My thoughts exactly.

I think your anger is righteous. And your goal is honorable. We must defeat not just Trump, but the entire movement that put him in office.

Let's go!

Same beliefs you said it much better than I ever could. I did 4 + in the Army and imagine the names of friends on that black wall weeping bitter tears as if their sacrifice counted for nothing.

Previously I had absolutely no idea of what hate was like...I thought I did...it has led to massive introspection and I’m not afraid to admit a few apologies.

Thank you for a thoughtful post...much to my surprise it calmed me...probably knowing someone has the same thoughts and observations.

Republicans have taught me to hate and that is not something I'm proud of.

what they are doing. They do not care what decent citizens think of the "presidency" or the gop. Lawlessness wide open, flaunting it in everyone's face. They seem to think we can do nothing about it. We HAVE to show them in November, if not sooner.

I was taught to not hate by my parents. They are long gone and I have not kept those lessons. They lived through WWII, I would be tempted to tell them that Hitler was never running this country and maybe they would understand my hatred.

Shortly after his marriage fell apart. Of course, his dope smoking, alcoholism and philandering bore no responsibility for his plight.

In a house he can't afford, with a job with no real pension, he finds himself just trying to hang on until 62 so he can draw Social Security, that maybe when combined with working under the table might allow him to struggle for 10-15 years.

I have a gay child, and I spoke with him about what Retrumplicans had planned for my child.

I told him that the president and party he supported had "promised" that they would use the power of the courts and their majority to deny my child employment, housing, medical care and basic human rights. This was not something they "might" do. It was what they"promised" to do.

They would destroy my child, his niece, if given the power to do so.

His answer was; "that's fake news, and if they came after her, he would defend her".

So, in his mind, if the government, backed by the judicial branch... and with all the power of the state... tried to destroy my child, that would be OK, because "he" was going to defend her.

The stupidity... the absolute gall...the flippant attitude towards the real harm and destruction of HIS OWN family just flabbergasted me.

It's kind of when I realized that Retrumplicans don't give one fuck about what happens to their fellow Americans.

From the tea baggers to this shitshow...

I used to have a decent heart. Now I have exactly the same reactions and feelings you do. I’m often afraid I might slug the next maga-wearing face I come across.

While at the store, with mask, not long after our state requested we wear them, an older man passed me and coughed. I was frozen for a sec. thought he didn’t do it on purpose......came home and read the news and figured out that asshole probably did it deliberately.

If I had recognized his deliberate ass-hole-ness at the time, I would’ve been being interviewed by the police after I stuffed his head in the freezer bin.

Who I am becoming makes me very sad.

There is no honest discussion with them, and that they are literally wrong about everything.

You don't need to hate them, just stop fucking indulging them.

I get the frustration. It is so clear and straightforward to us.

Why so many relentlessly let them bully their way into rat fucking EVERY damn public policy discussion is beyond any reason.

But the failure of the liberals/progressives (as I see it) is that we haven't made sure that our children and grandchildren are equipped to handle the brainwashing. We didn't see to it that the next generation got the education we got, and our kids weren't able to make the critical-path decisions to reject the libertarian/conservative philosophy. Well some have of course, but not enough.

It started with the erosion of public education, and it goes back about 45 or 50 years. Certainly it was happening during the time of Ronald Reagan and now those kids growing up in the 80s have become parents. Contrast this failure with the determination of the conservative rightwing a-holes who will stop at nothing to force their agenda on the entire country. If we liberals had stopped it from happening during Reagan, we wouldn't be where we are today.

I feel absolutely the same. I’ve promised myself I’d only HATE people that actually did me harm but this whole anti-intellectual, anti law and order folks need to dial it down a notch!

I am furious and life is too short for that burden right now.

I will start working on my transitioning today, because I have never hated anyone until the mango menace reared his ugliness in my country. That has not made me proud.

