Yes, it is both painful & terrifying to see how easily people can be manipulated into hatred, the way Germans were before & during WW2, as well as Israelis versus Palestinians, & now MAGA & other US citizens. Corporations bear a great responsibility for all the disinformation they send. But it seems a very large minority of us have learned nothing & we are heading for increasingly dark times.We really should know better!
You said it in a way I cannot...and even would I have former friends read this, they would not "get" it. Last week saw the loss of another "friend" who finally realized he had gone beyond my pale. Thank you for expressing so well those things we all feel.
Exactly what I feel every day. I can’t attend my Catholic Church anymore. I look around and I know most of the people there support trump in order to deny women bodily autonomy. They are single issue voters and it’s beyond my comprehension how they can sleep 😴 at all. Their hypocrisy is astounding. It’s soul crushing.
I'm determined to take back the 4th of July. I'll fly my flag and I'll enjoy time with my family (all like-minded, thankfully), and I'll remember that *we* are the patriotic ones.
This is so powerful and so very true. In the end as much as I dislike him, I realize that I needed to see the reality of these people who I thought were caring people.
John I so feel the way you do and I am not used to feeling this way toward fellow Americans, friends ,family ! It borders on hate for me and I am not used to hating anyone! I try to follow Christ's example and say forgive them for they know not what they do! However the person they seem to worship is evil! They are victims I tell myself and I try to feel sympathy but then I realize they must identify with his beliefs! That makes them evil too! Or do they just block out what is happening as fake news!
John, I can't even put into words how I am feeling right now. What has happened to this country? My God, lead us out of this darkness and let us live like Jesus!
As usual you put my feelings into words. I’m tired, sad, and feeling scared and hopeless. I’m tired of waking up everyday feeling dread in the pit of my stomach. Blessings to you and your writings.
You speak our hearts so clearly. This is our truth.
And yet....I am not one of those "look on the bright side" people at all, but I did have a little conversation with a random young man I met fishing on a remote stream this afternoon which actually did give me a bit of unexpected hope.
Just a bit, but I need that tiny bit to not drown in the grief/loss of all that could be good in America. If she had ever, ever lived up to the ideals proclaimed.
I feel the same as you do John as I have witnessed the unleashing of undercover racism, hatred and brutality brought to light because it is OK now to be a crass, mean, rude, cruel, insensitive, unapologetic, lowlife stupid ass.
I subscribed because you articulate much of what we are all feeling. And that helps deal with it - thank you ! I'm Australian but what you describe here is both universal and historical. Unfortunately, figures like Trump have appeared throughout history, to focus and channel the worst impulses in us all. They are always a kind of tragic, "empty vessel" in themselves. They have to be, in order to act as lens for such diverse grievances of so many. I struggled in prayer with this, especially after the recent US election. Finally, the message came back, in a flood of peace (as it often does). "It's OK - you can forgive him. And you can forgive "them", indeed as I command you to do. This has to happen, the badness as to rise and become more apparent, we have to own it, before we can be conquer it (my will be done on Earth as in Heaven). So I hate what is happening in the US and the two steps forward, one step back march of civilisation. I will fight it when I can and grieve for Trump and his followers, and continue try to hate what they are doing but not who they are.
So well put, to a wonderful friend from " down under" I am glad you know that many here feel as you do. I will try to act with the grace you have conveyed to me, Mr Australian! And to John, you are understandably hurting, as are many who feel as you do. You take care, everyone. Peace to all. We are all God's children.
Thank you for saying what Ive been feeling. It is beyond comprehension that this is happening in what I thought was a decent country. Know that you are not alone.
You are a better person than I am. I have never hated anyone in my life, but I find myself unapologetically hating the monsters in this regime. They are using performative cruelty to terrorize anyone who is different or believes differently than they do. If it were just them having these thoughts, I might be able to love the dinner, hate the sin. However, these evil creatures are reveling in their power and their ability to hurt others. That, I cannot forgive. I pray that our nation comes through this wiser, but I am terrified at what the human cost will be if we can do so… and I cannot forgive the perpetrators.
Someone asked me today if in my 82 years it has ever been this bad, hoping I would say we have been through this before and survived it. I could not give any comfort. The precarious precipice we are on, watching the checks and balances built into our republic crumbling before our eyes, well on our way to authoritarianism is new in my experience. We are at risk in a way I have never experienced before even with our painfully flawed history. She and her wife are vulnerable. I feel at risk when I travel in and out of the country that my phone will be searched for any evidence of criticism of the current political leadership. The shift from any remnant of concern for the marginal populations here and elsewhere in the world to scapegoating, even hating the most vulnerable is a tragedy in progress. I am so grateful for the voices that continue here on Substack, those few in the media who still dare to speak out boldly, and most of all those take to the streets by tens and hundreds and thousands refusing to allow this democratic republic to go gentle into that good night (to misquote Dylan Thomas).
This is profoundly powerful, John. Thank you. You articulate what is my experience too and, I suspect, what is experienced by millions of us.
Yes, it is both painful & terrifying to see how easily people can be manipulated into hatred, the way Germans were before & during WW2, as well as Israelis versus Palestinians, & now MAGA & other US citizens. Corporations bear a great responsibility for all the disinformation they send. But it seems a very large minority of us have learned nothing & we are heading for increasingly dark times.We really should know better!
