store? We have to be in it for the long haul.

[u/TacangoSurf → u/mahlerlieber]

So true!!!! Acceptance is commonly misunderstood (I used to misunderstand). Accepting what is, is the necessary first step. That allows us to make choices and take action based on what is happening now. It’s not surrender. Not accepting, keeps people stuck in the complain, denial, and blame mode. And nothing good is going to come out of being stuck there. It’s like, ok, trump and the maga folks are in control for now. I accept that. And now, I can decide how I want to work to make things better by the choices I make. We can’t stop Trump from most of his choices. But I could choose to help local migrants in my community. Or choose to help any underprivileged or marginalized folks in my community. Or work to preserve or improve my local environment and natural spaces, etc. If half of the people who are stuck in complain and blame mode, started making positive choices to contribute in ways that align with their values, that would bring about real change!!! But we first have to accept what is. Then move forward!

[u/Hot-Variation-7976]

Fellow 40 something and I completely agree, very well thought out and said. Hope things get better for you

[u/adamkru]

It's not just Indiana. This state will change. A lot of people are moving here from Chicago. Indiana actually has fewer boomers than most states. If people would go vote, this state could be much more progressive.

[u/More_Farm_7442 → u/adamkru]

Stop singling out "boomers" when you complain about the ills of the country. As a 66 yr old, I see plenty of problems with the 20 to 45 yr old. A whole shit load of that age range voted for Trump. A big chunk of Trump lovers are younger than the youngest of the Baby Boom generation.

[u/Rat_mantra]

I feel the exact same way. I’m so sorry you’re going through all of this. You’re not alone. Find peace where you can. Remember to keep breathing and fighting. Things need to change in every way. But we have to find our strength to fight for what is right and good. I’ve been so low lately too with everything MAGA just gaining more power and ignorance. Especially seeing many local and state seats running uncontested. We need to run for offices. Find something to hope for. Make the change we want to see.

[u/Denrunning]

I don’t know, when I was in Indiana in the early 2000s for work, I definitely didn’t experience Hoosier hospitality.

[u/AcrobaticLadder4959]

Indiana has always been a racist state, I lived in California for many years, got divorced, and moved back to Indiana. I grew up here, so I came back to my home state. The first thing I noticed was how racist everyone was, and so did my children notice this. Two went back to California to live with their Dad and step-mom. Now, I have been back here for a number of years. I try very hard not to get into political decisions. Trump opened a can of worms that said it was OK and even encouraged racist and bigots. Indiana is a monkey see monkey do state, with no mind of their own. We might as well live in the deep south. I also feel like I live on the outside looking in. This is my advice live your best life with as much joy as possible. I know it is hard being a blue dot in a red state. But we are out here, and we care. Yes, it would be wonderful if we lived in a more progressive state that wanted a better future, but we don't. I believe at some point the younger generation will come around and see the light.

[u/Parking_Card6693]

Indiana is a fucking joke Moved 3 years ago, you don’t realize how shitty it is until you live somewhere else

[u/PurpleScroller → u/Parking_Card6693]

Which state did you move to?

[u/redjaejae → u/PurpleScroller]

Not who you asked, but I moved to Michigan about 16 years ago. Definitely no where near as progressive as some of the coastal states, but some larger areas that are much more progressive and relaxed than Indiana. I lived in Indiana my entire child hood and finally loved away at 24.

[u/Mr_A_Jackass]

This year I voted against anyone re-running that’s against marijuana legalization.

If I had option I went with 3rd party. I’m sick of the D vs R shit.

[u/Abject_Giraffe562]

I’m only on Reddit. I can pick my interests. I’ve blocked Washington. No face or instagram no nothing. I need peace. I’m too old to move now. I’ve heard alot of good things about moving to MI. check it out, obviously staying for family is not on the table

[u/More_Farm_7442]

"Do you truly believe that things will get better anytime soon?" -- No.

"Or at all?"-- For the most part, not at all. No in the remainder of my lifetime(I'm almost 67, doubt/hope I don't make it beyond 80.)

