Can't we just talk of trees and cats?

Lunch with liberals

Tomorrow is the 86th birthday of a friend of mine, and a group from the organization (non-political, supposedly) that she heads went on an picnic outing at a beautiful garden in the area. I carpooled there with her and four other people, including the person driving.

I know that this group is almost all liberal to far left, but fortunately the activity we do together involves long periods of silence, so usually we don’t have to talk about it. I’d hoped that we could just enjoy the trees and the beautiful fall day without talk of politics, but since almost any time talking is permitted the topic turns to why everyone hates the President and how everything is falling apart, I figured it might well turn into a whine-fest. I prepared myself to change the topic to fall leaves as quickly as possible.

On the forty-five minute car ride there, my friend (same one who said that Netanyahu should release the hostages months ago - she doesn’t seem happy now that the living hostages are home, but anyway) asked what everyone thought of Trump’s redecoration of the White House. No one said much and I hoped the topic could be dropped. On the garden walk itself and at the picnic I managed to talk of trees and cats, trees and cats… like Alice’s cabbages and kings, it usually works for a time.

On the way home, someone said something about someone getting hit by a car, I think. Out of nowhere, my friend said, “Like we wish would happen to Trump! That he’d get hit by a missile!” The person driving said, “Or how about a drone strike?”

I maintained what I hope was a dignified silence. We all read about lefties advocating for political violence, but to be in a car with a person seeming to be excited about a missile killing the democratically elected president is a little much for me.

I don’t understand how otherwise nice people who consider themselves peaceful, inclusive, etc. etc. etc. openly and gleefully suggest that it would be good for the President to be assassinated. This same person mocked Mrs. Erika Kirk’s statement a few days after Charlie was assassinated. We used to go on walks regularly but we don’t anymore, in part because I’m just too busy but I always made time before. I don’t want to get caught in these conversations where I have to either argue, which is pointless, or be silent and fume. I don’t know why they can’t just leave it alone and talk about trees and cats!

I feel so tense around this group that I’ve mostly stopped attending their events. It’s not supposed to be a political group at all, but it’s gotten that way, like my progressive church did in 2015. That’s why I left the church, and it’s coming to that with this group too.

Funny because I have other friends with whom I may disagree politically, but we have a great time because we talk about the interests we do have in common. Let’s face it: none of us are members of Congress, Netanyahu, extraordinarily wealthy, or likely to have all that much sway on the politics of the nation or the world as it is. Why not just enjoy our time together?

Meanwhile, let’s talk about trees. I love trees, and this one on my walk home from work last week was particularly beautiful. Please say something nice about this tree, or any tree, in the comments. And if you can’t talk about trees, talk about cats.