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PatrickforB

(15,549 posts)
98. Maybe I understand forgiveness in a different way. I see at as an inner release of people who have wronged me.
Mon Jun 1, 2026, 01:53 PM
Jun 1

Let me explain.

A MAGAT votes for Trump. This has wronged me and every other sane American. Because the guy is a total fuck-up dirtbag grifter. Not only is there not an honest bone in his body, there are no decent bones, either.

But Trump is merely a symptom of an end-stage capitalist system that holds profits above human life and the earth itself. A system that encourages and rewards cruelty and sociopathic behavior.

Now, the people at the top of the heap, these modern-day billionaire robber barons are benefitting from a century-long class war that has been waged so successfully that our government has become a government of, by and for corporations and billionaires, and we are getting screwed every which way but loose.

Am I enraged? Not any more. Because I cannot allow these people to have free rent in my head another minute in terms of hating them. Because why? We live in a system of manufactured consent, which is what Trump, Fox, Truth Social, X and all the right-wing talk shows and podcasts do. These people get paid really well by the robber barons and their think-tanks to drive wedges and keep hate and outrage fresh.

We live in an evil system, people. And if Democrats think we can simply go back to the way it has been, with donors ensuring most members of Congress keep this system just the way it is, regardless of what they say, they should think again. If we are ever, ever to recover from this Trump-fascist nightmare, then there needs to be some serious accountability. Trials, indictments, war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, child rape and murder, human trafficking.

That is a given.

Now let's talk about forgiveness. The way I see it, forgiveness is a release that helps me. I simply release the people who have wronged me. I just drop it. No attachment, no fear. Just nothing. No feeling at all. No thought about the past wrongs any more.

Because who does it hurt if you are nursing a big grudge? Hating someone? Not them, for sure. They are going to continue to be dirtbag con artists whether we hate them or not, and in fact relish our hatred, and some even claim they like to drink 'librul tears.' Why waste even a nanosecond continuing useless grudges?

Plus, when Reagan killed the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, it took truth out of news and put yellow journalism back in. Soon, though, with the internet, we had algorithms that were taking people down rabbit holes and keeping them down those holes with conspiracy and 24/7 fearmongering. The algorithms have done something else, too - they are very sophisticated techniques that play systematically on our sense of empathy.

The other party perpetrated this latest outrage! We hate this! We want to FIGHT FOR YOU!!!! Pleeeeeeze give us money! That is the formula and it has given the publicly traded corporate media billions in profits over time.

Is any one person responsible? No. It is the Epstein Class of modern billionaire robber barons and their Wall Street cronies. Do I hate them? Why? They are doing their job. They became powerful because our shareholder primacy system of capitalism allows the worst, most depraved, most immoral sociopaths to climb to the top. It actually rewards them for cruelty, greed and unbridaled lust for power.

THIS IS AN EVIL SYSTEM.

So I don't. They don't get free rent in my head any more. I have put aside the constant outrage because I am beyond burned out with it. So I forgave them.

NOW, let's talk about forgetting.

NEVER. I will never forget what these Epstein Class people have done to this once-great republic.

NEVER. I will act vigorously in my state and metro area to build real community. I will act vigorously to support PROGRESSIVE candidates who understand that things cannot go on as they are, and that we literally need to clean house by tearing the whole thing down and rebuilding it from scratch. We must eliminate corruption, pull Wall Street's teeth, tax the billionaires out of existance, hold those who have committed crimes strictly accountable.

Many of you are quite well-educated, and understand that I am saying we have to have a real political revolution here - not just business as usual. We need massive reform.

The bottom line is that WE THE PEOPLE get to choose what we build out of the ashes of MAGA, and the current system we had before Trump is itself evil and corrupt. I mean, when is the last time federal legislation came out that actually helps working and middle class Americans at their kitchen table? We NEED healthcare. We NEED subsidized childcare. People who work providing childcare and in-home healthcare NEED to earn enough to live. Our children and grandchildren need relief from predatory student debt. We need to do something about affordable housing. We need sane energy and immigration policies, and we need to GET RID OF THE FUCKING FOR-PROFIT MEDIA and take the PROFIT motive OUT of the news.

