Introduction
A few years ago, the author Alan Scherstuhl shared a note sent to his parents regarding an invitation to their fiftieth wedding anniversary. The note said the recipient would be unable to attend because, “I have nothing in common with liberals. We live in different worlds, ethics and morals and I would not be comfortable.”
In August of 2022, the actress Sydney Sweeney posted pictures on social media of her mom’s sixtieth birthday party, which featured a hoedown theme. Some of the guests at the party wore clothing with conservative slogans like “Blue Lives Matter” and riffs on the popular slogan, “Make America Great Again.” The backlash among her left-leaning fans was fierce. Some of them suggested that she should distance herself from members of her family who hold conservative views.
The experiences of Scherstuhl and Sweeney are not isolated incidents. People who have been friends, neighbors and members of the same religious community for decades no longer feel comfortable being around each other because they vote for opposing parties on election day. In fact, data Barna collected in February of 2021 indicate that more than one in five of U.S. adults (22%) reports that at least one of their personal relationships was negatively affected by the 2020 presidential election.