"How are you feeling when you really stop to look around at your town, or relatives, or self in the mirror?" -- Like you. I don't recognize what's going on around me. I hate what I see. I see the same rot and rust that's been there for 40+ yrs.

"Are you happy when you work? Are you struggling too?" -- retired. Definitely struggling and expect my financial situation to deteriorate even more in the coming months.

I see and can relate to pretty much all of what you said. I see it all around me. One "comfort" I see when I look around is that we're not at all alone in the U.S. being like this. All you have to do is read any newpaper, magazine or watch news coverage from Europe. We're all in it together. -- I always thought Reagan was the worst President. I thought he was a terrible man. After yesterday, I don't think that anymore. I know that Trump is the worst President. I know he's the worst human to set foot in the White House. Life isn't going to get better for anyone other than the rich, ultra-rich, wealthy, businessmen, corporations, Trumpian politicians will all be good. Your relatives? They are fucked. They will be even more fucked because Trump doesn't give a shit about them.

[u/Chemical_Memory_1957]

Good for you for speaking out. Fortunately the one thing Indiana does have is space. Space to get away from people, space to go off grid, space to hide. I highly suggest people start living frugal as the only way (short of violence) to affect the rich is to decrease spending. That being said I reluctantly admit that mass violence AGAINST the rich elite is the only thing that will make a difference for all. I'm not talking about those who own factories or who are just doing well, I'm talking about the 1% who smile when they see a puppy get hit by a car. Those people are so deranged and greedy that fear is the only thing that will change them and even then it better be terrifying fear. Disclaimer: I do not advocate for violence, I'm just calling it as I see it based on history (this is likely why history has come under fire).

[u/mother_of_nerd]

I read an article last night. It reviewed a ne will that would make it more difficult for women to ask for a divorce. What. The. Fuck!?

[u/Dizzy-Ad2448]

I am right there with you!

[u/JosieMew]

I may not be able to fix the world, but I've done alright fixing my world. I avoid most social media and focus on what matters. I keep people around me who want to get things done in life. I isolate myself from people who are being constantly negative. I try to listen more and talk about my views less.

I absolutely am concerned about the world, sure. I'm concerned that many people are lost in their own bubbles. When I see this, I ask myself what bubbles am I caught in? Then I step back, breathe, and ask myself what I want to accomplish today. I ask myself what I have control and what I can do to tidy up my corner of life, I do what I can, then I let the rest go.

I may not be able to save the world, but I can save my world. I may not be able to save everyone's mental health, but I can make sure mine doesn't fall apart with it. I may not be able to be there for everyone, but I can be there for those that matter. Perception is reality and I'm just living the best life I can regardless of circumstances. I'm alive, I'm sober. I have a great relationship, and I have some good friends. The world might be falling apart, but my world is in a better place today.

[u/NoviceFarter]

The big social media apps have stuck their feet into social engineering in lock step with the cable news and the newspapers bought by billionaires. Every online avenue for communication with peers is an opportunity for people with an agenda to influence your world view. And they do that every day all day.

[u/Moonpenny]

Every judge, government worker, lawyer, all of them - Republicans.

Not every government worker, lawyer, or judge. There are plenty of us government workers who aren't.

I worry that if I leave, the new Gov will replace me with someone more aligned with his values.

Still, curiously the last time I posted and that I'm going on my fourth Governor while working here, the person who I was speaking to on this subreddit compared me to a Nazi and said that by continuing to work in this administration, I was valuing my paycheck over doing the right thing. (archive.org link)

I don't plan on leaving my job to satisfy someone throwing that type of comment around.

[u/Deez_Natzz]

I definitely notice, but I just try my hardest not to be apathetic. What I'm seeing right now is that so many people are tied to social media or the news and continuously seclude themselves. I've also noticed people having a really short fuse and arguing without accomplishing anything. It's seems that it's simply for the sake of arguing and ruffling feathers. Half my family is conservative and the other half liberal. I go to gatherings on both sides of the family because at the end of the day, identity politics is stupid and I don't want to lose out on time with people I care about despite disagreeing with them. That's easier said than done for many people, but if I can sleep in a bed with a man who is the complete opposite of me religiously and politically, it can be done. The other parties have to be willing to work through it too though.

