“Can’t we remain friends even if we have different opinions?”
After the results of the 2024 presidential election were announced, mixed reactions rang throughout America. Some were devastated—others, elated. But many, particularly those rejoicing Trump’s victory, pushed forward the question, “Why can’t we remain friends, even if we have differing political opinions?”
It’s hardly a new concept that people have individual and unique thoughts and biases. Many constantly reiterate the fact that, in a socio-political environment as divided as the one we have in America today, it is important to remain united despite differences in opinion. Republican, Democratic, or third-party—people are entitled to their opinions and individual beliefs. But when does patience, understanding and polite respect transform into unreasonable acquiescence?
A popular phrase emphasized by many such people who feel distraught and appalled by the 2024 election results is “If your opinions are rooted in my oppression, then no, we cannot be friends.” Many members of the LGBTQ+ community reflect this, pointing out that it is unreasonable for Trump-supporting individuals to expect everyone to live in mutual harmony when one side actively advocates for the oppression of the other.
Trump’s administration would ban gender-affirming care, trans individuals from serving in the military, and relentlessly attack the trans community through aggressive language and policies. There are also other marginalized communities who feel similarly aggrieved by Trump. While a hefty number of people of color remain unchanged by Trump’s endless verbal barrage against immigrants entering America, many others have voiced their discomfort of Trump’s discriminatory and close-minded remarks. Numerous times, the 34-count-felon has declared that immigrants entering America are criminals, rapists, murders, etc. Exact quotes and phrases include: “Illegal monster(s),” “Killers,” “Gang members,” “Poisoning our country,” “Taking your jobs,” “The largest invasion in the history of our country,” and more.
However, evidence from the Marshall Project, a non-profit newsletter about criminal justice, corroborates that immigration in the U.S. is actually strongly associated with lower crime. Looking at data from 200 metropolitan areas, a 2017 study found immigrants are “less likely to offend than native-born Americans” and “for property crimes, immigration has a consistently negative effect” on a region’s crime rate. That trend, National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) research found, has been consistent all the way back to 1870. (…) Similarly, a study published one year earlier asserted undocumented immigrants have lower rates of drug arrests, overdoses, and drunk driving offenses than native-born Americans.
Despite that, Trump has loyally stuck to the claim that immigrants are immoral and dangerous individuals. To bring attention back to the original question at hand—can people remain friends even with a difference in opinions?
The answer is yes, absolutely. People can disagree over how an economy ought to be managed, what diplomatic methods might be most efficient, or which solutions are more preferable to solve a problem. There are many differing opinions that people can still maintain close friendships to while disagreeing over. But one cannot expect members of the queer community to ‘peacefully coexist’ with someone who denies their existence. Others should not be surprised when children of immigrant families find it difficult to get along with someone who would promulgate immigrants to be criminals, monsters, and poison in our country. When one side’s narrative and political policies are rooted in the oppression of the other’s, peaceful coexistence is both an unfair demand and extremely improbable.