You said it in a way I cannot...and even would I have former friends read this, they would not "get" it. Last week saw the loss of another "friend" who finally realized he had gone beyond my pale. Thank you for expressing so well those things we all feel.
Exactly what I feel every day. I can’t attend my Catholic Church anymore. I look around and I know most of the people there support trump in order to deny women bodily autonomy. They are single issue voters and it’s beyond my comprehension how they can sleep 😴 at all. Their hypocrisy is astounding. It’s soul crushing.
I'm sorry you are experiencing that. Peace be with you.
Thank you… beside you in grief…I look at the Statue of Liberty…and think of the upcoming forth of July…grieving…..
I'm determined to take back the 4th of July. I'll fly my flag and I'll enjoy time with my family (all like-minded, thankfully), and I'll remember that *we* are the patriotic ones.
This is so powerful and so very true. In the end as much as I dislike him, I realize that I needed to see the reality of these people who I thought were caring people.
John I so feel the way you do and I am not used to feeling this way toward fellow Americans, friends ,family ! It borders on hate for me and I am not used to hating anyone! I try to follow Christ's example and say forgive them for they know not what they do! However the person they seem to worship is evil! They are victims I tell myself and I try to feel sympathy but then I realize they must identify with his beliefs! That makes them evil too! Or do they just block out what is happening as fake news!
Keep in mind that Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple. He expressed his anger.
John, I can't even put into words how I am feeling right now. What has happened to this country? My God, lead us out of this darkness and let us live like Jesus!
As usual you put my feelings into words. I’m tired, sad, and feeling scared and hopeless. I’m tired of waking up everyday feeling dread in the pit of my stomach. Blessings to you and your writings.
You speak our hearts so clearly. This is our truth.
And yet....I am not one of those "look on the bright side" people at all, but I did have a little conversation with a random young man I met fishing on a remote stream this afternoon which actually did give me a bit of unexpected hope.
Just a bit, but I need that tiny bit to not drown in the grief/loss of all that could be good in America. If she had ever, ever lived up to the ideals proclaimed.
I feel the same as you do John as I have witnessed the unleashing of undercover racism, hatred and brutality brought to light because it is OK now to be a crass, mean, rude, cruel, insensitive, unapologetic, lowlife stupid ass.
I subscribed because you articulate much of what we are all feeling. And that helps deal with it - thank you ! I'm Australian but what you describe here is both universal and historical. Unfortunately, figures like Trump have appeared throughout history, to focus and channel the worst impulses in us all. They are always a kind of tragic, "empty vessel" in themselves. They have to be, in order to act as lens for such diverse grievances of so many. I struggled in prayer with this, especially after the recent US election. Finally, the message came back, in a flood of peace (as it often does). "It's OK - you can forgive him. And you can forgive "them", indeed as I command you to do. This has to happen, the badness as to rise and become more apparent, we have to own it, before we can be conquer it (my will be done on Earth as in Heaven). So I hate what is happening in the US and the two steps forward, one step back march of civilisation. I will fight it when I can and grieve for Trump and his followers, and continue try to hate what they are doing but not who they are.
So well put, to a wonderful friend from " down under" I am glad you know that many here feel as you do. I will try to act with the grace you have conveyed to me, Mr Australian! And to John, you are understandably hurting, as are many who feel as you do. You take care, everyone. Peace to all. We are all God's children.
I can't quite forgive them yet...
Thank you for saying what Ive been feeling. It is beyond comprehension that this is happening in what I thought was a decent country. Know that you are not alone.
You provide the words that articulate my feelings. Thank you for sharing them.
You are a better person than I am. I have never hated anyone in my life, but I find myself unapologetically hating the monsters in this regime. They are using performative cruelty to terrorize anyone who is different or believes differently than they do. If it were just them having these thoughts, I might be able to love the dinner, hate the sin. However, these evil creatures are reveling in their power and their ability to hurt others. That, I cannot forgive. I pray that our nation comes through this wiser, but I am terrified at what the human cost will be if we can do so… and I cannot forgive the perpetrators.
Hating on someone is like taking rat poison and waiting for the rat to die. (Believe me, I know. I'm still waiting for the rat to die!)
Imagine my virtual hug, John.
Someone asked me today if in my 82 years it has ever been this bad, hoping I would say we have been through this before and survived it. I could not give any comfort. The precarious precipice we are on, watching the checks and balances built into our republic crumbling before our eyes, well on our way to authoritarianism is new in my experience. We are at risk in a way I have never experienced before even with our painfully flawed history. She and her wife are vulnerable. I feel at risk when I travel in and out of the country that my phone will be searched for any evidence of criticism of the current political leadership. The shift from any remnant of concern for the marginal populations here and elsewhere in the world to scapegoating, even hating the most vulnerable is a tragedy in progress. I am so grateful for the voices that continue here on Substack, those few in the media who still dare to speak out boldly, and most of all those take to the streets by tens and hundreds and thousands refusing to allow this democratic republic to go gentle into that good night (to misquote Dylan Thomas).
So well said. This is what disappoints me the most, that so many Americans are willing to tolerate the moral ugliness and cruelty.