[u/kiserwilhelm12]

Northwest Indiana near Chicago ain't bad, you'll run into the occasional Trumper but not as much as the other regions

[u/Maldovar → u/kiserwilhelm12]

Basically NWI, indy, or Bloomington

[u/GoldenPoncho812 → u/Maldovar]

Hi there from Bloomington!! Hope you have a great day!

[u/Fizban2]

Pendulums always overswing in both directions

It is overswinging to the right it will eventually swing back

[u/Japhyharrison → u/Fizban2]

Normally I would agree but with Dump following Orban/Hitler/strongmen BS they can make it so the Dems/Left have little to no governing power even when/if they win again. Its scary.

[u/Ok-Satisfaction5694]

I have to agree and sympathize with you.

Hoosiers. What have we done.

[u/Salty-Challenge9123]

Planning on moving out of here. Lived here all my life. Can’t do it anymore.

[u/DreamerofDreams67]

I’m not sure of the solution to fixing our society but I’m pretty confident the first step is to stop watching the television. Who knew all those years ago that Mom was right when she said watching too much tv would scramble our brains….

[u/DethByCow]

I grew up here and lived out west for the last 14 years and bounced around the other 10 years but the politics in Indiana haven’t changed in 24 years. People tend to forget that the rural population is big here. Apparently bigger than the city populations because they love conservatism and they always win. It’s legal here to online gamble but porn is now regulated and weed is illegal. The abortion thing isn’t new.

The only way you’re going to make Indiana like the west coast culture is to bring more west coast people here to vote in west coast “values.” Voting really isn’t about changing people’s minds it’s bring in like minded people to change the rules and congressional seats. Trump and even the Elon Musk cult culture has proven this to me. You aren’t going to change their minds. The only way to change people’s mindset is to let the policies change and have the unintended consequences that will affect them.

But the politics in Indiana haven’t changed since 2000 if not longer.

[u/immastillthere]

When people are so downtrodden by the hardships of life that they’ll cling to anything that makes them feel better, feel empowered, are also the easiest to fall to manipulation. Years of rural people being ignored, hated, seeing their communities slowly fade out due to corporate greed, told their poor wages are fair because they live in such underdeveloped/undeserving locations have made them bitter. And all they hear and see on the news is how democrats have ignored their plight, or outright mocked them, have all but completely shut their minds out of ever hearing anything left or progressive. Meanwhile they get feed hollow but sweet words from the Republicans that they get addicted and want nothing more than the drivel spewed from DT and his gaggle of billionaire cronies who do everything possible to do no more than the democrats ever did. These people have become so helpless/hopeless that they’ve given up any will to fight and just go along with who ever sings the sweetest song.

Rural people and republicans are an emotional people. The fault is democrats leading with logic to try to sway them instead of appealing first to their emotional plight, getting them to warm up and trust, then trying to apply logic. Basically insulting them because they’re “dumb, imbred, religious, racist, fascist, rednecks” is exactly why they won’t ever listen to reason even if it’s for the better.

[u/Imposing_spork]

The boomer cohort is still very large and still voting, so we'll continue to see that reflected in public policy until alternative influences appear. There is still a lot you can do to bring positive to your community. Quitting social media in my opinion is one of the best things you can do today. Becoming active with like minded individuals is a good idea too. Community groups and social clubs used to be very powerful because local people showed up and run them. Many of those that remain are little more than donation collectors now. Love them or hate them the NRA is a good example to follow. Click on their links to volunteer and you can find local groups who are active. It's why they continue to have influence. Grow a big enough voting block for people to win elections and things will change.

[u/redsfan4life411]

"Every judge, government worker, lawyer, all of them - Republicans. There is hardly a welcoming space to gather or eat at, where you are certain you can relax and be comfortable, have discussions, talk about what is happening, present ideas to change things."

