There is no surprise here.
Hate has always walked among us.
It cosplays as
that business owner, this teacher,
that shopper deciding between wheat bread and white
(they buy the white).
Hate wears the mask of respectability,
often adding a veil of
"I attend church every Sunday and sing in the choir".
And like the good actor it is,
Hate whispers itself into children's ears
so it can dance among our generations.
Hate is the neighbor who makes no noise
the one who never has barking dogs or loud parties.
"They seemed so nice."
Yeah, most Trump supporters say
"Well, I'd never do what THEY did.
I'm not a TERRORIST.
I never wanted a COUP."
And perhaps THEY wouldn't break out windows
in the literal and philosophical heart of our democracy.
Perhaps THEY wouldn't illegally crawl through those broken windows,
break into offices,
steal podiums,
smear THEIR own feces on the walls holding up our democratic ideals,
live streaming and
taking selfies all the while.
Perhaps in the dark of the night
THEY wouldn't be crawling on their bellies
through the sewers of the internet,
through the Fox-news sludge,
sipping on conspiracy-laced
cocktails
believing
every
vile
lie.
But for almost 4 years they believed everything else
their President told them.
Everything else.
How many of them are now unmoored from their foundations,
unsure what to believe
their social media feeds oddly empty
of their defensive posts?
But even more dangerous,
how many of them were energized,
invigorated
by the power and chaos hate can muster,
emboldened by the 74 million
fellow Trump supporters
who voted themselves into giving
passive permission?
It does no good to change sides now.
The damage has been done,
the wounds gaping open.
All any of us can do
is hold tight to
hope
love
truth
and wonder
how many of them are
among us
eagerly awaiting
their next chance?
