Two Neighbors

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Let’s start by considering an example scenario.

Consider three individuals that live with their families on three adjoining lots. The lots are oversized at a third of an acre each.

Now take on the role of the neighbor in the middle and consider this scenario.

(I was going to try to write this with all neutral references but it was too distracting for me so I will just refer to both neighbors as males. They could be females. One could be male and the other female. For the sake of the example it does not matter.)

The first neighbor is always friendly, waves, says hi and interacts with your kids in a positive manner. If he sees you working on a project he comes over and offers to help. You plan social events together and celebrate birthdays, etc.

The second neighbor is not friendly. When he sees you in your yard he yells threats of one kind or another. He chases off your kids if they wander onto his driveway a little bit as they walk home past his house. He has stated that he is going to take 10 feet from the edge of your property, whether you like it or not, because he “needs” it.

Now, let’s suppose they both ask you for a favor. Well, actually, the first neighbor comes over and asks nicely. The second neighbor yells from his yard that you better come help or he will make things difficult.

You can fill in whatever kind of favor you want but for illustration purposes I will present one.

Lets say that it just happens that they both hired the same roofing company to redo their roof. And that roofing company lacks a little bit in the customer service side of things and Sunday afternoon their trucks rolled up to both properties and dumped the plywood, pallets of shingles, gutters and other materials across the end of the driveways blocking any cars from getting in or out. Both of your neighbors and their wives need to get out of the driveway Monday morning to go to work. Being that it is Sunday, nobody is answering the phone at the roofing company.

The roofing material is heavy and they need help moving it.

Would you help either neighbor move the material? Which neighbor(s) would you help?

I would help both. Neighbor Two I would help not because they were a friend and not because they deserved it but simply because it would be the right thing to do. Neighbor One I would help for very different and more positive and compelling reasons.

Now, the reality is more nuanced. Here is how it would probably go down. Neighbor One and I would go over together to help Neighbor Two knowing full well that once we cleared a path on his driveway and moved over to Neighbor One’s driveway, Neighbor Two would find some excuse to not come over and help.

The resulting reality is that for Neighbor Two we would probably move the material the minimal amount of distance to clear the narrowest path required to get a car through and he would continue to have to deal with the mess.

For Neighbor One it would be different, I would help him figure out the best place to stage everything and move it all to that area so that it is out of the way and he does not continue to have to deal with it. The kids would probably come and do what they could to help. It would turn into a big party, we would order pizza and drinks to be delivered and we would sit out in the yard laughing and having a good time.

Lets apply that example to the real world.

Neighbor One is the kind of ally the United States has been for the past 75 years or so. Perfect? No, but working on maintaining good, mutually beneficial relations.

Neighbor Two is the kind of ally the United States is today under Trump.

Trump threatens our allies, slams them with tariffs, shouts nasty remarks calling them by disparaging names/terms and then wonders why they don’t want to help him.

The truth is that the United States strength and standing in the world was partly a result of our alliances, of our allies. Trump just looks at dollar figures over the years and fails to recognize the many other ways that the United States also benefited.

Trump has weakened the United States, reduced our standing in the world, and reduced our safety and security.

Trump is supposed to be representing America’s interest. Stand up America. It is our future.