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Why I Have a Hard Time Taking Some Neighbors Seriously in 2025
Everywhere I look in 2025, people are protesting for freedom. Signs are everywhere demanding the end of “government overreach” and urging everyone to resist tyranny, with President Trump back in office and every major city hosting demonstrations. Honestly, it would be inspiring if it were not for the strange sense of déjà vu, because just a few years ago, so many of these same neighbors were the loudest voices insisting we lock down our lives “for our safety.” The irony is impossible to ignore and this is why, honestly, I have a hard time taking some folks seriously.
Let’s rewind to 2020. When the world shut down, small businesses—family restaurants, independent stores, gyms, and churches—were forced to close overnight. Main Street was a ghost town. People taped up “Closed” signs, locked doors, and posted on Facebook about “doing our part.” But somehow McDonald’s was open, Walmart was open, liquor stores were open. The so-called “essential” businesses seemed to be the ones with the biggest corporate logos and deepest pockets. You could buy a Big Mac or a case of vodka but you could not get a haircut or attend a funeral for a neighbor. The same folks shouting for safety cheered these policies on, and anyone who questioned why big chains were safe but local shops were dangerous got shamed for “not caring about lives.”
Now it’s 2025 and suddenly those same people are everywhere—furiously sharing memes about tyranny and government overreach, waving homemade signs in the town square, and acting as if they have always been champions of liberty. With Trump in the White House, every protest is aimed straight at him and the so-called “fascists.” Consistency matters. It is not that I am against protests or freedom—those are American values. But it is hard to take the activism seriously when the activists switch principles as quickly as they change their profile pictures. Were you for personal liberty back when it was not popular, or only now that it fits your narrative?
Selective outrage defines our time. In 2020, neighbors encouraged the closure of community staples but never questioned why corporate chains were essential. Now, in 2025, these same folks act as if they have always defended small business and individual rights. If you supported shutting down churches, mom-and-pop shops, and family restaurants but kept Walmart’s doors open, your new embrace of “resisting tyranny” feels like convenience, not conviction.
We all make mistakes. Maybe in 2020 you truly believed lockdowns were necessary. That’s understandable—everyone was figuring things out. But do not pretend you were always against government control or that you did not cheer while your neighbors’ dreams crumbled and you picked up groceries at a packed superstore. If you want to be trusted on freedom and personal responsibility, own your history. Admit what you supported and explain if you have changed your mind. People respect honesty and growth more than shouting and slogans.
Communities do not thrive on selective memory. They thrive on honesty, consistency, and true respect for others’ rights, especially when it is inconvenient. If you want people to take you seriously in 2025, show that you value freedom and community even when it is not trending. If you cheered for shuttering your neighbor’s shop but left Walmart open, own it. If you have changed, say so. Growth is respectable, but rewriting history is not.
Freedom, consistency, and personal liberty are not just buzzwords. They are values that should guide us whether Trump is President or not, in good times and bad. If you want your voice to matter, you cannot just show up when it’s easy or popular. Stand for what is right, even when it is uncomfortable. And when you get it wrong, own it. In a world full of loud voices, the ones I trust are those who keep their principles steady—regardless of headlines, presidents, or the latest social trend.
