The following essay was a deeply personal challenge for me. I am a left-libertarian person, and writing about someone so different from me, the actual opposite, is hard. Writing about things I do not agree with and explaining why my character felt that way somehow was painful. However, being inside a right-wing authoritarian person's mind made me more aware of the reasoning behind others' opinions. I wrote things that I did not know I was aware of or understood. After completing my research about this profile, I started writing as if it was natural for me. It felt as if Isaac Robert was someone I knew, although I do not. I could understand a person with those ideas by writing about them. I could get a better idea of the "Why?" "When?' "How?" "Where?". I created a history that might be the reality for someone in the world, and if this is true, I hope it has the same outcome.
The images and feelings of the Vietnam war are still very vivid in Isaac Robert's mind. The 77-year-old man enlisted in the army at the age of 21 in 1965. He still remembers details of that time as if he was still there [1]. However, there is something inside Isaac that does not let him regret that decision. Raised by a religious, patriotic family,[2] Isaac was encouraged by his parents to join the army. At that time, Isaac did not understand what that meant. Still, he was willing to do whatever his parents said, especially his father, who significantly influenced him and was a very patriotic man.
At the age of 14, Isaac's father taught him how to shoot a gun [3]. They used to go hunting together, and his father wanted to make sure his son would learn how to use a weapon and know how to "defend" himself, if necessary. Following the life that felt most right for him, he did not get married or have children. Nowadays, he lives with his sister and feels content with the choices he has made. He thinks that he did what he intended to do in life: to protect his country, friends, and family.
On July 4, Isaac's extended family always makes a great lunch for all of them to enjoy. Last year, Isaac had a significant conversation with his nephew Bryan, who deeply reflected on his life's choices and values. They had a meaningful discussion where their political beliefs were at play. They have very distinct political ideas, and many times they disagree with each other. Bryan is a vital person to Isaac. He is like a son he never had, so Isaac usually listens to him, although he does not always agree.
July 4, 2020, was sunny and hot. Isaac was sitting in his rocking chair on the porch of his home. He saw from far away his adorable nephew coming and quickly got up to hug him; with a smile, Isaac said:
"It is always nice to see you, son!"
"It is nice to see you too, uncle! How are you today? I know July 4 is a difficult date for you..." both Bryan and Isaac sat down for the talk.
"It is not difficult... It is a happy date. I am ok." Isaac was embarrassed; his smile slowly faded away. He did not like to talk about his PTSD problems and how July 4 affects his mental health. He tells himself that he is ok but his family worries about it, especially Bryan.
"Uncle, you know you can always talk to me about these issues... You went through a lot at a very young age. You cannot lie to yourself."
"All I have done was for my country!" said Isaac, his voice becoming louder and irate. "You should do the same! whenever is needed."
"We are living in other times, uncle. I hope I never need to go through what you dealt with, and it upsets me to know you wish that to me."
"I know we are living other times... the world indeed has changed. Nobody follows the Bible anymore. They ignore it! Now women can kill their babies whenever they do not want them. Gays can get married and adopt children. It is worse than war! "[4]
"You are saying that going to the war is ok, but a happy couple adopting an orphan is terrible? I know you have lived in other times and came from a very religious family, but this is insane!"
Isaac was perplexed to see his nephew's reaction and where the conversation was going. He never actually reflects on those subjects. He acts as his parents did, and he still thinks like they did 77 years ago. His parents strongly influenced Isaac. He is a reflection of his parent's thoughts and decisions. Although Isaac disagreed with what Bryan says, he still listens to him. He does not want to lose his nephew's friendship, so he decided to calm down, listen, and help set his nephew straight.
"Listen, uncle Isaac... People's choices are not our business. We have to accept that people have different thoughts. I have said this before, not everyone was born in 1944 and had the same life as you did. I know it is hard for us to understand each other. Our political views are different, and the way we see each other is also different, but we can try [5]."
"Some things should never have changed, Bryan. People do not respect old habits. They do not respect authorities!"
"I respect your conservative ideas [6]. I really do. You might not have realized it, but you never went through those experiences. You never had to experience an abortion; you did not get married. You do not know any homosexuals either. I think if you ever had those experiences, you could maybe see the situation from another perspective."
"I would take that man to church with me and teach him the ways of the Lord!"
"What if I told you I am a homosexual? Would you stop loving me?"
"Absolutely not!" angrily exclaimed Isaac. "Well, you are not gay, so I do not have to think about it!"
"That is what many people experience every day: ignorance and hate. And it doesn't even make sense. Even in the Bible, Jesus loved every one! Being empathetic is hard. It is hard to put ourselves in someone else's shoes. I cannot imagine how hard your life was, and I will never judge your choices. I wish you would do the same for my friends and me."
