In this strange reality known as the Trump Era, opposition has never felt so good.

The 45th president is polarizing in ways his predecessors were not. While those before him received their share of praise and condemnation, nothing quite compares to the level of passion that Donald J. Trump elicits.

Some love to love him. Still, many others love to hate him. It just feels right.

Among the haters are people who count themselves part of “the resistance.” These are mostly Lefties who use phrases such as “not my president” in an attempt to distance themselves from the results of a free and fair election. You may see them assemble on streets as they march toward something, anything, that assuages their sense of loss after Hillary’s defeat.

They can shout these statements all day long. The fact is Donald Trump will still be their president. He is our president.

This resistance is fanatical.

Other haters include individuals who are less physically dramatic in their displays, but who are just as incapable of swallowing the truth of a Trump presidency. You may see them on your television screen, calmly joining a roundtable discussion on any network.

They aren’t marching, but their resistance is just as strong. You will see their names on columns in newspapers and online. They will resist against every single act of the Trump administration. They have already determined that from this White House, there will be no accomplishments to speak of or actions to be commended.

This resistance is futile.

A third group in the resistance category has more concrete reasons to oppose him. They rightly view the president as a cavalier, unpresidential, narcissistic, dangerously incompetent man who sullies the very name of conservatism. As difficult as it may be, these individuals attempt to applaud the good and denounce the bad as it is issued by this government. Mostly, they are Right-minded and feel estranged from a Republican Party that has forsaken principles for politics.

This resistance is fundamental.

As a card-carrying member of that last group, the post-inauguration journey has been frustrating, to say the least. Before the election, myself and many others were part of the Never Trump camp. This moniker extended through election day.

Candidate Trump was never going to be our choice on November 8, 2016, no matter who sat opposite him on the ballot. Our votes were third party, write-in, or entirely nonexistent. We don’t regret our votes. In fact, we remain vocal about our refusal to bend to either side despite ridicule from the established Left and Right.

In the post-election world, many – not all – of us placed the Never Trump designation on the backburner. He won, so it no longer applied. Going forward, we have attempted to be fair in our assessment of this administration.

It doesn’t always work out that way.

Trump derangement syndrome is alive, well, and exists in every corner of the United States. This sickness is found on both sides of the aisle. Unapologetic, uncompromising fanatics with red MAGA hats and members of the Resist Party complete with p***y hats have more in common than they think. They are deranged. The 2016 presidential election rinsed away any last shred of common sense that once resided in their brains. They are mad with extreme love or extreme hate for a flawed man.

If you’re not careful, TDS can consume you, too. As a former Never Trumper turned consistent critic of the president, I, too, have often been persuaded to feel nothing but animosity toward the man. When good, appropriate, productive decisions are made, I should applaud them. More than once, I’ve had to catch myself after some good news is released and this thought has crossed my brain: “Should I commend this? Wouldn’t that look as if I’ve changed positions entirely?”

The slobbering cultists, of both the pro-Trump and anti-Trump variety, invite you to believe that any praise is a complete approval and any condemnation is a blanket dismissal of an entire administration. Don’t take the bait. It reeks too much of the 2016 election where everything was binary and critical thinking need not apply.

No.

Every action from this president and his people should be weighed individually. There is plenty to deride, but there is also some to praise. And praise, we must.

You must know what you’re resisting. 

Resist Trump’s behavior and bullying. His penchant for social media antics. His brazen self. But when results come in, no matter if it’s just a trickle over the next three years, you must not resist.

Resist the man, not the results. 

I can already hear some say that former Never Trumpers like me complain about a lack of accomplishments. This is true. There have not been many of those in the past eleven months, but there have been some.

If you’re going to be part of the multi-faceted Trump resistance, then do away with the fanatical and futile. They are as momentary and useless as the Trump apologists who believe and approve of everything he says. It’s not a good look.

If you must resist, let it be of the fundamental kind. This may not be the popular route, and will certainly bring with it much derision, but there is simply no other way to maneuver through the madness.