In my opinion, many are now asking me to "forgive" and "excuse" and " reach out to" people

[Atticus]

who haven't only spent the past four years trying to destroy me and all that I hold dear, they are still trying to do that and openly rejoice in the pain and distress they have caused me.

I have not heard "I was wrong".

I have not heard "I'm sorry".

I have not even heard lame excuses about how they were "misinformed".

What I have heard---still---is "Trump won! Fuck your feelings."

I am not only "not ready to make nice" with such asses, I can't see that I ever will be ready. If that brands me an unreasonable person, I can live with that.

[Blue Owl]

1. K&R

[treestar]

2. In fact they are flat out denying

that the election is over!

[Sherman A1]

3. I will remain civil to all as best I can, however I will not

reach out to any republicans.

[DLCWIdem]

4. Well at least until they accept the election results

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

97. Don't hold your breath.

They want power, and if it means destroying the Constitution, sobeit. They will never concede that Biden won the election. This is going to be the worst transition in American history.

[ezgoingrl]

5. Agreed

Yes indeed.

[Chainfire]

6. I will not forgive or forget Republicans

I might have to live with them, but I don't have to like it.

[BlueMTexpat]

7. I'm with The Chicks

on this!

[Evolve Dammit]

30. Damn straight

[blueinredohio]

40. I'm not ready to make nice either and after all this

don't know if I'll ever be ready.

[Evolve Dammit]

49. same

[Upthevibe]

75. BlueMTexpat...

Thank you for this post. What an unbelievably profound song.....

Being a native Texan (born and raised in Corpus but moved to California in 1988), I still have a real bond with a lot of the Texas culture. I remember what happened when Natalie Maines said she was ashamed that George W. Bush was from TX in 2003 right around the time Bush was invading Iraq. I had heard of the Chicks but at that time I hadn't listened to any of their music.

Due to them standing up the way they did, I bought the CD that this song comes from, Taking The Long Way. It ended up winning five Grammys! I remember at The Grammys when Don Henley, a founding member of The Eagles, read that the winner of Album of the year was for Taking The Long Way and presented them the award. I thought it was cool because Don Henley's a native Texan too.

And BTW, even though I knew very little about them and only bought their album as a show of support, it turns out that it was amazing and now I'm a fan for life.....

[BlueMTexpat]

78. It was the same for me.

I've been a fan ever since!

[kag]

93. Wow. I could have written this post myself.

I also grew up in Texas (Born in Austin, raised in Longview), and moved to California two years before you did. My husband and I became Chicks fans right after the dust up in London, and now own several of their albums.

"Not Ready to Make Nice" is one of my daughter's favorite songs.

Also, as soon as I started reading Solly Mack's OP, I thought of this song.

[cp]

89. That's the song in my head, too! Thank you.

"Forgive, sounds good. Forget, I don't think I could."

[Afromania]

8. 3/5 White people have decided it ok for the police to kill me and put brown people in camps.

More than a few brown people seem to be ok with me being killed and themselves being put into camps too.

To these people, I say Fuck you. Tuck y'all in each and every flavor of fuck you this world offers. I'm absolutely not forgiving shit.

[LakeArenal]

9. I will reach out to whomever is open.

But definitely done trying to convince anyone.

[Faux pas]

10. Kickin' With Gusto!

Eff that shit.

[Wounded Bear]

11. K & R...nt

[rsdsharp]

12. Why is it always progressives who are expected to

reach out to the people wearing the “Fuck Your Feelings” T shirts?

[Orrex]

51. I've been making the same point on FB

When Democrats lose, we're called upon to reach out to Republicans.

When Democrats win, we're called upon to reach out to Republicans.

We are exhorted to "understand" and "empathize" with Republicans, even as they mock us for our empathy and our attempts to understand.


Every last Republican can spend the rest of their lives fucking themselves. They are vile enablers of a boundlessly corrupt, incompetent racist asshole. And the imaginary "moderate" Republicans can go fuck themselves to, because without them we would never have had to deal with the Qanon fuckheads.

When all but one Republican has passed away, I will reach out to that last surviving asshole to say "I thought I told you to go fuck yourself."

[FoxNewsSucks]

13. It's their place to reach out.

And if they can't do the things you listed at a bare minimum, f*** em

[LuvNewcastle]

14. You won't get an apology from that bunch.

The people who should be the most sorry rarely apologize. The best way for all of us to keep the peace is to be the adults and overlook their behavior. I don't think we would get, in a million years, contrition from the Trumpers. We should go after them if they commit crimes, certainly, but we should withhold judgement in everyday dealings with them. I have a lot of Trumpers in my family, and that's how I plan to go forward. Now if they ask my opinion about an issue, they will get it.