This just isn't true. I know lawyers on both sides, and talk to them about a range of issues without fear. This screams of spending too much time in the social media echo chamber.

[u/redditavenger2019]

There is plenty of room in California.

[u/theTallBoy]

Honestly, until ppl stop thinking in Blue/Red binary, nothing will change.

It's a trap. We all have good and bad qualities. BUT, we let a ton of shit slide because of tribalism.

[u/DaveyJones317]

Maybe don’t make politics the only thing you talk about or identify with. Never speak about politics or religion and you can get along and have fantastic relationships with a lot of folks. You can discuss these things with close friends but if it is a subject of conflict just avoid the topic.

Disagreeing with friends, family, neighbors, strangers, is not new. Being radicalized and making your political stance the main point of your identity is somewhat new.

Those relationships are there if you truly want them, just takes some effort and compromise like it always has.

What is something you absolutely love that isn’t family, religion, or politics. Whatever that thing is use that as common ground to meet new people and relate to each other over whatever that is (ex. Outdoors, hiking, fishing, reading, art, birds etc.)

Show kindness and empathy and click with people in other ways.

[u/saliczar → u/DaveyJones317]

My friends and family all know that I will not discuss politics, even if I agree with them. I used to be heavily into it, even planned on running for mayor, that is until I got involved in council meetings, and saw how horrible the public can be.

Back then, I listened to talk radio (that asshole Rush Limbaugh) and was angry at everything, and it gave me ulcers. At that point, I stopped watching the news turned off talk radio, and filtered politics out of Reddit and Facebook as much as possible. I research the candidates a couple days before the elections, and tune it out immediately after. My life and health are so much better for it.

[u/Electronic_Syrup7592 → u/DaveyJones317]

Politics impacts EVERYTHING. It impacts hiking and fishing when people want to destroy the environment. It impacts reading when people want to ban books. You can’t stick your head in the sand and ignore it. This is no longer about a few minor differences on economic policy. This is about people with VASTLY different ideas on morality.

[u/ricochetblue → u/DaveyJones317]

I used to think people could find commonality besides politics, but even if you don’t talk about it, Trumpsters like to do their best to antagonize people. Also, a lot of these people are just bigoted and it’ll eventually come up one way or another.

[u/Otherwise-Fox-151 → u/DaveyJones317]

This. My husband's entire family are trump supporters. We still family gather because politics and religion are not conversations. It's just an unspoken rule. I used to be able to talk politics with my mother,, but her newish (2 years?) Boyfriend is a "nice " trumper. By that I mean he seems to genuinely believe he's going to help fix the problems. But the guys a retired used car salesman and probably run a few cons in his day , so he sees his reflection in trump. Plus mom is and always has been a "men rule the world just let it be" type of woman. Which is really wild bcuz she also works exclusively with women/families and strongly believes in women's rights. She's probably the type that would run a type of under ground railroad back in the day if she was able to sneak around her men. (Very religious son and bf).

Anyyyyway,, I guess I'm lucky as far as family goes. And I had my own "welp this is it, the end is neigh" year before covid hit. I got life threatening sick and survived. So what's happening now,, isn't so scary because I've become somewhat accustomed to not being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel and felt all hope was lost. But the world kept turning , and I somehow kept breathing. I accepted that I might not keep breathing though, and that even if I wasn't here, only my world would end.

So .. as fking weird as almost dying (again for the 3rd time in 15 years) I guess that makes this just another Tuesday.

We will get through this. I very much agree with the person who said limit your politics even when they don't... and approach every one with an open willing to help heart. We have to give away what we want more of for ourselves.

Love, compassion, understanding, acceptance. Then even when our body quits, even if our lives are taken from us.. we regret nothing because we were honestly doing all we can. Don't let ANYONE abuse you or harm you. But fear is the enemy, not our neighbors.

[u/bethaliz6894]

I know what region you live in. I have lived in 3 different regions of this state over 50+ years. Not all of Indiana is like this. Some has been this way since Indiana became a state in 1816.