His intentions have never been decent, good or helpful. Lately though, he acts in more bizarre, antagonistic ways. He his own contradiction in terms of what he said,earlier. I find him so revolting, I can't take more than a minute and a half of his appearances if that.

As far as what the republican party might have become under the orange entity, they are his greatest fans and cowardly enablers.
They all have to go, as they are a bunch of greedy, anti-social, lunatic, automatons,endlessly printing "Get Out of Jail Free Cards" for his rotten festered ass.

Thank you, again for posting, you are not alone. I pray that some how we will all survive, and as a nation over come, the damage.

ultra right wing prosperity gospel literalist hard core evangelical my way or the highway so called "Christians" . Who prey upon people's need for an authoritarian voice that tells them they will succeed if only they donate their last dime and pray a lot oh yes and sway in the pews with their hands in the air

Vipers! Vultures!

"There has never been an American president as spiritually impoverished as Donald Trump. And his spiritual poverty, like an overdrawn checking account that keeps imposing new penalties on a customer already in difficult straits, is draining the last reserves of decency among us at a time when we need it most. ...

Trump’s spiritual poverty is making all of us into worse people. We are all living with him in the moment and neglecting the thing that makes us human beings instead of mindless fish swimming in circles. We must recover this in ourselves, and become more decent, more reflective, and more stoic—before Trump sends us into a hole from which we might never emerge."

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/each-briefing-trump-making-us-worse-people/609859/

Navy shipyard asbestos exposure leaves me with compromised lungs, and at my age I'm a goner if I breath in just a wisp of the virus.

The Florida governor, with his head jammed up donnies butt, is about to open Florida for business. Until there is a vaccine to protect me from sure death, I will be wearing a face mask and gloves during my early morning food shopping in Publix, Walmart or Costco.

I'm concerned that trump morons are going to encroach on my 6-foot radius of social distancing. I can only imagine the yelling arguments that will be happening between the seniors that want to live, and the trump morons who do not give a crap about others.

I don't pack gun in this 'shoot first ask questions later' state, but plenty of trump morons do so I expect some bloody cleanups on supermarket aisles this summer/fall.

I despise the fact that I have to think like this at this stage in my life, and not take one for the team and die early for the stock market, but that is our new reality. It sux.

A long time ago, when I had a job in a less than savory part of town, I admit to getting a CCL to protect myself as I had several close calls. I have since let it lapse and no longer have it, yet now I worry for the same reason you do, the asshats with MAGA hats.

I plan on getting a T-shirt that says, "Back off Zombie" front and back.

However, my wife is adamant that I do not go INTO stores. I have to do everything online or pickup. Not sure how I am going to get feed for my ducks on pickup, but I will try.

For some reason, I'm itching to have a "discussion" with a dumper about proper distancing. A technique I learned long ago, speak low, slow and with a firm tone, makes them have to listen and forces them to consider their options. If I have to raise my voice, my theater training will come in handy as I can blow the ears off someone who gets to close. Plus, my wife says I look scary when angry so good.

I remember that Carol Burnett once said she was accosted by a man with a gun and she acted crazy insane and he just turned around and went running. That is kind of my plan. Out crazy the dumpers if nothing else works.

Stay well Submariner!

I just did it for the first time yesterday and they're being so careful about social distancing... all you have to do is open your trunk, and wipe everything down (just as you would anyway) once you get home.

I just worry about you being around asswipes like the one somebody mentioned higher up on this thread, who coughed on purpose near them for wearing a mask.

(I can't believe how stupid and truculent people are being. I had no idea SO MANY PEOPLE are SO AWFUL. Until Trump, most of them seemed to have a little shame about it and keep it more under wraps.)

Good luck and I really hope you stay well!

My new ability to hate people I don't know and write people off without even trying to understand them is the biggest personal cost to the Trump era and its run up.

