The Opposite Side of the Same Coin: Reflections on Inauguration Day
It’s the eve of the inauguration, and Washington, D.C., is flooded with MAGA supporters. It’s surreal to sit in the middle of history unfolding before my eyes.
This morning, I found myself watching a conservative broadcast on YouTube. They were interviewing Trump supporters outside Capital One Arena in anticipation of the presidential parade. I wasn’t watching to agree or disagree but simply to understand. I wanted to understand them — their feelings, their worldview, and their perception of our country — just a little bit more. It was uncomfortable, but it was also illuminating. I’m learning. I’m learning that they are no less human than I am. They are filled with joy and genuinely, deeply believe that Trump is going to save them and our country.
This realization led me to think about how D.C. must have felt during Barack Obama’s first inauguration. It was a historic moment filled with hope and celebration, but for a different group of people. It feels like the opposite side of the same coin. And I wonder, aside from politics and beliefs, how different are we, really?
Get Morgan Pace’s stories in your inbox
Join Medium for free to get updates from this writer.
Trump supporters are a diverse group and cannot be painted with a single brush. While some hold views that are deeply problematic — racist, sexist, or otherwise harmful — not all fit that mold. Some are my friends, colleagues, and neighbors, people I respect and work alongside every day. To assume they are all the same is dangerous thinking, a trap I refuse to fall into.
I believe in our shared humanity. I believe in the ideals of our country — freedom and democracy — even if those ideals have not yet been fully realized.
There isn’t much I agree with Trump supporters on politically, but we share a love for our country. While their party has expressed this love in ways I believe threaten our democracy, which I strongly oppose, I can still recognize the passion they have for what they believe is best for the nation. It’s this shared love that makes understanding — even amidst disagreement — worth pursuing.
I don’t know what the next four years will bring with this administration. It’s entirely up to Trump how he chooses to lead. He can choose to be vengeful, hateful, and bitter — which, based on his past rhetoric, seems likely — or he can choose empathy. Our current political landscape desperately needs leaders who embrace empathy, even when it requires them to step outside their comfort zones. Unfortunately, I don’t have much faith that Trump will make this choice, but that doesn’t mean I’ll stop hoping for it.
There’s a lot of uncertainty ahead. But what I do know is that we are shaped by our lived experiences. Whether we lean far left or far right, our perspectives are molded by where we come from and what we’ve been through. This brings me back to the age-old question of nature versus nurture, a question I can’t help but ponder when reflecting on Trump’s re-election and his supporters.
This year, I’ll make more of an effort to understand. Despite the discomfort. Despite the frustration. Despite it all. Because if we don’t try to understand each other, how can we ever hope to move forward?