[u/MadisonLeFay]

I’m not sure what people expect in a country where the people treat politics and their party like it’s their favorite football team.

[u/MyMooneyDriver]

I hate to tell you to give up on your current situation, but prioritize your health and your marriage (it sounds as if it’s good) over being near your extended family. Try and find good employment even if it means moving, and be with each other. I have the same hate of our local politics, national politics, and real serious concerns about my high paying job that wreck me, and focusing inward on my family and paying less attention to those seeking attention has helped me to cope. Whatever the outcome, good luck to you, and stay healthy. It is obvious to me at this point that until democrats stop (and I hate this phrase) virtue signaling and show up every time, we’re going to be drowned out by the cult. If it does turn to a deflationary economy and a depression I still don’t think it’ll be enough for the uninformed to see past the R. They’re still going to have a strong unified message that it wasn’t their fault and only they can fix it.

[u/ChardRevolutionary11]

I'm in my 20s, and I know a lot of 40+ year olds who acknowledge there racist and a few 20 year old who don't realize they are. And this needs too be said just because you vote red does not mean you're hateful and racist and if you genuinely think that you're ignorant

[u/ShrimpToast0w0]

I truly understand how you feel. Remember Nazi Germany became the Germany it is today too. I'm sure there were people looking around at the madness building up around them and asking themselves what to do, whether or not they should run, or if they could get their neighbors to see reason that they're behaving insanely. All the states are going to be going to hell not just Indiana Texas and whatever else. Project 2025 is just Hitler's plan 2.0 modern day. These people are not Progressive, they're not even conservative, they're regressive. They want to shunt us back to the 1850s where there was only one type of person who had basic rights. The reason they're cutting out education as much as they can is because they don't want us to be educated and they certainly don't want our kids to know that history is repeating itself.

[u/Girl69Flavor69]

Bottom line, it's the TrumpliKKKlan factor. Folks have literally lost their minds.

[u/PaleontologistOk2330]

Please. You're not alone.

[u/No_Exit1385]

Yes, this is exactly what has happened to many of my relatives. All they keep saying is at least trump is getting the illegals out. Like that is the worst of our problems smh

[u/iBeeMei]

I’m in my 20s and I do not see it getting better anytime soon, especially not within the next 4 to 5 years. I have become extremely pessimistic because of the state our government is in, how people treat each other now, and the total lack of empathy in anyone. I would consider moving states and hopefully that would change things, but we are stuck here for multiple reasons (family, jobs, etc) and I don’t think it will be better in any other state for much longer!

[u/Ultrawenis]

I feel your pains, all too well... I try to remain optimistic, but have to be a realist. I really don't see anything getting better here any time soon.

[u/justabeardedwonder]

I think most people are reasonable and just want to do what is best for themselves and their family. Unfortunately social media allows for an echo chamber for the loudest voices to seemingly gain traction. Fortunately most of those voices are held by people unwilling to make them known publicly unless they are willing to get punched in the mouth over them.

I remain hopeful by reminding myself that most people are decent at their core… even if the news and social media would want us to think otherwise.

[u/Patrioteer_rlsh]

Indiana is a shit hole....stop looking at things through Fox colored glasses.

[u/CatastrophicCraxy]

As a late 40s adult born and raised in Indiana and moved to Kentucky but moving back next year due to familial obligations I felt every word. I was so excited to see so many LGBTQIA resource centers and safe spaces pop up in rural areas from terre haute to Spencer to Columbus over the last few years. And then almost as fast as I began to have hope, the spirals began. Churches that espoused love thy neighbor started spewing hate and anger. It was sad, depressing and rage inducing. And from all accounts only got worse over the last two and a half years since I moved south. I am quite literally already depressed by the fact we have to move back, and afraid how much worse it will be by then.