Big work ahead. Will we be smart enough not to be propagandized to hate each other so these billionaire parasites can keep ripping us off with impunity? Will we be smart enough and have the moral strength to KEEP OUR REPUBLIC?

Maybe. It is completely our choice.

Hate is a waste of life force. Organization, unionization, demonstration, and civic engagement are NOT wastes of life force. But we simply cannot apply sufficient force if impelled forward by hatred. How about love instead? How about a simple moral compass - to treat others as we wish to be treated. Bring honesty and fair-dealing back. Bring compassion back.

So FORGIVE, but DO NOT FORGET. Instead be engaged, be progressive, be organized and stop falling for North Korean level propaganda designed to drive wedges and promote hate. All that does is take our eyes off the prize, which is to perfect the republic.

OK long post. Rant over.

Recommendations

1 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I'll NEVER FORGET, that's for sure (in some views, that means I never really forgive, so... ) hlthe2b Jun 1 #1
Forgive? Perhaps ProfessorGAC Jun 1 #2
Not at this stage of the game. Junipercity Jun 1 #88
I'm afraid Mad_Machine76 Jun 1 #126
I don't know many people like those you described.. MineralMan Jun 1 #3
My late Mother was a huge Trump supporter from the instant he came on the political scene. COL Mustard Jun 1 #57
Very sad for you... some_of_us_are_sane Jun 1 #113
No HappyH Jun 1 #4
NO durablend Jun 1 #5
I cut myself loose from those people long ago. Ritabert Jun 1 #6
Talk to me after all their shit is cleaned up Alpeduez21 Jun 1 #7
NOPE. n/t Coventina Jun 1 #8
NOPE! bluestarone Jun 1 #9
I dont care about your past so much as SSJVegeta Jun 1 #10
Fuck trump voters.. thomski64 Jun 1 #11
HELL to the NO IzzaNuDay Jun 1 #12
Forgiveness benefits me, so yes. catrose Jun 1 #13
I can forgive those that solely got their info from right wing media only to discover other points of view AStern Jun 1 #14
They don't even exist in the same (real) world underpants Jun 1 #40
Have a buddy who is a Trumper/Fox guy FHRRK1 Jun 1 #103
That's a reasonable response... some_of_us_are_sane Jun 1 #116
Fuck them! 3_Limes Jun 1 #15
This! Besides; they will follow the next con artist Blaukraut Jun 2 #170
Nope. Fuck em. CanonRay Jun 1 #16
Nope Quiet Em Jun 1 #17
Only if obnoxiousdrunk Jun 1 #18
Fuck no! Aristus Jun 1 #19
It Feels Like an Awfully Big Stretch to Actually Forgive Unthinking, Mentally-lazy Propaganda Addicts The Roux Comes First Jun 1 #20
I feel sorry for their delusions... Soul_of_Wit Jun 1 #21
People who voted for Trump after hearing him brag about grabbing women and watching him mock the disabled reporter? dalton99a Jun 1 #22
Absolutely not. MontanaMama Jun 1 #23
No. LoisB Jun 1 #24
No -- they are enemies to all free and peace loving people Ponietz Jun 1 #25
no. rampartd Jun 1 #26
Easy answer- nope chicoescuela Jun 1 #27
I don't think they knew. They have no moral or intellectual compass. They thought Trump was cool. bucolic_frolic Jun 1 #28
His appeal to them all was his racism and sexism, and though many Scrivener7 Jun 1 #29
HELL NO! Chasstev365 Jun 1 #30
Fuck NO. FoxNewsSucks Jun 1 #31
No. Bettie Jun 1 #32
Fuck no Aviation Pro Jun 1 #33
NEVER! zanana1 Jun 1 #34
No nt lark Jun 1 #35
After a very long time. Punishing has to happen. Blue Full Moon Jun 1 #36
No underpants Jun 1 #37
Forgive? No way in hell Grim Chieftain Jun 1 #38
As citizens, we all have a duty to... BH liberal Jun 1 #39
Only if they promise to NEVER VOTE AGAIN! EastBayGuy Jun 1 #41
NO. I'm nearer to the end of my life than the beginning and for the remainder of it.. CousinIT Jun 1 #42
Hell yes orangecrush Jun 1 #43
