I am breaking my usual rule of trying not to talk about politics unless it relates to mental illness, but lately it seems it always relate to everything, including mental illness. I still always strive to try and discuss it in a way that is inclusive of all beliefs because people with all beliefs suffer from mental illness. Some people keep joking (or maybe not joking) that we are on the brink of another Civil War, or that maybe it never really ended. Are we still fighting it? What would have happened if the South had won?

My guess, it just like now we would still be fighting. Why? Even if the South and North had split up, the people in the South would have continued to have children. Thanks to free will, some of those children would have eventually rebelled against their parents. Some would have been opposed to slavery, some would actually side with those traitor Northerners against their own parents. How do I know this? Because my parents are Trump fans and I am more of a Bernie fan. Despite that though, I am very close to my parents, but imagine we had to live separate parts of the country based on our beliefs? Are we allowed to visit at least? What if our beliefs change, because they sometimes do, do we move again? Is there a middle section for people who do not prefer the other two sections or many split up sections in the middle?

Meanwhile in the North, as the continue to have children as well, some of those children kind of want to move to the South with those traitors, rather than with their own parents they do not agree with. While for a second, the idea of splitting us into two different sections based on opposite policy and see where both end up years from now may seem like a good one, in reality I feel it would not work. Not only for the reasons already listed, but I think the results would be different than many think. I do not think one side would thrive while the other sinks. I think even if you took children being born or people changing their mind or people in the middle, out of the equation and just assume everyone is either far right or far left and they never change their mind, I feel like we might end up with two extremes that are both a total disaster.

To some it may seem great for a second to think of always being surrounded by people who agree with you or who are just like you, but we all know that would truly not be ideal, and would actually probably be a little creepy, like in the movie Pleasantville. Some people also say if you do not like our country to leave it, even though these are usually the same people who say that people who come to our country for that very reason, should go back to their own country and fix it. I also did not see any of them packing bags when they did not like how things were going in the country.

I know some think the show South Park is terribly offensive. I did when I was younger and well, it still is, but it is also funny and makes some good points sometimes. I will never forget an episode on this subject, and I feel the lesson was that we all need each other. We have to learn to get along and compromise. I feel like everything in life is about finding that happy medium between extremes. In the show, I feel like they were hinting that if everyone was far left, we would have been blown up by now (because coming from someone not on the far left but more left than most of the South for sure, we are all about peace and too nice sometimes). However, if everyone was far right, we would have blown up everyone else by now and would probably have gotten ourselves blown up in the process.

This makes me think of a movie we had to watch in high school. In the movie, the Cold War turned hot and I am pretty sure we nuked Russia or they nuked us first one. I am not really sure who nuked who first, and it does not really matter by this point because as soon as one did it, the other did in response and the citizens of both countries were all nuked. Some survived, but most of the ones who did eventually died from cancer from the radiation poisoning, if I remembering correctly. That was over 20 years ago and the horror of that movie is still with me. We all need each other.  I just wish we could realize that and work together and compromise more and fight less, but I guess some fighting is inevitable when you do not live in Pleasantville.

Bio: Amanda Dodson Gremillion published her first book in 2012. She began revising it in 2019 and republished it as Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine. The story chronicles her experience with severe postpartum OCD, anxiety and depression. Amanda is a graduate of Auburn University, and now lives in Calera, Alabama, with her husband, Jay, their daughter, Aubrie, and their two dogs, Honey Girl and Cooper. She hopes to write more books in the future. Follow Amanda’s journey on Facebook,  or twitter at https://twitter.com/AmandaGremilli2 and order her book here.  Also, follow her on the Mighty here Amanda Dodson Gremillion | The Mighty Contributor or listen to her podcast here Just Buy Her A Dress and She’ll Be Fine • A podcast on Anchor . You can also find her on Instagram here Amanda Dodson Gremillion (@justbuyheradress) • Instagram photos and videos.