Hypocrisy

We all do it, on some level. As an example, I sometimes pull the do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do with my kids, especially as regards food choices.

Nobody does it with quite the same verve as the US Republican Party, circa 2018.

I mean, do they not see it, or not care, or honestly believe they're doing the right thing with their white nationalist, gun-loving, pro-life-until-it's-born, racist, sexist, homophobic (but not so much phobic as just hating), hateful and hate-filled selves?

There are probably some of each of those, honestly. The ones I totally can't fathom are the women (their own party hates them) and people of color (ditto) in this camp. And people who say they are pro-life but deny children sex education - which actually makes for fewer abortions - or say they're pro-life until it comes to brown children who come from over an arbitrary line denoted by a river.

Look, it's not that they're all Christians either. I know a lot of Christians who are basically kind and decent people. They try to live the actual word they were taught as children, loving their neighbors and turning the other cheek. Of course, none of them have any power in the secular world whatsoever. They're just not ruthless enough as a group for that.

This is why I've been on Facebook Lite Mode for a week or so. I know it's using my privilege to back off from the hard stuff. I'm still reading about it (off Facebook), still writing about it (generally comment-and-run), but I cannot immerse myself in it anymore - especially not the comments sections - without becoming absolutely useless to everyone.

So Facebook Lite - I've started #ClassicTrekWithAbby, which is interesting, light, and still explores some (a lot, actually) of the same themes we are dealing with today. Racism, sexism, serious amounts of hate by people who should know better. And I don't think it's hypocritical of me (or Abby, 15) to enjoy the lighter bits of it in the process. Her love of the dance-style fight choreography, for instance ("very West Side Story, mom!), and the mind-boggling dichotomy of progressive plotlines paired with barely-there skirts; these are good lessons.

And they may be the reason I am so bothered by that hypocrisy up there; I was raised on Star Trek and Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood. I know better.

The people allegedly in charge? They should know better too. And that they don't act that way might be the biggest hypocrisy of all.