[MLAA]

15. Right on.

[Golden Raisin]

16. They are proudly and persistently unrepentant and remain deplorable(s).

I want nothing to do with people who were fine with caging children, among a myriad other horrors and scornful attacks on Democracy. I will support President-Elect Biden but I will not be happy about "reaching across the aisle" or any so-called "working in the spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship." Republicans play dirty and only want to remain permanently in power, at any cost.

[greennewdeal350]

17. Only the Dead Can Be Forgiven...

https://m.

[japple]

18. Tell them to wear a fucking mask.

[DBoon]

19. If they publicly burn their "Fuck Your Feelings" shirts

... and all their other Trump swag and crawl on their knees and beg forgiveness for their violent racist misogynist neofascist goosestepping

I might think about it

[RicROC]

62. if they publicly burn their Confederate flags, too

[Crunchy Frog]

20. I still haven't forgiven them for what they did to Obama.

And now they're threatening a violent coup if they don't get their way, and believe that we're all part of a satanic child sex trafficking and cannibalism conspiracy.

Fuck them, and fuck making nicey nice with them.

[lunasun]

27. Calling people we just elected monsters. Fuck No I'm still crossing the street

[cry baby]

21. I've heard that too effing much

and I’m pissed about it. It’s all coming from Dems and independents.

They seem to be speaking to our side only.

I say, Fuck Their Feelings along with the biggest double middle finger I can muster.

[pat_k]

22. So many have allowed their empathy to erode to nearly nothing.

I believe they are lost.

For a very, very, very long time, the belief that it is possible to appeal to the humanity of our fellow Americans has underpinned our efforts.

I see that effort as doomed to failure when you are dealing with people who have lost the essential human capacity for empathy. Without empathy, there is little "humanity" to appeal to. I don't see any possibility of "waking up" those people from their dedication to destructive individualism, competition, and heartless exploitation.

I don't write off every DT voter in this way. They must be judged by their actions. Tragically, for most, their actions condemn them to very sad lives. Helping others is rewarding. Too many Americans apparently have no capacity to enjoy such rewards. Their actions have been aimed at destroying any program that helps a human being that is not in their immediate circle. And they are particularly hellbent on denying any benefit to "those people.” (Just as they designed social security to deny benefits to agricultural or domestic workers. . . any work that employs too many of "those people" -- even to the detriment of their "own" doing that work.)

If the years of DT have taught us anything, it's that the heartless and racist impulses are alive and well -- and still hold power. And they will continue to pursue their dedication to further depriving those who already hold less than 0% of the national wealth. They have watched as ever greater numbers are in debt. And as ever greater amounts of weath are amassed by the top 10, or 20, or whatever. No person with any empathy could watch this and not be moved to do something about it.

[Bettie]

23. I'm with you

I can't make nice with them.

I can't worry about their "feelings".

I don't want to "understand" their "economic anxiety".

I certainly don't want to see our new administration cater to them in some kind of misguided attempt at 'healing' because they don't want healing, they want to get their own way, because it allows them to be assholes 24/7 an feel like it is a badge of honor.

[JHB]

24. The only part I'll dispute is the "four" years

This has been going on for more than a quarter century. The main difference over time is how much varnish it had to make it look smoother, and how that's been stripped away over the years.

[uponit7771]

25. +1

[ffr]

28. +1

Same as I saw here. People who I'd say could be considered moderates before Nov 9, 2016, are just disgusting brainwashed drones full of evil in their hearts and overjoyed by the suffering they see occurring to fellow Americans.

[onecaliberal]

26. You're in good company.

[EarthFirst]

29. Fuck every one of them...

I have no desire for unity with 38% of the country who supports or dog whistles for the Proud Boys; Blue Lives Matter; the Boogaloos; or the masked; armed militias.

Unite with what?

Fascism?

Fuck that.

[Evolve Dammit]

36. Amen

[leighbythesea2]

79. This.

So much this. Im not reaching out to fascists. Or feeling sorry.

[tazmaniac]

91. Ditto!!

[madeup64]

102. Agreed

You don't say sorry to fascists. It's not the Democrats fault that their side believes any nonsense YouTube video or conspiracy theory. I'm tired of them destroying this country to help the obscenely rich. I want my children to have a country they can actually have a chance to succeed in.

[lastlib]

31. My "philosophy":

"Never offer your hand to a rabid dog unless you are prepared to CLUB IT into submission. You can substitute 'republikan' for 'rabid dog,' and it still works."

