The Art of Political Cowardice: An Evening with Independent Thinkers (or So They Claim)

 

The Art of Political Cowardice: An Evening with Independent Thinkers (or So They Claim)

Ah, the joy of spending an evening with people whose opinions are as informed as a gossip column. Yesterday, I had the "pleasure" of engaging with a group whose ideas about politics made me question how exactly India was overtaken by so many forces for thousands of years. Turns out, if you repeat a narrative enough time, the facts become irrelevant. But hey, at least the snacks were decent, dinner was tolerable, and I even got to play a card game—because the real game was avoiding intellectual conversation.

Things started innocently enough. As the evening drifted into political conversation, someone asked me if I was a Democrat. I said yes, and even mentioned that I had donated to Kamala Harris. I foolishly assumed that because we all had roots in India, having Kamala—a woman of Indian descent—on the ticket might sway their vote. Silly me, thinking ethnic pride would factor into their decision. Little did I know, one of these "independent" thinkers had already voted for Donald Trump.

Why, you ask? Well, this stalwart defender of democracy gave me the most enlightening answer: "I like Trump’s border policy." That’s right, the man who, in four years, managed to cobble together a half-baked, partially built wall with funding that he had to yank from the military. When I asked what border policy he was referring to, the conversation came to a screeching halt. The host, sensing the thin ice under the weight of such flimsy logic, decided to step in and save the evening. I agreed to drop it, but the truth was out. This wasn’t going to be a stimulating night; it was going to be a slog through the swamp of Trump fan fiction.

As the group shuffled through different topics, the host pulled me aside and dropped another bombshell. "You know, I’ve heard that people are eating dogs and cats," he said. The source of this world-shattering news? A client from Ohio, of course! Because, naturally, Ohio is the epicenter of all global conspiracies. I asked him a simple question: “Is there a police report on these missing pets?” Of course, there wasn’t. But why let pesky things like facts get in the way? I kindly informed him that spreading fake news makes you look like you skipped a few grades in the school of common sense.

Feeling cornered, the host tried a different approach. “But if there were police reports, would you believe it?” Ah, yes, the old “would you believe it if…” defense. I told him that I would only believe it if the police found actual proof of this alleged culinary adventure. And no, I don’t think a group of people new to a country are going to start hunting down the neighborhood’s pets for dinner. That level of absurdity makes flat-Earthers look reasonable.

Then came the classic smear about Kamala Harris. Apparently, she supports sex changes for criminals. Here we go again. I had to remind everyone in the room that Kamala Harris is the Vice President, not a legislator. She doesn’t have the power to pass laws, let alone enforce policy changes. Before that, she was a senator, and I don’t recall any such bill being passed with her as the deciding vote. But why let facts ruin a good slander? It’s easier to repeat nonsense than think critically.

What’s even better is how these guys love to hide behind the label of “independent.” It’s the perfect way to avoid responsibility for voting based on Fox News headlines. You see, if you’re an “independent,” your opinions can’t be called out as uninformed—they’re just different. Newsflash: being uninformed isn’t a political stance, it’s intellectual laziness. Personally, I’d rather be friends with an unprincipled man than a coward. The unprincipled man will at least stand up for what he believes in, even if it’s wrong. The coward? He’ll leave you high and dry when things get tough, all while pretending he’s too smart to pick a side.

But the hits kept on coming. Someone brought up the recent wave of bomb threats to airlines in India. They confidently declared that the Khalistan movement was behind it all. Naturally, this escalated into blaming Canada for supporting the movement, because, as we all know, Canada has nothing better to do than fuel Indian separatism while serving maple syrup and poutine. I decided to play along and added my own absurd claim: “That’s like saying Amit Shah offered two free gas cylinders to Muslims if they voted for the BJP.” The room went quiet, not because they got the sarcasm, but because they didn’t know how to respond. I asked how this tied to the bomb threats, and, surprise, no one had an answer.

I couldn’t help but remind them of a similar situation 12 years ago when a Congress-led government swiftly caught a group responsible for spreading fake videos that incited panic in Karnataka. If the Khalistan movement is behind these bomb threats, and the current government hasn’t caught them, then what does that say about their competence? But God forbid you point out a government’s failure to a die-hard Modi supporter. You might as well tell them their favorite cricket team lost a match—expect tears and denial.

Here’s the thing: Trump and BJP supporters share a common trait—they hate being reminded that their decisions often lack logic. And when you call them out on it, they hide behind vague excuses like “independence” or just get defensive. The truth is, they don’t want to engage in real debate because they know they’re on shaky ground. They’d rather stick to their echo chambers, where logic and facts are about as welcome as a monsoon at a wedding.

As the night wound down, I was more than ready to leave. My wife and I shook hands with everyone and made our exit. But as I walked away, one thing became crystal clear: Indian Trump supporters in the U.S. are also Modi voters, but not all Modi voters in India are Trump fans. It’s fascinating how allegiance to one strongman translates across borders, yet loyalty doesn’t always travel the other way. One thing’s for sure, though: logic was the first casualty in this battle of ideas, and it wasn’t even a fair fight.