237 Comments
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Lor's avatar

Empathy is required for our nation and democracy to survive. Thank you

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Lance Konover's avatar

Ernst's appallingly uncaring and elitist statement is horrible and shows that she feels that the needs of her constituents are last on her list of priorities. She does not represent them. At all. Cold and cynical.

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Diana Haering's avatar

And they claim yo be Christian!

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Rowan Hawthorne's avatar

They always do. It's easy for them to use beliefs as a tool to justify their actions, despite the fact that the man they supposedly worship was everything they AREN'T. He took care of the less fortunate, ministered to the sick, spent time amongst sinners, the list goes on and on.

And the worse thing is that now they think Christ is too woke. So what're they gonna call themselves, then? Cos they're certainly not followers of Christ. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

They would crucify him every day and blame it on immigrants no doubt.

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Rowan Hawthorne's avatar

To be fair, he'd probably BE one of those immigrants, or at least one of the first to lend a hand. Jesus also preached helping the foreigner and welcoming the stranger, which would be quite unpopular in the Regime. 🙄😒

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

Exactly!! And visiting those in prison ...

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Steve Doll's avatar

Regardless of Jesus' teachings: I would NOT wash Trump's feet.

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

I don’t know that Jesus would wash those feet either.

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Barry Nelson's avatar

I confess I wouldn't either, but if the power of belief, by washing his feet, would clear out his blind narcissism, his grandiose hatred and paranoia, and basically turn him into a compassionate, and empathetic human being, I would, fearing I'm tempting the Lord's wrath, for trying to assume His power. How do you not feel prideful if such an accomplishment were to happen?

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

I really like this Barry. I believe Jesus would have the power, but I surely do not. I harbor ill will and anger. And I'm not certain he is redeemable. I think there is true evil in the world that cannot be turned to the light, but I'm amenable to being wrong! So I stand corrected -- Jesus would wash his feet, knowing he would be betrayed yet again. I don't have that much capacity to forgive willful ignorance. I emphasize willful. I experience far more redemption and forgiveness among my prison sangha.

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Barry Nelson's avatar

We share the same fears and trepidations. There are lots of examples of Jesus working through our efforts to do good. I've had nothing but contempt for Trump and his awful minions. What if Pope Leo washed his feet, with many buckets of water and papal soap, and required Trump to withstand days of prayers, and Trump decided to stay and allow this? It is a compassionate and symbolic act. I'm a retired social worker and what is spiritual completes the loop of compassion from learning that I don't think Trump has ever accepted, or received, life lessons he's never allowed himself, or found real. The danger is his lifelong grandiose vision of his own perfection above all men using the power of gold and money---that needs to be broken, transformed actually, by the highest religious figure that he may somehow come to respect, beyond his power. I've had my feet washed in hospital once, it's pleasurable, and thinking the Pope is bowing down to him, I'd like to think could change Trump's self-hatred and self-loathing into acceptance. I'm guessing, postulating. Love to you and do good things, that's why we're here.

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

Not to promote myself but I do write about my prison work in my Substack, Sea of Mercy. Feel free to come on by!

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

I'm so humbled Barry, thank you, bless you for all you do. I agree with your estimation of the (I still cannot believe it) president. I've been involved in prison advocacy for 15 years (former wife) with a lot of teaching. Actually the men are the ones who continue to teach me -- what it is to be human. What it means to forgive oneself. What it means to truly transform. So I agree with your assessment entirely. It is beyond his power to admit his self-loathing and unworthiness. He doesn't know the real power of the religion he uses as a photo op. (And did he NOT place his hand on the Bible to take the oath of office?)

I worked with an incredible warden once whom I called The Pope. I would see him bending over on the yard to shake the hand of someone in a wheelchair. He had been part of a warden ministry training program (I forget the name) and he was as humble and as progressive as they come. Incredible compassion, and also able to be as hard as necessary. The men just loved him, and the staff. He would have washed their feet, and I would have washed his.

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

OMG that’s the classic comment for the day! Epic!

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Barry Nelson's avatar

Just like Bush Jr., the RR was used to get him elected, and after, they were given a Cabinet position, and ignored.

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Thomas Schwarting's avatar

They are VERY Unchristian if you ask me!

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RWM's avatar

Indeed. And as a Christian, I find their insincerity disgusting.

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Pat Robinson's avatar

Thank you..I sometimes think there are zero Christians who find fault with the GOP folks who call themselves Christians.

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LHS's avatar

I wonder if anyone reminded her that it was one of her constituents she was mocking. Although I'm sure she would not care. That "apology" video is stunningly awful, dripping with sarcasm and condescension. The comment about her being glad she didn't have to talk about the Tooth Fairy, either, should be in the Sarcasm Hall of Shame.

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Pat Robinson's avatar

You are right, she would not care and my heart goes out to the constituent she was mocking. It is very scary to be facing any health issues and to be so worried about the bill and then to have someone mock you...how horrible. I wish we could all send the women an "I'm thinking of you" card or something.

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WJB Motown's avatar

Does Moses Mike Johnson....House leader trade hard core porn clips with his son before or after Sunday Church services????

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Irena Mangone's avatar

That’s disgusting and definitely not Christian.

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WJB Motown's avatar

He can go to Taco's "personal spiritual advisor" grifter, Paula White and pay 1,000 dollars for prayers of forgivness.