"That does not change my mind, Bryan. But I see what you are saying."
"Would you like to lose someone from your family for homophobia? It happens every day. Being a homosexual is not a choice. People are born this way. Also, a woman has the right to choosing what is best for her. If she thinks that is not a good time to have a child, which is a lot of responsibility, it is her choice."
"These things did not happen decades ago!" Isaac started to get confused. "why now?" he asked.
"These things always happened, uncle Isaac. The difference is that now we can talk about it. We can fight about it. I wish you were never forced to go to war or had developed your post-traumatic stress disorder."
"I can control it. I am taking my medication. Going to the war was my choice, and I do not regret it! I love my country, and I would do it all over again. I have my values, and I kept them over the years [7]. I listened to my parents, went to church on Sundays. That is the right thing to do."
"I am not going to judge you, uncle. I respect it. I just want to ask the same from you. I hope we do not need to have these arguments anymore."
There was a minute of silence. Isaac started to reflect on his words and think deeper on those subjects. He wanted to finish the conversation; he was mad. But at the same time, he was curious. After a minute, he made an honesty statement:
"I do not totally disagree with you... Maybe the years and experiences I had made me like this. Grumpy."
"I know a lot of my friends went along with their parent's ideas until college. With college experience and adulthood experience, their ideas changed [8]. I made my first friend from the LGBT community in college. It totally changed my understanding of what that community is like. When you were in the military, people weren't even "allowed" to be gay - even if someone was, they probably hid it from you. I believe the traumatic experiences you went through have blocked you from becoming more open-minded. That was all that you have seen in life. I wish it could have been different."
"I acquired empirical knowledge, son. All I know came from experiences, and little came from a classroom. I, indeed, was raised differently from you. It might explain our different thoughts. I think we can learn from each other. I will always listen to you because I love you."
"That was the best answer I could hear from you, uncle Isaac!"
For the first time in his life, Isaac started to reflect on these subjects. He looked at his nephew differently that day. It was an emotional moment for both of them. He always saw Bryan as a good person, kind, and intelligent, but at that moment, those adjectives were even more substantial. Bryan went to college and became a history teacher. He is now about to get married, and his fiancee is pregnant. Isaac did never get to have those things, and he was really proud of his nephew. He began to consider the possibility that there is courage and goodness in every person. It takes courage to identify yourself as homosexual, have an abortion, go to war, and build a family. Although he will never admit it, he started to agree with Bryan [9].
July 4 is a difficult date for Isaac. The fireworks from this day always bother him. After family lunch, he usually spends the afternoon alone in the basement, watching TV loudly and trying hard not to panic. At war, Isaac developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [10]. He still has nightmares and flashbacks from that traumatic period of his life. The loud noises bring him bad memories. It is undoubtedly a terrible moment for him, but he has his best friend Bryan, who always stays with him on this holiday and helps him go through this challenging moment.
[1] Vietnam war. I have searched about the Vietnam War history and how my character could fit on that. Also, I talked to a psychiatrist friend Alexandra Aaronson, who works with veterans. Alexandra helped me to understand the veterans and their beliefs. When studying it, I focus more on the United States' role in the war. The channel History made a fantastic and well-explained timeline to tell the most important facts about the Vietnam war. This timeline helped me to place my character, Isaac, in the war. In my narrative, I mentioned the year Isaac enlisted in the army and how old he was. Pieces of information in this timeline helped me to create his historical past.
[2] Who is Isaac Robert? At first, when I was creating my character, I used my understanding of a right-wing authoritarian person and websites that helped with my research. I searched about republicans as well and made a connection. I asked myself Who Isaac Robert is. I have found conservative ideas that I could link to my character. I also answered some questions of the political compass test as it was him. I tried to think about how he would answer those questions and his opinion about them. It was interesting to search about someone's else opinion so profoundly. It opened my mind.
[3] Gun experience. Since most Republicans favor gun rights, I decided to include that as Isaac's experience. I have some articles showing numbers of people who do not prefer guns in the two parties (Republicans, Democrats.) These sources and numbers helped to create his experience with firearms. Also, it helped me to build and show his parent's political ideas, giving a better inside about his childhood/teenage years. The website Pew Research shared some numbers that show Republicans are much more likely to favor gun ownership. Republicans and Democrats have a different opinion about how it would impact crime and mass shooting. "Republicans and Democrats also diverge in their views about how gun ownership impacts crime and mass shootings in the U.S. A majority of Republicans (56%) say there would be less crime if more Americans owned guns; by contrast, 51% of Democrats say there would be more crime if more Americans had guns" (Pew Research). It is evident how the two parties are divided on this subject. Among many others too.