I hope this dark time reverses itself enough that I can get some of my old self back.

of republicans, and frequently turn off the TV when I can't take it any more.
I saw Hamilton last year and thought that the founding fathers would have been surprised we made it over 200 years as a country. They would also be disgusted with how it ended. Stupid, lazy, grifting capitalists and their fawning followers destroying it because of racism and greed. So it goes.

Look for examples of beauty and courage in the indomitable human spirit, especially during times of pain and grief.

By all means turn your anger into the kind of action that will rid us of the orange menace -- but never lose sight of what we are fighting to save.

Look into the eyes of a young child. There you will find something worth saving, and a source of hope.

President Biden, that's how.

Hate is a negative energy. I concentrate on seeing Biden taking the oath of office. I see him sitting in the Oval office reversing whatever orange face did. That's how I turn negative energy into positive energy. Try it, you've got nothing to lose

and the SCOTUS members he will nominate. I see a class act of a first lady and a VPOTUS who will be as vital to his term as he was to President Obama

I plan to write some letters begging that no conciliation be offered to these traitors too.

Or is seems that way. Even back in the days of McCain/Palin, "shake things up" was not a cheer to bring the country together. It was a campaign to disrupt through turmoil and division.

Trump wasn't elected to unite. These people voted for him to upset your sense of decency and justice and it works.

for me. If anyone thinks I feel badly about wishing harm on armed goons spoiling for a fight, they need to think again.

Let's lose the personal guilt trips, fellow Democrats. It's all trump's fault, and it's our job to salvage whatever is left of this once-decent nation of ours---by whatever means necessary. Plan on making peace with yourselves, once we have a decent human being in the White House, again.

There are more people like you—more people who want to build things up rather than tear them down—than there are angry and destructive people hellbent on exploiting a time of tragedy. Humanity DOES find a way forward from its worst times. Be assured of that.

We have not seen this level of political, societal evil since Nazi Germany - and we are a lot further down the road than most people are willing to admit. Are we one Reishtag Fire away from a major uptick in societal chaos? The goons carrying assault rifles at these latest rallies answers that question.

Your comments tell me you know of the ramp up to this moment. Buckley. Goldwater. Nixon. Reagan. Buchanan. Gingrich. Bush. Cheney. Deep in our hearts, we knew that man like Trump was coming. And know what’s next, unless it’s stopped.

This is why you hate them, and this hate is a valid, well justified emotion that can serve you. I admit hate is also dangerous because it taps so efficiently into our limbic systems, and causes acting without thinking. But with your reason and logic, your hatred of them is the engine that will motivate you to do great things.

I’m sure Oscar Schindler hated the Nazis, just as much as you hate the Republicans. His magic was how he channeled that hate into heroism. Don’t know what yours is, but I’m using mine to help Republicans have the WORST DEFEAT in recorded history.

I don't want to be a hating person. I recognize that it is harmful to my own peace of mind. But it flares up so often that I have to consciously distract my thoughts onto other more productive tracks. This is a constant, every day, necessity, and I think it fatigues me in so many ways. Channel - channel - channel into changing what we can.

Wow, Maxrandb, you spoke for me. I have never hated anyone in my life but it's impossible to listen to DJT all over the news saying and doing insane things and then seeing pictures of thugs wanting our stores and everything open, in the midst of this crises. They are all vicious. I grew up in the 50's and feel so fortunate that I was able to lead peaceable, quiet years till DJT happened!! This now, is something else and I don't know how to contend with this insanity. I hate now, repugs and their ilk. I feel they are all bottom feeders and greedy mobsters that want to destroy us and our way of life. I find it hard to believe there isn't someway, somehow to end their lawlessness. But.....I think when the Constitution was written, they never dreamed something like this would/could happen. Thank You.

These are definitely the times that try our souls.

I'm starting to really hate Trump and the Reeps,
them personally, and not just everything they do
and stand for.

For the last twenty years, my big issue is that when
I die I will be leaving my country and the world far
worse off than it was when I entered it.

This saddens me beyond belief, but it is what it is.

