We’ve reached a point in this cycle a lot like the end of the SSM debate. One side is currently ascendant and the other is acutely sensitive to anything that seems like gloating or punching down. We would encourage the former group to show a little sensitivity and the latter to grow a thicker skin.

For those who are now planning to vote for Trump, continuing to scold the Never Trump members is doing a disservice to the site and to the members themselves. It is one thing to work to try and persuade them to come over, it is another to morally castigate them. Trump is the nominee, that battle has been won. Psychoanalyzing, name calling, and gloating over Never Trump members will not bring them over, but it will poison the well for civil discussion after the election regardless of the outcome. It would be well to show some grace here.

For the Never Trump members, continuing to declare that Trump voters are somehow really progressives, pro big government, betrayers of the conservative movement, etc., is both reading intent into the actions of others and attempting to read such people out of the party / movement. You personally may feel it immoral to vote for Trump, you personally may believe that Trump is ruining the party or brand or future electoral chances, but to continue to insist that Trump supporters / voters on this site have betrayed conservative principles or that they are all advocates of an enlarged government is to engage with them in bad faith. It would be well to take them at their word when they say they believe a Trump victory would actually achieve conservative ends. No one is asking you to agree with them.

For both sides, a final word. Not every post disagreeable to you actually needs your disagreement. If you cannot engage with the post in a civil way then refrain from commenting. Not every disagreeable comment within a post needs your disagreement either. More than a fair number of flags of late are directed at one member or another claiming “bad faith” in some comment or line of argument, and most of this stems from from one side or another 1) reading intent where none was stated, 2) morally castigating the other’s position on Trump, or 3) some variation of “obviously you do not believe what you are saying.”

We are a little over a month out from the election and, as of this writing, the race is still competitive and we’re all more than a little bit tense. Arguing over whether we should or should not vote for Trump is, of course, still fair game, but continuing personal attacks on members for their stated positions is not. Further, it is in poor form to continue to assume ill intent or “bad faith” on each others’ comments and posts. Argue all you want over whether we should vote for Trump, but stop trying to morally condemn the other side.