The Third Option
I genuinely do not hate people about their opinions in politics, religions, viewpoints in life, and in how they perceive women’s right. But I stand my ground of course. I feel disrespected, yes, but people aren’t willing to change just simply because you believe you have a better opinion.
You stand your ground, and so do they.
I don’t like Trump because of his beliefs, his acts, the epstein files, the wars, economic crisis across the globe, the consistent bully to the women, how people act nowadays, the increase in SA, any form of violence, the street being the dangerous place to be in, and many more, but they don’t like him for those, apparently they saw a different perspective of Trump that they will continue to support him, but either I hate and that is okay.
How can I say that ‘that’s okay’ when people have lost their lives, rights, and respect because of how he run his administration. But what can I actually do? Outrage alone cannot intercept a missile or undo a policy. My hate won’t even alter the course of the history, nor will it stop the real world harm already set in motion.
What can make a difference is where I direct my agency. Rather than wasting my energy on hopeless anger over decisions I CANNOT ALTER, I choose to focus on constructive actions that builds a better alternative.
Tell me, has hatred toward a Trump supporter ever stopped a policy from being enacted? It hasn’t. Letting them acknowledge your point is one thing, but being angry at them makes us a little hypocrite, unless you never bought something from the establishments that funded Trump to let those missiles hit the ground even after the war had ended, knowing that it ‘funded’ the war.
Anger just makes us hypocritical — especially when we live in a system where almost everyone inadvertently funds the institutions driving these conflicts.
I hate the decisions made by these people who voted him to become the president. They gave him the control, power that he has been using ever since just to get what he wants. But none of those billions of people can control his acts. He decided to have a war after the sweet promises of not starting one since day one.
The resulting wars and crises have cost millions of lives, destroying ambitions, goals, and futures. Can our anger alone prevent this from happening again? No. But is there anything we can do? Yes — we can invest our energy locally, support vulnerable communities, demand accountability, and protect the human rights within our reach.
You like Trump? I HATE WHAT HE STANDS FOR, but that doesn’t mean I will have to hate you too.
I hate the idea that they still see a beauty in him despite the fact that he is flawed. And, I worry the fact that some still sees him as someone worthy of vote despite everything. It hurts me to keep understanding why there are still blind people, but instead of focusing on public punishment and shame, which rarely changes hearts and minds, I’ll recognize human complexity. Good people can hold harmful beliefs, and people who do good things can support destrucive policies.
From that contradiction I spared me from falling into black and white thinking. Because I can’t change one mind just because I believe my perspective is right. And people don’t automatically take your advice just because you assure them you’ve been in their shoes. Real change only happens when a person is ready to see things differently for themselves.
Recognizing that someone sees a complete different side of reality doesn’t condone the consquences of their choices, it just means you understand that shouting at them won’t change their view, that real change requires shifting underlying framework, not just winning agruements.
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People will always act independently regardless of who gave them the power, control, and encouragement. People chose to vote him as the president. Other chose to hate it. I chose to not like it. Trump chose war.
And, Ice Hockey player Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith Hockey of San Jose Sharks chose to accept the invite, and went with retired sharks Ryan Reaves to the White House. Photo was leaked. Some said, you needed a strong connection to be able to be in THAT room. No one knew the reason, what they did there, and the topics they’ve had discussed. We don’t know anything yet. But, yes, they had the choice not to go, and yet they did.
Their presence in that room says a lot on the surface, and you can’t ignore the optics of that choice. But is that the full story? Is it possible to hold back final judgment until we know if there was another motivation, context, or reason behind it, or are we just forced to assume the absolute worst case scenario right away?
A lot of fans did not like the second they heard that they went there last year. What I hated was the idea that they were there. I don’t know what happened in that room, and that uncertainty makes it hard to process, but I have to accept that I may never get that answer.
But… Why?…
I saw the genuine warmth, kindness, and empathy towards the fans. Traits that will make you taken aback when suddenly they are standing in a room associated with policies and rhetoric that cause real harm and exclusion.
Will I start acting like they do not exists at all when I find out that they’re pro-Trump?
I will not. Not because I support Trump, I wil never do that. Not because I am being apolitical because I am politically engaged. Not because I don’t care because I do, and it hurts to know that they were in fact in that White House, because they have this genuineness that made people seen, something that you wouldn’t believe that they are supporting Trump allegedly.
But why did it take a year for this information to be released? If they support him why did it took a year to come to light? Why does it have to be in that interview with Ryan Reaves? Why keep it like it’s some kind of shameful act? Dare I say, supporting trump would be their only biggest flaw. But I won’t hate them. I won’t forget the times they’ve made someone feel seen, important, and valued.
But I will stop showing up for them.
Whether someone keeps their politcal views quietly out of fear of backlash or because they are influenced. What ultimately matters to me is alignment of values. I don’t demand that people share my view. But if someone actively aligns with policies that harm others, I reserve the right to quietly step away. I won’t erase the good they’ve done, but I will stop investing my energy in them.
I hold firm to my convictions, and I do not minimize the real harm caused by political power. But I refuse to let outrage drain my agency. My hatred towards a Trump supporter will not stop a bomb, alter a vote, or reverse history. so I choose to invest my energy where it can actually create change.
I can recognize the humanity and value in people without endorsing their political choices, however, when someone’s values directly supports outcomes I find unnacceptable, I don’t cancel them or join public outrage, I simply step away and stop showing up for them.
INTEGRITY isn’t about CONTROLLING what others believe; it is about CHOOSING where you stand.
So, instead of taking the easy way out(defending what hurt you or joining the online noise), I sat down and figured out a third option: acknowledging the disappointment, protect my own values by quietly stepping back, and still hold space for the nuance of who they are.