Ananda, it is a really sad time. Repugs have made a mockery of our constitution. I believe they want it destroyed. They are mean-spirited, selfish, hateful people.
Even if Joe Biden/Democrats get in this Nov., we still have to live in our country with these thugs on the loose.

You and me both, brother.

I always believed hatred hurts me than it hurts the other person and figured if I waited long enough as the proverb says they would get theirs. I don't think we can afford to keep waiting and hatred of those MFs is a perpetual feeling.

good for oneself, i.e akin to throwing hot coals at your enemy - the only person you are assured of burning is yourself, and yet in this case I find this reaction to be proper. Your post also made me think of the saying 'it takes a thorn to remove a thorn.' You are a wise man to try and 'turn your anger into productive work', and hence, to being a productive thorn.

And I get it completely. I am trying so much these past few weeks, to keep that "peace, love and understanding" inside me clear and open and ready to spread. But there does seem to be a stain on it. One I never saw or felt before November 2016.

I cannot let it grow and spread like a virus. That is very hard.

(I find it a great relief to listen to Mike Malloy on youtube. He yells and cusses in such a way that it gets out a lot of my anger!)

You are a kind soul and I send you peace and love!

in other countries. But the personal toll is real, and painful to realize. It now takes real effort to maintain empathy, compassion, and trust for my fellow Americans who still support this travesty of a person. I will never again trust a conservative without evidence that they actually care about their fellow human beings, even when they aren't Trumpublicans.

Its what they do.

I see all those traits fully formed in your post. You are informing people you like of your disgust and disappointment on a forum you trust and support. You did it in a well reasoned and compassionate way. You did not strike out in anger. You even talk about channeling your feelings to positive goals.

I feel your suffering amidst your conflicting feelings, that is what caused you to reach out and write such a wonderfully succinct post.

I remember a quote from Star Wars, "Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” Suffer not for the t-baggers, learn to channel, like you said, your feelings into positive action. You will find your hatred melting away.

Your soul is safe.

Stay well.

They have become indoctrinated and emboldened by the toxic propaganda that permeates our airwaves. However, I truly believe the vast majority of Americans are good and decent people, and we can’t afford to give up when so much is at stake.

Understanding mental illness and pathology helps to put things into perspective. There are those with psychopathology who have no conscience and are a certain percentage of every population. They are the manipulators who will do absolutely anything to win. Unfortunately, in our age of social media, they have a much more pervasive platform.

Keep in mind the mainstream media is operated by corporations that exist to generate profits. This doesn’t discount the incredible efforts of some journalists to investigate and write the truth, however we see that far too often, the tension between them comes out on the side of whatever generates the most profit.

Life, today, is very complicated and has become even more so in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and in the days to come we will continue to see the best and the worst in people.

Republicans have been on a 40+ year campaign to remake our country and with Trump in the White House, their true agenda is right in our faces every day. They are counting on us to give up.

Understand, you are not alone, neither with your discouragement, nor your desire to continue fighting back. It’s encouraging that despite Republicans best efforts to rig last week’s election in Wisconsin, the results demonstrate Americans are waking up and fighting back. If you’ve followed recent events in Virginia, they have undone much of the tea party agenda. Ultimately, I believe we will change this country’s direction.

Bill Clinton has said, “Never underestimate the American people”
Hillary Clinton has said, “We’re stronger together”

I believe them.

Stay strong.

The difficulty is in separating the person from the evil, and that difficulty becomes virtually insurmountable when the eveil person doesn't even appear to be human - and we have a number of those. In positions of power.

But the same applies to oneself. Don't judge yourself by your feelings, but by your actions. You are not out there with a sniper's rifle (I'm pretty sure that's accurate, because if you were we would have heard about it.) Anything you do or advocate with a goal of imposing accountability on him by, for instance, sending him to prison, is perfectly reasonable. It may not do his soul (assuming he has one) much good, but it can't hurt.