[Six117]

32. Thank you.

I am in good company.

[iluvtennis]

33. My sentiments exactly. If they apologize, I'm open to listening. nt

[BainsBane]

34. I tried

It lasted for about an hour.

[sandensea]

35. Right you are - most Repugs are ALREADY calling for Cheeto to steal it & even violence in some cases

Asking forgiveness sounds like a joke, from those unwilling to acknowledge their mistakes.

Much less doubling down on them, as they are.

[herding cats]

37. I'm still fully in "suck it up buttercup" mode. 😡

Oh, and I don't care at all about their feelings.

[Mr. Ected]

38. It's a fine line we all have to walk, somehow being true to our nature as Democrats

And having been treated like subjects of a dictator and his acolytes for the past four years.

This is not the time to be circumspect. It is the time to fight back, not in shrill, uneven voices, but in a powerful and unified way. We're terrified to become "them" but the only way to fight a cancer on our body politic is to excise it using all the tools available to us in the constitutional toolbox. Even if the patient bleeds out.

[TNNurse]

39. I will be polite while I refuse to forgive them.

[Ferrets are Cool]

41. I can live with that too.

[Mr.Bill]

42. Let's just say I'm thrilled

they all wore red hats for four years so we can identify them for the rest of their lives. We know who you are, assholes.

[Aussie105]

43. Don't bother reaching out the hand of friendship.

It will just be seen as a mark of weakness and you will get it bitten off.

Let them stew in their own insanity and ignore them as best as possible. If that is not possible, don't engage in any political discussion.

'Oh, you think?' and 'Do don't say!' are always good conversation blockers.

But the (R) conspiracy theories will continue on for some time.

(No need for me to list them, you know what they are. lol)

[Ford_Prefect]

44. I am through turning the other cheek to people who see it as an inviting target.

I'm ready to indict the entire GOP Senate and most of the GOP house for Genocide, Cruel and Unusual Punishment, Treason and Financial Fraud.

...and that's just for starters.

I am NOT going to forgive my abusers...

[seta1950]

45. I agree

You are so right, every time democrats are in power they all go” oh well we have to be forgiving , no need to gloat , extend a hand , we’re all Americans “. I am so over that and I will gloat.

[NCjack]

46. Forget the Forever-Trumpers. Replace with good people. Find at DEM party HQ, bookstore,

school booster club, part-time worker at library, train your dog to be a comforter for hospital patients.

[warmfeet]

47. I will never forgive.

I will never forget.

Fuck the repiggies.

Fuck every single fucking tRump supporter.

Fuck'em!

[smirkymonkey]

48. No, I am not willing to forgive or forget.

They are evil and will only take advantage of us if we let them.

[Aussie105]

50. Not yet . . .

but some time in the future.

Walk up to a Republican MAGA hat wearer, act real concerned, and ask 'Have you yet worked out where your thinking went wrong?'

[Progressive Jones]

52. Reach out to them??? Understand them??? As far as I'm concerned,

every piece of Trump Supporting Trash can eat a "Double Steaming Pile Sandwich", and suffer the consequences.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

53. Whatever is halfway between fascism and democracy, I don't want it.

[sarge43]

54. I'm for treating them exactly as they have treated us.

Violence and threats of violence excepted.

[BarbD]

55. I'm almost 83 years old and this attitude of "can't we all just get along" pisses me off.

During Vietnam, they told me to love America or leave it.

This time around we will do what is best for our country. If somebody doesn't agree, they have become part of the problem so get out of the way or get steamrolled. That's the way it is.

Suck it up.

[mdbl]

56. hopefully Biden won't follow that path

it never works.

[birdographer]

57. I could be friendly

with a Scientologist. I think they are nuts and not nice people overall, at least to their members, but they are not (as far as I know) damaging to my country. I could be friendly with a flat-Earther. Totally nuts but not harmful to America. I cannot be friendly with a trumper. They are racist, hate-filled, gun-crazy, unAmerican people who are doing massive damage to this country.

I appreciate the thinking and the wish of Biden's to unify the country, but it's like asking Good to embrace Evil.

I do believe that they are massively misinformed, but it is a willful ignorance. I think saying trump supporters are non-college educated is setting the bar higher than it is. Let's go with non-high school educated. I'd say 7th or 8th grade at most. The girls got pregnant and dropped out, the boys flunked and refused to repeat a grade so they left. Their lack of critical thinking is because that's a skill you gain later in school.