I'm with you Martin Eden Jun 2 #156
No, especially the ones who voted for Luciferous Jun 1 #44
NO Liberal In Red State Jun 1 #45
Not really - there's "Friends and Family ".. haele Jun 1 #46
HELL NO! Emile Jun 1 #47
uhmmm sagetea Jun 1 #48
Never, nope, and hell no. kairos12 Jun 1 #49
Can't forgive yankee87 Jun 1 #50
Nope vapor2 Jun 1 #51
They voted for Cancer... Escape Jun 1 #52
NO!!!!!! aeromanKC Jun 1 #53
After they enabled the destruction of our Democracy, took food from the mouth of babies, end USAID Old-8643 Jun 1 #54
Yes - On a case by case basis. ihaveaquestion Jun 1 #55
My personal take TheProle Jun 1 #56
Thanks for the oasis of rational thinking orangecrush Jun 1 #70
FUCK that Skittles Jun 2 #143
"What matters is course-correction for future generations." Martin Eden Jun 2 #158
Nope, I have distanced myself from them. I will be polite but that's it. Everyone knew the reputation TommieMommy Jun 1 #58
They weren't just ignorant. They embraced willful ignorance. DeeDeeNY Jun 1 #59
Their embracing of willful ignorance is something La Coliniere Jun 2 #153
This is a joke, right? Ol Janx Spirit Jun 1 #60
It's on an almost case-by-case basis. BobTheSubgenius Jun 1 #61
I can forgive but never trust their judgement again kimbutgar Jun 1 #62
I have family I love who are trump supporters LuvLoogie Jun 1 #63
You perfectly capture the feelings I have toward my MAGA family members. callous taoboy Jun 2 #148
Forgive? Dave Id Jun 1 #64
Forgiveness drmeow Jun 1 #65
I'm perfectly happy to add to the many No votes here. NNadir Jun 1 #66
No. hamsterjill Jun 1 #67
After three elections involving this asshole? Fuck no. W_HAMILTON Jun 1 #68
Nope. MaeScott Jun 1 #69
Polls show that MAGA voters still support Trump Kaleva Jun 1 #71
NO! virgdem Jun 1 #72
Not unless they make SERIOUS reparations Wicked Blue Jun 1 #73
NO!!! CaptainTruth Jun 1 #74
Depends upon how contrite/sincere they are RussBLib Jun 1 #75
Cry me a fucking river, magats. Gaytano70 Jun 1 #76
Maybe. In about a thousand years (or longer), mwmisses4289 Jun 1 #77
So we had a former friend of the family turned magat contact us the other day GoodRaisin Jun 1 #78
No, I view them the same as rabid nazis who supported Hitler Mysterian Jun 1 #79
Good analogy! kentuck Jun 1 #94
Can you ever forgive MAGA voters? NO! aggiesal Jun 1 #80
I have low tolerance for willfull ignorance. lpbk2713 Jun 1 #81
No, they still love him. dem4decades Jun 1 #82
I feel like it doesn't matter, they've always been there FullySupportDems Jun 1 #83
I already have, for the most part Warpy Jun 1 #84
I don't know. barbtries Jun 1 #85
No. lizardkingjr Jun 1 #86
Recommended. H2O Man Jun 1 #87
The ones i know i already broke off with long ago. Figarosmom Jun 1 #89
I am lucky enough not to have any Trumpers in my immediate life. ShazzieB Jun 1 #90
No. Never. maspaha Jun 1 #91
Let me know how they vote in the next few elections. n/t flvegan Jun 1 #92
Yes, if they confess their sin and sincerely ask for forgiveness surfered Jun 1 #93
According to the Catholic official Rite of Penance, forgiveness requires penitents to go through four steps: sop Jun 1 #95
HELL NO. That is all. Not ever. NEVER!! LSparkle Jun 1 #96
Why were they terribly wrong??? rogue emissary Jun 1 #97
Maybe I understand forgiveness in a different way. I see at as an inner release of people who have wronged me. PatrickforB Jun 1 #98
We have our own MAGA-type problem brewing here with Platner. jmbar2 Jun 1 #99
Actions do speak louder than words... sarisataka Jun 1 #108
No freakin way...plus... MiHale Jun 1 #100
The primaries tell a different story... lame54 Jun 1 #101
Forgive? NEVER!!!!! LilElf70 Jun 1 #102
That is like asking me if I forgive Sirhan Bishara Sirhan or Mark David Chapman DFW Jun 1 #104
