35 Comments
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Stephanie Bass's avatar

💯I’m from foothills NC and same scenario same shit. People can change and she was brave. Don’t be an asshole, folks. It looks bad and is bad.

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Donna Gay's avatar

Seconded. Only bullies kick people while they’re down.

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Chelle's avatar

Agreed... As frustrating as it can be that people didn't listen or see sooner. If you're here now, speak up and join in - it will take all of us!

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AV's avatar

Well put and keep up the message. I am an old and lefty urban creature now but grew up in rural and conservative places. We are where we are now in part because of so called elites who are more provincial than those they ridicule.

This poor woman is out of a stable job, hurting not only financially but from a sense of betrayal. Now she has MAGA threatening her life on the one hand and the left ridiculing her on the other. I wish we could bottle bravery like she has to speak out. We'd be a better country for it.

Show this human compassion and bring her into the fold.

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CVM's avatar

People can change. Being awful to people who voted for Trump helps nothing! So many sincerely believed his rubbish. Give them a chance to change their minds and it only makes the resistance stronger!

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Rachel Baldes's avatar

This 100%. It's extremely counterproductive to stick with the FAFO. We need more people to open their eyes about the reality of who and what Trump really cares about and his EOs and the "work" of DOGE are making it plain to some of my neighbors in ways that no amount of dialogue with me had managed to accomplish. I'd prefer more empathy and compassion being shown, but withholding it ourselves at the moment it could be most beneficial benefits none of us.

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Cinda Williams Chima's avatar

I totally agree. This is what we want, right? For people to realize that they’ve made a mistake and learn from it. That’s more important than gloating over someone’s misfortune.

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Lauren Kallmeyer's avatar

"I personally don’t care how someone gets to the point where they reject the MAGA movement and Donald Trump, I just care that they get there at this point. "

Yes, exactly!

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Tyler's avatar

She never said she'd vote for the alternative though. The people in these places who say this at the end of the day are just going to go back and vote for maga again

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Jim Crowsnest's avatar

First of all, you don’t know that. Faux clairvoyance is not a thing and pretending to have it is more embarrassing than people who pretend to have it realize.

However you could be right if former MAGA continue to be shamed and not supported when they admit that they made a mistake and they want to move on from it. Unless you can claim to never have been conned, to never have been a tool, to never have made a mistake you might want to rethink that. Because I’m sure that you would want the same grace that you are refusing to give them.

Matthew 25:40-45

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CVM's avatar

Beautifully said.

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Mist Saoirse Alderkin's avatar

In my view we have to learn to value being in right relationship over being right™️. Especially if we really want to grow our movements. People are awakening as empire slowly crumbles away. But they're also scared. And isolated. Mostly for reasons beyond their control. Judgement helps no one. Compassion is revolutionary.

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Muad’dib's avatar

Textbook “It shouldn’t have to happen to you for it to matter to you.” Dammit WV.

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Tony Christini's avatar

"Fear" and "embarrassment" - the shortcuts to change. Politicos know them well. Inspiration, empathy, and appeals to principle the more ideal ways to go. But all factors will always be involved.

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Laurie Hess's avatar

I agree with you 100%. You and I are singing the same tune. I am from a rural area in PA, and have relatives in WV. I have made similar comments on Bluesky. You would not believe the hate and scorn I receive on those comments from people on the left who should be my allies.

If the Democrats are ever going to take back the Senate, House, and Presidency (and I hope we do), we are going to need rural/working class voters. People who say "we just need to win back the Hispanic vote", I say NO! We lost Hispanic votes BECAUSE we lost working class votes.

Democrats cannot be the party of ideological purity tests. That's the GOP.

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CVM's avatar

You're not alone. I've received some scary and violent responses from the left when I've suggested the same. I was shocked.

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Jennifer Lively's avatar

It’s a very human feeling to be so angry at a group of people who we told thousands of times what was going to happen and they didn’t heed it. Now she is in a situation where she is rejected by her old community AND rejected from a new community. She is left hurting alone- no problems solved. It does not help “our side” to exclude new people from our club. Ultimately, we have to tip the scale and stop this insanity, and that comes from adding numbers. Is our goal to be right or to win? Is this our version of sinking the ship to own MAGA, just like they want to tear down our economy to own the libs? We need someone like Barack Obama to preach the Prodigal Son sermon.

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Callahan Gobble's avatar

Big respect for the nuance and radical compassion in this piece.

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Jim Crowsnest's avatar

I’m a former lifelong Democrat. But, I finally gave it up and became independent because I didn’t want to be associated with either party. There’s a lot of shame to go around on all sides. And if that upsets people, then they should’ve made better choices. The way I look at it is I’m not pizza. It’s not my job to make everyone happy.

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Dr. Eileen Antalek's avatar

You can read some of my posts--I've talked about this. While I don't like deep seated MAGA maniacal thinking, I also know people are people, no matter what. Right? Anyone can read my posts and comment. I just wrote a couple that might even be helpful, I don't know, for this nice woman to see. Since you know her, take a look, and if you think it will help her, share them with her. I explained some of the stuff DOGE is doing, and I did a little history that "I" think brought us to this tipping point. Yes, it's my opinion, but I hope it might help. It's not finger pointing at all of us citizens--it's pointing at those few at the tippity top of the 1% who created the likes of Project 2025 and how they're hurting all of us at the bottom. Anyway, if you have time, you can take a look. Thank you for being human. She does deserve that.

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Mark Whitson's avatar

Thought it couldn’t happen to her and her people…

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