For many folks, family estrangement happens because a family member has drawn a line in the sand that places their religious values over a relationship with you in a way that prohibits further contact
Thanks for linking to my post! I could write a whole other essay about losing my dad to Trumpism and conspiracy theories before he died in 2022. He refused to get vaccinated and died from complications of covid. I stayed in contact with him but also experienced the grief of losing him to propaganda every time we spoke.
Thank you. When he refused to get vaccinated even though all his children pleaded with him, we knew this could be the outcome. Then he treated his covid with ivermectin. 🤦🏼♀️ I will say that part of me was relieved that I don't have to go through another Trump term listening to my dad's opinions or knowing that he voted for a bigot and against the interests of his own children and grandchildren.
“Our experience of having parents caught up in the cult of Trump is a preemptive sense of loss, akin to the drawn out, horrendous process of watching a loved one have Alzheimer’s or other variations of dementia.”
This resonates so very deeply. I’m watching my conspiracy theorist MAGA mother care for her mother who she recently put in memory care and there are so many parallels.
Yah. I’ve had friends and relatives describe the process of watching someone go through Alzheimer’s in a similar way, on top of the research that describes what a family member of a person with dementia goes through. Disturbingly similar.
And yes, I went to ACU. I was there from 2002-2009.
Thank you for sharing my post. I’m glad you found it helpful. Your post was so interesting. Here in the UK, religion doesn’t seem to cause as many family identity conflicts so I find reading American experiences very interesting. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for linking to my post! I could write a whole other essay about losing my dad to Trumpism and conspiracy theories before he died in 2022. He refused to get vaccinated and died from complications of covid. I stayed in contact with him but also experienced the grief of losing him to propaganda every time we spoke.
I’m really sorry to hear about your loss and continual grief. Absolutely devastating.
Thank you. When he refused to get vaccinated even though all his children pleaded with him, we knew this could be the outcome. Then he treated his covid with ivermectin. 🤦🏼♀️ I will say that part of me was relieved that I don't have to go through another Trump term listening to my dad's opinions or knowing that he voted for a bigot and against the interests of his own children and grandchildren.
Yikes re the ivermectin. And that makes sense about you, your children and grandchildren not being subjected to his statements.
“Our experience of having parents caught up in the cult of Trump is a preemptive sense of loss, akin to the drawn out, horrendous process of watching a loved one have Alzheimer’s or other variations of dementia.”
This resonates so very deeply. I’m watching my conspiracy theorist MAGA mother care for her mother who she recently put in memory care and there are so many parallels.
Also, I didn’t realize you once lived in Abilene! Did you go to college there too? I went to HSU in 2008-2012.
Yah. I’ve had friends and relatives describe the process of watching someone go through Alzheimer’s in a similar way, on top of the research that describes what a family member of a person with dementia goes through. Disturbingly similar.
And yes, I went to ACU. I was there from 2002-2009.
This is excellent and much needed. “Waiting for the estrangement” is a dread that’s not talked about enough!
So true!
Just wrote a piece touching on that estrangement in my life. Tragic.
Thank you for sharing my post. I’m glad you found it helpful. Your post was so interesting. Here in the UK, religion doesn’t seem to cause as many family identity conflicts so I find reading American experiences very interesting. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for your feedback!