Cognitive dissonance. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. Actually, I’ve been thinking about how we got here, how good, moral people, people I’ve loved for decades, friends, family … people I work with, pray with, used to respect … how can these people support such despicable acts?

Where is their line in the sand?

This isn’t a political post. It goes well beyond liberal or conservative ideology.

This is about morality—a deep, pervasive sense of right and wrong and that feeling of discomfort when we are faced with behaviors that contradict our convictions. Trying to find compassion for those who openly tolerate intolerable behavior is exhausting.

In the beginning, I ignored mental health professionals who warned about the dangers of having a leader with a profound inability to empathize because I held a small glimmer of hope that he could possibly change things.

But after hearing him openly brag that he doesn’t  “… even wait … [he] just starts kissing.” 

I discovered my line in the sand. I refuse to support any leader who thinks it’s all right to force unwanted attention on anyone.

But I was in the minority. Even with numerous sexual assault cases, most Americans didn’t seem to care. 

So rape and molestation is not their line in the sand. Duly noted.

They didn’t draw a line when he ordered children to be ripped from their mother’s arms and put in cages. As of two years ago, close to 1,000 of those children still have yet to be reunited with their families.

Neither was making fun of a disabled reporter, lying, fraud, or putting judges loyal to him on the Supreme Court.

Not even making false accusations about our electoral process, which led to an insurrection where 140 officers were injured and five later died. Nor was it when he pardoned the domestic terrorist four years later. 

It wasn’t when he posted a video calling for a “new unified Reich.” 

It wasn’t when he urged Christians to “get out and vote …  in four more years, you won’t have to vote anymore.” 

It wasn’t when he destroyed America’s relationships with both Mexico and Canada, or when he rambled on about purchasing Greenland or promising that America would foot the bill to turn the Gaza strip into a new French Riviera. 

It wasn’t when he denied knowing anything about Project 2025 and then nominated its creators to powerful governmental positions.  

It wasn’t when he laid out his plan to decimate the Department of Education (another little tidbit from Project 2025), that would destroy Title One funding, which over 65% of American public schools need to survive. If the initiative goes through, schools will no longer be able to feed hungry children or give specific help to students with disabilities or special needs.

And now, supporting another oligarch, one who was never elected and has no security clearance, nor is even a federal employee, apparently it’s okay to take six hackers into the Department of the Treasury and steal American citizens’ personal information. Musk now has your name, address, SS number, any student loan information, your mother’s maiden name, and your banking information.  But, for some, even that isn’t enough to stop supporting him.

So when is it going to be enough?

When women have to ask their husbands or communities for healthcare?(This, again, is a component of Project 2025.) 

Or when farmers lose their livelihood and Americans go hungry because federal subsidies are no longer available?

Or maybe you’ll draw the line when he enacts the draft (like the one both he and Musk dodged years ago), forcing your son to go to Gaza and remove Palestinian citizens.

I don’t care who you voted for or why. And I’m no longer interested in hearing justifications of why you stood on the sidelines and refused to vote at all. I don’t care what your political affiliation is, what religion you believe in, or what your sexual orientation is.

But I’d like to know. What is the issue that will force you to take a stand?

Whatever it is, if you haven’t discovered it yet, I hope to God you find it soon.