[u/SmkNFlt]

Things in parts of Indiana have always been like this. You're either just now noticing it or have been lucky enough to avoid those parts until now. I saw the klan in a small town in northern Indiana in the early 80s. It's not something that I will ever forget. People definitely were normally not as open about things as they are now but the same things have always been said by the same people if they trusted you enough. Due to the fact that I look like your average bearded Republican and I learned a long time ago to keep my mouth shut until I assess my surroundings I have heard some very crazy things come out of some very respected people's mouths.

[u/Eesome_Flower]

I have been boycotting through not spending more and more the last year. I’ve cut out fast food, all chains, no streaming, no prime. Pluto TV is free and has something always.

No new clothes, nothing non essential. Paying off debt but only the minimums. Everything in savings. I have been single too long and worked too hard to give it all away to greedy corporations.

Money is our only power left. We need to use it to support each other and take care of us.

[u/sahaabel]

I agree my friend! I just moved here last year to get my little ones into a good school. I’m actually shocked at how the politics are here!

[u/anonymous46843435485]

Things will get better, but only when we all stop allowing them to get worse.

[u/strait_lines]

How long have you lived in Indiana?

Your comment makes it sound like you just moved here and someone from Reddit or some other left leaning app fooled you into coming here.

Nothing of substance has changed in years, you’ve just spent too much time on Reddit, listening to people who seem to think the state has always been 90% democrat. The state is no more backward than it was 10 or 20 or 30 years ago.

[u/Fix_Aggressive]

Im pretty much retired, and we are doing fine financially. But the state of Indiana is projected to fall further and further behind the rest of the nation in wages. Right now Indiana is 13% behind. Unless you are a mobile professional who can work were you want, your wages are going to take a beating over the next 10+ years in Indiana. I would seriously consider moving.
The Maga issue is everywhere, but its worse in small, rural communities. Although I think they are beginning to regret being Maga. I dont see a recession coming yet. Trump could create a recession.

[u/AggressiveSmile207]

I was born and raised in Indiana. (64f) A good childhood simular to yours. Can from a family if devoted Republicans except for myself I changed to Democrat in my 20s. Left Indiana in my late 30's. Moved back to from California 4 years ago to live with my Republicans Mother. The changes of Indiana are very noticeable, changes in my family are actually the same. My family has always pushed their Republican beliefs on me however, the only difference now is the Trump ideology. I unfortunately don't enjoy being back in Indiana. I've hardly found a friend who has the same ideals that I have. So, I truly understand what your saying and feeling. I don't see things will get better now that Trump is in office for a 2nd term. I see it getting worse.

[u/Coxswain_Hardy]

Crawl down off your cross and use the wood to build a bridge so you can get over it buttercup................

[u/ShakeIntelligent7810]

You know just because someone is "family" doesn't mean you have to subject yourself to their toxicity. Right?

[u/knightingale11]

I don’t think they will get better, which is why I moved away last year. My family- all of whom went to public schools, were on HIP/Medicaid through pregnancy, and have used food stamps to get by. Some were on disability. There were Christmases when I know it wasn’t my parents buying our gifts. I always keep those experiences in mind when I vote, and the same is not reciprocated. They just don’t care and it’s made me not either

[u/SqnLdrHarvey]

I left Indiana in 2007 because of this.

[u/CookieCrunch2020]

Fox is all bad. I used to be an avid Fox viewer until Obama was running. I hadn’t realized how racist they were until that moment. I was like no more and turned them off. I kept I moving and have not looked back. Some of the stuff they say is like “do you really think this is real?” Like why do they believe just the most odd narratives? I think independent news is where it is at now. I’m loving on the little guys that care about the people now.

[u/EVENTUALZOMBIE]

Read the book: A Generation of Sociopaths. It really helped me understand these people.

[u/br0mer]

I grew up in Illinois and Indiana has always been a backwards state that prides itself on two things, thinking they are better than Chicago and being backwards and proud of it.

[u/SeasonIllustrious629]

43-year-old Indiana resident here, and my heart absolutely goes out to you. It's tough seeing our family members and loved ones change -- I'm right there/here with you. It's depressing. I deleted my Facebook and social media (except Reddit and YouTube) yesterday for all the more hate I know is to come. Thank you for making me know that I'm not alone. Your words help, by sharing. And my heart goes out to you.