You, and others commenting here, may find that you are already channeling the hatred and anger into productive work.

Depending on the election results in November, I’ll have to rethink the rest of my life. If Trump wins, I don’t think I can stay here to watch him destroy what is left of my country. So one option is to find an affordable country to move to.

The second option is to work for a peaceful separation of the country into two countries—a European Union type of organization with open commerce and travel between the two countries and separate governments and court systems. I might have to leave Texas, but I’m okay with that. I’m tired of the blue states supporting the red states financially and having them in turn destroy the country. As Governor Cuomo said this week, when a natural disaster hits a red state,New Yorkers are ready to step up and help immediately, but when the Sandy Hook disaster hit New York, it took 75 days for Congress to act to help New York. And, of course, we all know how the 2017 tax cut for the wealthy punished people in blue states that tend to have higher state taxes to better fund their governments.

If Trump and Republicans maintain their stranglehold on power after this election, we will have some decisions to make about how to protect what’s left of our democratic republic.

he has changed us all for the worse. He has taken away the idealism I held for my country. I'm not naïve either but there was something to aspire to. He mined the ignorant of this country to follow him. He has given them power over truth, science, and civil conduct.
These idiots took their children to be exposed to a lethal virus. In a sane society that would be called child abuse and acted upon. Now it is just the other side of a nonsense debate.

Hate is a pointless venture.

We can only hope that the rest of the U.S. soldiers and sailors feel the same way!

the concept of evil would call it. And I've got lots of shit from people about that supposedly "over-the-top" belief.

Well, I have no joy in having been proven right. However, even I was not prepared for this. Not for the horror that is Trump and the fact that millions of Americans can look at that motherfucker and not only not see how awful he is in countless ways, but who practically worship him.

I am constantly intensely angry and actually YELLING at my tv and in conversation with my family and friends. Mostly not yelling at them (because I don't talk much to the RWers among them. Gave up on that long ago having done my best for years to enlighten them and finding they are unreachable), but about this nightmare. But still, I mean YELLING!!!

And I only even check in to Rachel Maddow or DU or Twitter a few times a week, trying to limit the damage to my nervous system.

I need to get back to yoga and meditation and while they weren't exactly a magic cure when I was doing them, any little bit of help is worth a try.

I won't be any good to myself, or my family, otherwise. And as much as I know you're right about turning this rage into productive work to defeat Rs, I won'at be of any use to any campaign as I am now, unless they can put me in a back room to stuff envelopes or something...

my computer, ranting on social media, becoming more and more involved in our local grass roots organizations (which is a good thing that I highly recommend)

Also:

I am eating more than I should
Drinking more wine than I should
And using the F word quite consistently (swearing more in general)
Losing my temper over things which would not have bothered me before.

The healing required is immense. I will do everything I can to help. If we all do that, hopefully it is enough.

I don't see these types of Magats as human anymore.

I cannot stand that son of a bitch. He is a useless four flushing piece of shit.

listened to his babbling and mostly criticized his ineptness. With DT, I've turned to crudely swearing at the TV ALL THE TIME! Although I used the typical swear words like sh.t damn, etc. I NEVER used the more crude ones. NOW they're part of my everyday vocabulary. I can't watch him on TV. I change the channel if it's to be a long speech or just mute if it's only a shot comment.

I don't think I ever hated anyone before, but I HATE HIM! I honestly don't know if I c
will ever get back to normal either!

rage. I've never hated anyone in my life like I hate him and I don't like it. I hate waking up every morning with feelings of dread, wondering what new outrage that thing will commit today and I hate knowing that he will. I hate that I never had to take blood pressure meds before November 9, 2016 and now I do.

I hate that I hate that thing but how can I feel any other way? That's why I console myself with finding animal videos. I can feel my blood pressure and sense of outrage lowering the minute I press the play button.

I've never hoped for anything as much as I hope that this feeling will vanish when I wake up on the morning of January 20, 2021.