[4] Abortion, Same-Sex Marriage. For conservatives like my character, the idea of abortion or same-sex marriage is out of option. I have found some articles talking about these issues and how big this problem is for conservatives. "Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values, and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize the empowerment of the individual to solve problems" (Student News Daily). The passage from the article describes some of the conservative's beliefs. The fact they are against abortion and same-sex marriage is included in "traditional American values." This article helped me to create Isaac Robert's beliefs.
[5] Political differences. It is very explicit in my narrative the different political ideas of the main character Isaac and his nephew Bryan. In this article, I could see graphs that show how republicans see democrats and the other way around. I used this information to imagine how they see each other's political ideas. It also helped me to build their dialogue. "Large shares of Republicans and Democrats associate several negative traits with members of the other party. Wide majorities in both parties – three-quarters of Democrats (75%) and 64% of Republicans – say those in the other party are more closed-minded than other Americans. And 55% of Republicans and 47% of Democrats view members of the other party as more immoral than other Americans. In both parties, the share saying those in the other political camp are closed-minded or immoral has increased since these questions were last asked in 2016" (Pew Research). In my narrative, my characters are not "aggressive" to each other because they have an excellent relationship. But they have different political views, and I wanted to show that deep inside, that is how they see each other.
[6] Conservative ideas. For this topic, I decided to search a little deeper on the profile of someone Right-Wing Authoritarian. I searched for some of the main characteristics of this profile, and I was surprised by what I found. I realized I knew little about this profile. According to the article "Conservatism" from Stanford University: "Conservatism in a broad sense, as a social attitude, has always existed. It expresses the instinctive human fear of sudden change and the tendency to habitual action. Cecil, for instance, contrasts' modern Conservatism' with the 'natural conservatism' from which it arises and depends on, found 'in almost every human mind' (Cecil, 1912: 8)" (Andy Hamilton). After reading this article, I realized that everybody might be a little conservative. Everybody is afraid of changes. Sometimes we might be unconsciously fearful of changes. Issac is scared of changes, and deep inside, Bryan is worried too.
[7] Values. When searching about Isaac's matters, I went deep into a republican conservative person. I have found some common ideas about this profile. It helped me to understand Issac's values aspects. In my narrative, my character Isaac says he has his values. He summarizes it as "good habits" in his childhood/teenage years and how he listened to his parents during his whole life. For a republican like him, he connects his values to his experiences. Going to the war, to the church, and respecting his parents.
[8] Political identity formation. I talked a lot about Isaac's parent's influence on him. I have searched about how parents' opinions can influence kids and how/when they might change. According to the article "Political attitudes of the young electorate in the 2016 presidential election and parental influences on political identity formation," Mary Meyer wrote, "One of the most oft-cited explanations of our political identity formation - affiliation with a particular group that expresses specific political opinions and attitudes - suggests parental influences (Beck & Jennings, 1975; Campbell, Converse, Miller, & Stokes, 1960; Niemi & Jennings, 1991). Before young people acquire a mature understanding of political affairs, their political preferences are heavily influenced by their parents' political views" (3). Mary Meyer explains how parents can influence their kid's political ideas. This article helped me to clarify in my narrative why Isaac followed his parent's ideas during his entire life. Isaac did not experience too much in life besides the war. He did not have the opportunity to know about other subjects or develop his own opinions.
[9] How did he "change" his mind? I have mentioned in my essay that the main character Isaac agrees with his nephew Bryan, but he will never admit it. That passage shows that he indeed had some thoughts about the conversation between them but not necessarily changed his mind. I watched an interesting video by Robb Willer on "How Moral Values Divide and Unite". In this video, I saw that it is possible to change someone's political ideas, but it is not easy. This video helped me to develop the dialogue between Isaac and Bryan. In my narrative, I tried to show two different people who disagree a lot but love each other. It is not possible to change someone's mind in 5 minutes. Especially Isaac's mind, a 77-year-old man. We cannot change people's values that easily. But I tried to show that it is possible to have a healthy conversation and maybe, little by little, make the person understands your side. Isaac did not fully agree with Bryan, but he indeed reflected on those subjects, and I aimed to show a conversation that probably has happened many times. For this reason, Isaac was a little "softer" and easier to talk to. Almost able to change his mind.
[10] PTSD. I have mentioned in my essay a particular trauma the main character had. I tried to enrich my story by showing this mental disorder that affected many veterans. I searched about this topic and found interesting facts about posttraumatic stress disorder. Plus, some more information about military veterans. First, I would like to explain what PTSD is. According to the American Psychiatric Association, "Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury." My character went to the Vietnam war and was exposed to traumatic situations. This horrible moment in his life stays in his mind every day. July 4th is a unique date for the country, and it would be a special date for Isaac too, but the fireworks sound reminds him of the war, creating panic. This is a common situation to some ex-veterans.
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