I don't see myself ever being friendly with someone who supported trump. Sorry, Joe. (Love ya, though.)

[Meowmee]

58. You can't be nice to fascists

It doesn’t work, it just gives them an opportunity to do more damage. It is time to acknowledge that most are fascists and lunes. The reasonable non fascist people we can deal with on some level hopefully.

[BigmanPigman]

59. Forgive and forget..my ass! Fuck that shit!!!

Can't we all get along? NO, no we can't. They have to be defeated 100% and that hasn't happened yet. Once again, fuck that shit!!!

[hvn_nbr_2]

60. I don't plan to be a nice frog to any scorpions. nt

[Soxfan58]

61. Fuck em

[halfulglas]

63. This is how the right wins.

Even when they lose, they consolidate their gains, not giving an inch if they can help it and wait their opportunity to push further. Overton window. Now extreme Overton window. The right gets more and more crazy and we get blamed for polarizing the country when we say no. Both sides don't you know?

[AngryOldDem]

64. I don't think I ever will.

I don’t suffer stupidity gladly under “normal” circumstances. But the way they almost destroyed this country?

Hell, no.

[DinahMoeHum]

65. For them, I say: "Only God forgives. . .I Don't"

. . .for now anyway.

[Demobrat]

66. They are still who they are.

No reason to pretend otherwise.

[Delphinus]

67. Thank you

I hear you and understand quite well.

[hamsterjill]

68. Great post.

It takes both sides willing to come together for any type of compromise. I never see the Republicans willing to compromise.

Our side is going to have to come to terms with that realization, and move on without them.

[SergeStorms]

69. When they stop watching and listening to right-wing propaganda 24/7....

and show me they want to enter the world of truth, honestly, and reality, I'll consider conversing with them on a regular basis. Until then, forget it. I can't fight their lies and ignorance without their help, and if they're going to continue deluding themselves there's absolutely no help, or hope, for them.

[Joinfortmill]

70. Me too

[Jon King]

71. They can't be saved...

Of the 71 million who voted for Trump, maybe 1 million could possibly be deprogrammed. But the other 70 million are a lost cause. They simply must be diluted down. More immigration, more youth vote, Trumpers aging and dying off, and demographic shifts over time.....there is no choice but to gradually dilute their power and what percentage of the population they are.

[Xipe Totec]

72. Forgive? Never forgive! Only pretend to forgive

Smile at your enemy
Gain his trust
Let him approach
Only then can you plunge
your blade into his chest

- Excerpt from poem in Aztec Autumn
Gary Jennings 2007

(Recalled from memory)

[not_the_one]

73. NO!

End of discussion.

[Snackshack]

74. You never will hear that.

We are a victim of our own decency/maturity/rule of law ethos. The right knows this and they use it against us they have for a long time. Unless we are ready to go low when they go low (And I agree 100% that that is a shitty choice) we will forever be at a disadvantage.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

76. Anyone who votes for a presidential candidate who has so clearly never even read

the US Constitution is no patriot. In fact, sure does seem like they hate this country. So, no, I'm not making nice with them Anyway, they always say "love it or leave it.' So, I'm sure they'll be gone.

[pansypoo53219]

77. only if THEY move closer left.

[Lonestarblue]

80. At this point, I don't think reaching out to Trump voters does any good.

We don’t have to attack them, but nothing we say will convince them that their support was wrong. I think the only way forward is just to ignore their complaints and move ahead with the Democratic agenda. Many of the changes we want, like healthcare, will also benefit Trump supporters. Trump supporters who see that the economy isn’t tanking may see that Democrats don’t harm the economy. People who earn minimum wage would get a real boost at $15 per hour. The best way to change people is to show them because talk just doesn’t work.

And even showing people won’t work for many because they’re too influenced by the lies of hate radio and Fox News. But people who can now afford healthcare or who get a raise will know.

[Nitram]

81. I will forgive anybody who sincerely apologizes and registers as a Democrat.

Otherwise they can go to hell.

[stevesinpa]

82. every election

that republicans win, we hear how they have a mandate, how they are in control. every time democrats win we hear, the left has to reach out and has to work with the right. pardon my language, but FUCK THAT. Joe Biden won the election by nearly 5 million votes. it is time for the right to bow down to the people's will. it is time for them to apologize and beg us to forgive them.
as long as idiots are contesting the election, as long as the trump cult exists, we should never even consider forgiving them. the trump cult (republican party) has actively worked to destroy our form of government. they have actively worked to sow distrust in our elections. they are the problem and until the current scum are gone and replaced with new, respectable conservatives, we can never work with them and should never forgive them.