No. Just as I will never forgive the "butter emails" crowd, or the "she's a warmonger" crowd... QueerDuck Jun 1 #105
Yes! I think if I started adding to that list I'd get too worked up... betsuni Jun 2 #167
I know not a single one with regrets. maxsolomon Jun 1 #106
Despite all of the strong denials sarisataka Jun 1 #107
Willful ignorance is not forgivable. 3825-87867 Jun 1 #109
100% that!!! oasis Jun 1 #127
Nope. Because I will not believe any of them are actually appropriately sorry. RockRaven Jun 1 #110
No, I don't mgardener Jun 1 #111
To me, there is a difference between regret and remorse. Of those people who regret their alwaysinasnit Jun 1 #112
NO CharleyDog Jun 1 #114
Bodily autonomy, & the abortion issue, I was already having difficulty socializing with republicans. CrispyQ Jun 1 #115
They will have to deserve it, and then ask for forgiveness biophile Jun 1 #117
If we can't unite against the tyrants, oligarchs, policies, etc. that harm us, snot Jun 1 #118
Exactly Martin Eden Jun 2 #159
no ShepKat Jun 1 #119
Do not underestimate how much THEY HATE US ThoughtCriminal Jun 1 #120
Many still support him pattyloutwo Jun 1 #121
Sadly, two of my three my kids voted for Trump hurl Jun 1 #122
No! There are obligations for the privilege of living in a democracy Attilatheblond Jun 1 #123
No, massive damage has already been done mvd Jun 1 #124
I'm not sure Mad_Machine76 Jun 1 #125
Fool you once, shame on you Johonny Jun 1 #128
Forgive? It's really not appropriate, for me, anyway. vanlassie Jun 1 #129
Nope. They may be disappointed, but they are still MAGA/Tea Party/3%/Militia/Bugaloo/Proud Boys and ... marble falls Jun 1 #130
NOPE. buzzycrumbhunger Jun 1 #131
It's like a complete identity thing for them and so I don't know if it'll change oldmanlynn Jun 1 #132
yeh , NO dweller Jun 1 #133
Nope. The racist morons knew what they were voting for. Dave Bowman Jun 2 #134
F-'EM! czarjak Jun 2 #135
HELL TO THE NO! Blue Owl Jun 2 #136
Sure, I can forgive Fred and Barney Beringia Jun 2 #137
No forgiveness unless they actively work to try to undo the VTderry Jun 2 #138
"They have deep regret and they want off the ship"? red dog 1 Jun 2 #139
They're not asking, and I'm not offering. Mike Niendorff Jun 2 #140
No. sakabatou Jun 2 #141
NO Skittles Jun 2 #142
It depends on the reason for their remorse DFW Jun 2 #144
it's not just America they damaged Skittles Jun 2 #145
There is that as well, but they cannot vote in our elections DFW Jun 2 #146
repukes will NEVER be able to "repay" the damage they have done Skittles Jun 2 #168
There is not enough tea in all of China? DFW Jun 2 #169
Perhaps when my MAGA family members are on their death beds. callous taoboy Jun 2 #147
Depends on when they redeemed themselves Polybius Jun 2 #149
Forgive those who know not what they do Martin Eden Jun 2 #150
No no a thousand times no. Never forgive, never forgetj Trueblue1968 Jun 2 #151
Absolutely. mahina Jun 2 #152
I live in a mixed Florida neighborhood PCB66 Jun 2 #154
No- Real harm was done tulipsandroses Jun 2 #155
Never. All 87 million+ voters need to "take one for the team." Efilroft Sul Jun 2 #157
Anyone remotely rationale would have concluded long ago that Donald Trump is unfit for the job of president. waterwatcher123 Jun 2 #160
Thinking about sending my Talibangelical Maga relatives an image of my Satanic Temple card. Girard442 Jun 2 #161
Not a snowballs chance in h... redstatebluegirl Jun 2 #162
I never bought into the whole "Christian" forgiveness thing... Trueblue Texan Jun 2 #163
NO! happy feet Jun 2 #164
Nope Deep State Witch Jun 2 #165
Its the MS media that I cannot forgive dclarston13 Jun 2 #166
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