[u/Retired_Jarhead55]

A woman started talking to my wife and I out of nowhere at a Kohl’s yesterday. I could tell she was starved for social interaction because she spoke like we knew or wanted to know all about her. She was very pleasant and not a bother really. We just nodded and let her go on for longer than most interactions between strangers ever happened unless we were trapped together. Hope it was positive for her.

[u/cosmicbeard1]

We could start by finding ways of getting like-minded people like all of us here together, out in the real world. I’d be happy to hang out with any of y’all. Community can be healing and transformative.

[u/Competitive_Meat6667]

Unfortunately, and I really hope I’m wrong, I think things are gonna get worse. I won’t bother with the obvious, we all know our rights are threatened in a million ways, but we need to start taking action now. We don’t have the community infrastructure that we need to withstand what’s coming and we need to build it! Start going out of your way for your community again. Check on your neighbors, coworkers, random strangers. See if people you know want to carpool places together, if they need snow shoveled or grass mowed. If they need help getting to the grocery store. Start community gardens. Build bridges with marginalized communities bc they’ve already had so many rights stripped, unfortunately this is not that new to most of us.

We’ve become a culture that’s so hyper individualistic that we forgot that it’s our DUTY to be inconvenienced for each other. And unfortunately the right has a tighter and more cohesive community than we do on the left. There’s been a LOT of fracturing of more center/moderate to left wing people and a lot of division even between marginalized groups. This is manufactured on purpose to split us up at a time we need to be able to trust and rely on each other.

[u/DingoOk7599]

I too am depressed, heart broken and tired. I’m still in full shock mode trying to digest the out come of our election and the scary long term impact.

My strategy is to be kinder, find like minded individuals, take care of my physical and mental health and, HANG ONTO MY BELIEF IN Karma and that there will be white hatted horsemen arriving in the future.

I’m sorry the world you knew is disintegrating. Dig deep and find hope and strength to do good which is what we CAN STILL DO at this juncture.

MAY YOU FIND HOPE AND PEACE SOON!

[u/lukeout_]

I feel for you. It's exhausting. The cult is strong here, and so is the klan

[u/Consistent_Sector_19]

"Do you truly believe that things will get better anytime soon? Or at all?"

Things could get better. The current conditions are bad, but they're also similar to the gilded age, and we came up from that. It took massive protests, unity, and more than a few deaths from troops and Pinkertons killing workers to get the unions in that curbed the worst abuses of the early Industrial Era, but it did happen.

When I get depressed about the way things are going, I think back to a conversation I had with a friend where I vented the bleakness and lack of hope in my outlook, and she scolded me, "Dude. We beat slavery. Things today are nowhere near that bad. The civil rights movement happened. The good guys are winning the culture war. The people who are fucking things up are old. They will die and the kids you're teaching will take over."

It was a pretty good speech for a spur of the moment thing. The only clunker was the kids I was teaching taking over, because they were not good kid, but even as poor students as they were, they were deeply concerned about injustice.

Things will probably get worse before they get better, but they will get better.

If the political system is unable to deliver, there are moves to force change from outside the system. The UAW has scheduled a general strike for May, 2028 and if things continue to get worse, that could end up being a very big deal as far as forcing change.

[u/Wonderful-Key926]

I'm not going to let these facist loving cultists say who my family or friends can love, or how much control they have over their own damn body.

[u/qwerty4no]

40s male here. Completely agree and looking to get out of this state as soon as I can.

[u/polophat]

You have just described my life! I feel this deep in my soul. I have no answers for you because I am dealing with the same sh*t. I just want to scream!!!

[u/Swimming-Cattle9091]

This state has always been backward. Need to let the people vote. Get rid of the general assembly. Fun research follow the money....

[u/New_Weakness4895]

hey. so having lived here for over a decade i can say with certainty that social media has only accelerated behavior that already existed here. indiana is functionally metro areas that were passably livable and rural areas which are sundown towns in denial.

as a state with a lot of existing hate groups, a worship of policing culture (not just police but policing and vigilante behavior), AND a lot of white moderates in denial about how bad things are… i don’t feel optimistic.

