When you say, "Please can we just stop the fighting and unify as the great country we are?"
I hear, "I am not listening to your concerns."
When you say, "Please can we just go back to posting pictures of what we're eating and cats?"
I hear, "I have accepted and moved on and so I need you to do the same, whether you are ready or not."
When you say, "It's time to move on past this."
I hear, "I do not respect or understand that you need more time to grieve and process."
When you say, "Stop posting all these hateful things."
I hear, "I have seen some truly hateful things being posted. And they are keeping me from hearing the message you are trying to send because I have lost faith in my ability to discern truth from fiction or reason from hyperbole."
When you say, "He won the election because a majority voted for him."
I hear, "I don't actually understand how our election process works."
When you say, "The protests should stop because they look like whining crybabies."
I hear, "I do not understand that people are truly hurting and very afraid."
(or maybe if we're being really honest it's "I am afraid I have contributed to these peoples' hurt and anger.")
When you say, "Protests have never happened before after an election."
I hear, "I do not know how to use Google to fact-check before I make an absolute statement."
When you say, "Keep it off Facebook."
I hear, "I need a break from reading things I do not agree with."
Also: "I do not know the difference between "unfollowing" and "unfriending" someone on Facebook.
