Could An Ancient Truth Govern Berners and Trumpians?
When the universe was born from swirling chaos, setting the wheel of time in motion, Yin and Yang were created. In ancient Chinese mythology, these forces exist at the center of the earth in perfect harmony. When balanced, Yin and Yang are opposing yet complementary. Yin “reaches it’s height of influence with the winter solstice” and is dark, spirit-giving, cold, and black. Yang “reaches its height of influence with the summer solstice” and is light, form-giving, hot, and white.
“Yin and Yang are the starting point for change; both halves chase after each other as they seek new balance.”
Towards the end of a Trump rally back in early April 2016, I could feel the apprehension on the street outside of the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. Forty or so police officers stood in tactical positions separating the stadium’s main exit from a large group of chanting protesters, most of them Bernie supporters. Trump was inside the venue finishing his speech to a crowd of 10,000 as a small stream of Trumpians began trickling out, shouting at protesters, and wielding their campaign signs. One high school aged male held what appeared to be a slab from a generic cardboard box with a statement scrawled upon it in black sharpie: “Nothing Really Matters Anymore.” A heavier flow of Trump fanatics began pouring down the stairs and into the street. “Get a job! Get a Job! Get a Job!” the Trumpians chanted at the group of 200 protesters. The Berners responded with shouts of “Love trumps hate!”
Earlier that same day, less than a mile away, I stood outside the Washington Avenue Armory for a Bernie Sanders rally. A smaller crowd of 4,500 packed the house to capacity, and Berners who were unable to gain entry listened on the street outside. Only a single pair of rogue Trumpians protested at the Armory holding a poster warning that a vote for Sanders was a vote for “another Jewish revolution.” They provoked occasional looks of disgust from concerned Berners.
That day, besides Trump and Sanders, the only sign of any other candidate within the Albany city limits was a lone Kasich tour bus that crept past the Washington ave Armory towards a private event at the Fort Orange Club. Jeers from Berners bounced off the side of Kasich’s clean, vinyl-wrapped bus. Kasich met with state Republican lawmakers and discussed the status of his bid for the nomination. While other nominees held smaller, protest-free events around New York’s capital district, Berners and Trumpians were busy protesting at each other’s rallies.
The physical proximity of the rallies created a polarized atmosphere unique to 2016's political theater. It was no coincidence that Trump and Sanders held these raucous, public events less than a mile apart. Berners and Trumpians both feel a distaste for the current state of governance in the U.S. That’s right, two groups with opposite positions on everything from immigration to college tuition to foreign policy may have more in common than either side would ever admit.
Yin and Yang, much like Bernie and Trump, cannot reach harmony as an uncontrolled pair; they require a third party, an outer circle of containment. The outer circle of the yin yang represents the universe itself: the perfect arena for a noble duel between two ancient forces. What is the outer circle of containment for Trumpians and Berners? Both groups claim they want real change, but only seem to focus on insulting the other side. What is the bait that can coax meaningful discussion and progress from the two groups? Why will we settle for more establishment politicians enforcing the rules and entitlements of yesterday? If Berners and Trumpians can’t hear these questions over the sound of their own shouting, their “outer circle” might just become a cage at the Washington D.C. zoo.