[Dreampuff]

83. I have been struggling with this same thing

I would really like to do what President Biden tells us to do, along with my local pastor, and many other leaders of faith. But I also see no movement on the other side except more nastiness and hostility. Maybe you truly do have to fight fire with fire.

Recently read an article about AOC asking for organization so that future voters don't forget about what these people have all done. Apparently this has sparked a new movement. I'm contemplating joining it if I can find the link again.

[plimsoll]

84. I sympathize but there is a reason

I wrote about it elsewhere on DU because I think it’s a reality of our times.

Why we are asked to play nice.”

[Raster]

85. This sums it up for me....

[BobTheSubgenius]

86. I'm not saying that the huge divide will take longer to bridge than that after the Civil War.

But, it will never be over for some, and many, many relationships are ruined for life. I know some.

What can you expect? Some of them can't get over the Civil War. Imagine that the best days you can think of were over 150 years ago.

[Hotler]

87. You don't play nice with people that hate you and their moto is...

"The only good democrat is a dead democrat." They hate us more today than yesterday and, it will only grow.

[Paladin]

88. K&R.

Let the trump douchebags make the first moves towards reconciliation---just for a change. They've got a lot to express regrets about.

[nwliberalkiwi]

90. Post In The Biden Administration

I will be taking up a post in the Biden Administration: Secretary of the Department of Vengeance!!!
No quarter will be given, no rock will go un-turned!!!

[citizen blues]

92. Here's What I've been seeing

"Don't lose friendships today over two men who don't even know your names. It's okay to have different political views and still be okay with each other."

Obviously, another Rethug lackey. They simply don't get that it's not about politics. It's about morals. It's about the values of not ripping family apart. It's about not gunning down citizens for simply being black. And it's about much more...

No, it's not about politics. It's about 70 million people having the opportunity to stand up for what's right and choosing not only to not stand up, but to side with the perpetrators of such evil.

[MyMission]

94. Meanwhile cult members are cutting ties with non-members

My friend's former sil just unfriended her after the election, after a 40 yr friendship.

And a tRumpster friend of mine just texted me I'd be trespassing if I came to visit.

So much for trying to understand, forgive or excuse.

They need deprogramming! Seriously! Or to be locked up in the Looney bin!

[Kid Berwyn]

95. Absolutely.

Liberate the SUPERMAX!

[peggysue2]

96. I'm not ready to make nice

I vaguely recall a song with those lyrics. I think it's time to revive it.

Btw, I agree. The Trumpers have no impulse to apologize because they're convinced they're right. I'm not sure how you get through to blockheads. And a lot of Dems are flat-out empty on patience. Donald Trump has been and is the biggest security risk this country has ever dealt with. That risk includes our communal health as well as our national security concerns as a nation. Making nice to dictators while playing ugly with allies is not the way you secure a democratic Republic. Then there's the rule of law left in tatters, not to mention common decency to others.

We came as close as you ever want to come to ushering in a fascist regime and Trump's supporters are still flying their wretched flags.

There's no making nice to this betrayal or forgetting/forgiving the disastrous results. It will take a long time to get rid of the stink they so generously and willingly wallowed in for four long years.

Sorry but anyone running around in a tee-shirt reading "I'd rather be Russian than a Democrat" deserves no pity or understanding.

Certainly not from me. They made their point perfectly clear. So, I'll make mine:

You betrayed your country and fellow citizens. There's no reaching out to treason weasels, particularly those who show no remorse. Not my job!

[hadEnuf]

98. Reaching out to these types of people only signals weakness to them

and they will take full advantage of it.

It's only been 4 years since we've had a "decent" POTUS. They remember that fully and want no part of it. They want vermin like Trump in office for whatever twisted reasons they have.


These scum need to be politically destroyed, not coddled or helped. We cannot make the mistakes we've made before with these fascists.

[GoneOffShore]

101. Nailed it.

[Alpeduez21]

99. Never forgive and never forget

What repukes want for America

[GoneOffShore]

100. No reaching out to them. They have repudiated the very idea of America and being human.

There is no compassion, no forgiveness, no acceptance. Oh and fuck toleration. Toleration is not acceptance.

[sloopdog50]

103. That would be NO

The deportment and attitude of the entire republican effort is nasty. Do not make nice. Do not reach out. Much work remains to insure that this deplorable political entity is ground into dust.

[Missn-Hitch]

104. Hear, hear!!

I have permanently engaged social distancing with known nazi-sympathizers. Friends AND family.

[Universal Karma]

105. The hate us

Fuck them!