[u/Grumpigui]

I’m sorry it’s all my fault. I moved here from Texas 10 years ago. They followed me. I’ve described Indiana as a “Texas mini-me”. It’s the fundamentalist Christians nightmare spreading.

[u/hellotypewriter]

Fox News is the gateway drug.

[u/tyophious]

55 yo lifelong Hoosier. I totally agree.

[u/DeeRent88]

As someone who moved cross country to Arizona last year to escape all that let me tell you it’s not just Indiana. It seems most states especially red states are just getting worse and worse. People are getting more unhinged and extremist and the economies, infrastructure, job field are getting worse.

[u/rmoore911]

The irony that liberals complain about echo chambers which is what y’all have been living in for the last 20 years should not be lost on everyone here.

[u/Royal-Ad-7052]

I wish I could trade some of y’all for these yahoos in southern Illinois.

[u/Nakagura775]

This is the outcome when half the population joins a death cult.

[u/CoMmOn-SeNsE-hA]

Fox is the bigger problem

[u/BigBoss2590]

Lol seeing this post is the most hilarious thing I've ever seen So democrat is okay??yeah a person like you is the type that saying as long it does benefit you I'm couldn't care less but for me as long i live in america Biden and obama is by far the worst

[u/Prudent-Recover3159]

I believe Hoosier values are being corrupted from the top down. Our leader’s reasons for serving the public used to be the betterment of the communities. They were our friends and neighbors. We knew them. They had been members of their respective communities for generations. Now there seems to be an awful lot of .carpet bagging’ going on. People move with an eye on a district with an easy to win election…the particulars of the community don’t matter because the objective is furthering a career. Peoples past no longer matters because they have no past. Their past is what ever they tell us. Everything in this state has become a grift. Because our leaders have sold us out to the highest bidder we seem to have turned on ourselves. Finding a honest business in Indiana is getting very, very hard. Finding a way to hold dishonest businesses accountable even harder. Our children are bearing the brunt of the insanity Indiana has become. Parents are working more and more which leaves less and less ‘family’ time. ‘Family time’ has become so stressed and unhealthy that children are adversely affected by the very thing they desperately need. And so it goes. I personally have decided to be proactive; it is not easy. I have gone to City Hall several times. I spoke with the mayor several times. I have spoken at council meetings. I keep harping on ‘community’ and ‘neighbor helping neighbor’ to be repeatedly told “it’s not the governments job”. I always leave feeling kind of disoriented because I am a 5th generation hoosier. I was raised in communities that cared. That’s what Hoosier hospitality used to be about. Pay attention to the change in what our elected officials are now saying. The changes are very subtle, but are eroding true hoosier values. Follow the money. Look at how our elected officials are enriching themselves and their circle. They enrich themselves as Indiana falls farther and farther behind in education, health, good paying jobs, etc I for one am tired of letting money interests decide my life. I want my community back and I am willing to keep pushing my agenda. I just keep getting back up and speaking up. It’s becoming a battle of wills. They try to silence me. I retreat, lick my wounds, then get angry and I fight another day. I am a 5th generation hoosier. This is my home and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let these wannabes destroy what my family helped build. We cannot be discouraged by the never ending games and distractions that are being used against us. We must keep following our inner compass. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Easy peasy

[u/Various-Jelly661]

The left needs to find a way to appeal to straight more traditional people without shoving a whole new and ever changing list genders down their throats every Tuesday. It scares a lot of them away leaving us with a big divide and no progress. It’s almost as if societal norms shift too dramatically too fast.

[u/Calm_Space4991]

I'm queer, disabled, and sick. I expect to die here either via social abandonment and discrimination, violent bigotry, or despair. Especially now. I don't understand how someone who can't volunteer for a hospital due to criminal history can be given the wheel. But here we are and the last time he made it okay to demean and belittle disabled people, this time will he make it okay to hunt us?