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Irena Mangone's avatar

One has to ask for forgiveness and make atonement. Otherwise. It’s null and void. If you don’t actually repent.

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WJB Motown's avatar

Fake "Christian" nationalist's have removed those teachings from the "Trump" bible along with everything that Jesus taught.

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May Lee's avatar

These people that profess to be Christians (and who are constantly trying to strong arm others into joining the) are the reason Americans are turning away from religion.

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Sarah Larkin's avatar

The Christian Evangelicals all sold their Bibles and their souls so they could hitch their wagons to a criminal gold plated life style and became Nazified in the process. Trump said if he ever ran for president he’d run as a Republican because he knew the base was too stupid to do anything to question what he wanted and would support him no matter what he said or did. The big question is why the intelligent people stayed home and didn’t vote in the one election that would destroy our Democracy and livelihoods and lives in disastrous ways if Trump got in again? It’s beyond comprehension that this happened, and I sure hope any and all who didn’t vote are still alive and smarter in 2026 and 2028 and every election going forward until all the damage done by the Trump regime is fixed and we’ve strengthened our Constitution to prevent this from ever happening again, EVER!

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Laurel Yatsko's avatar

Yes I think that is another sign of our system's moral collapse.

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Sylvia Arrowood's avatar

Not all of them. And true Christians see through them.

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Barb O's avatar

They are Christian Nationalists. There is a difference.

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Barry Nelson's avatar

Their real motto: god helps those who take the money and run.

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Robyn Chauvin's avatar

So did the Spanish inquisition, so does the KKK

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Nancy Murphy's avatar

Snap benefits were available for children up until the age of 18. Now they knocked it down to age 7, because everybody knows that by age 8 you can go to work in a meat packing factory.

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WJB Motown's avatar

By age 8, if the girl is white, she is prime marriage material for a Maga white supremist that is having no luck on the WhiteDate.net web site. Get started early having babies in between shootiing deer and hanging out at the local bar.

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Linda Querry's avatar

Globally , “ Every year, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18. That’s nearly one girl every three seconds, forced to grow up too soon.”

https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/articles/10-ways-the-world-got-closer-to-ending-child-marriage-in-the-last-10-years

80% of the states in the USstill allow child brides

https://19thnews.org/2023/07/explaining-child-marriage-laws-united-states/

the US has yet to add the ERA to its Constitution

Dom’t tell me that DJT is going to protect women, This country pretends that woman are equal, but they definitely are not,

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May Lee's avatar

White supremacists don't let their women hang out at bars, they're too busy at home being slave labor.

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WJB Motown's avatar

For sure, the White Supremist would be in the bar with his mysogist male pals, watching Fox News, flirting with the bartenders and planning another hunting trip.

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

Nancy ... bingo, bullseye and damn ...

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Frida's avatar

Warning? We are already steeped in it, in American governance and the citizenry. Trump telling people not to feel sad for Joe Biden, because Joe is evil? Wtf. The American governance empathy died long ago when these Republicans let Trump take power, when they gave it away. Its dead and rotting.

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Beth Witrogen's avatar

May it quickly rot. As we know, rot fertilizes new growth. Can't be soon enough imho.

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Jun 2
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Beth Witrogen's avatar

Amen!

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Jeannie's avatar

Seriously? The moral collapse happened 10 years ago when anyone in their right mind decided to vote for these assholes.

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Megan Rothery's avatar

As Senator Booker said - “…we are not going to see change in Washington unless more of us have said enough.” So demand it. Call. Write. Email. Over and over!

Use/share this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to your own reps, as well as those in other states on a specific committee important to a topic you’re sharing. Use your voice and make some “good trouble.”

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit?usp=drivesdk

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DebbieM (OH)'s avatar

Great spreadsheet. Thanks!

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Hans-Peter Schmid's avatar

Maximum cruelty is not a bug of a fascist movement, it is a feature. As exemplified perfectly by the event in Iowa.

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Ken Smith's avatar

The fear helps to subjugate others who might stand up.

Stand strong from Canada.

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HarrisWalz FTW 2024's avatar

The truth of this sickens me on a daily basis. Can't tell you how many times I have asked my husband, "how can people do these things?" not to mention, "how can they do these things while claiming to be followers of Jesus?"

Whether or not someone believes in God isn't the issue; we all know what makes a decent human being. And having mental health issues does *not* make someone evil; that's a choice. Even Elon, who stated specifically that empathy is a bad thing, got his feelings hurt by words and memes and protests. Check the mirror, buddy.

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Pat Noon's avatar

You write very well, Micheal. I appreciate you

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Sean Blanton's avatar

I knew some racism and cruelty and selfishness were kept at bay, but had thought those sentiments were a fraction of what they now appear to be. I am shocked and saddened to realize we have changed little morally as a nation since the days of slavery and post-slavery racism

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Mike C.'s avatar

These MAGA senators are pretty balsy walking around cemeteries mocking their own constituents acting like they're bulletproof or something. One of these days they're going to get caught off guard by a Luigi that's going to test that theory.

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Tenkara Path - "Pathnotes"'s avatar

Well she said it right? I won't shed a tear when a Luigi decides her time has come. FMAGA

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Mike C.'s avatar

Agreed. My sympathy and empathy levels have been completely depleted over the past 4 months and I don't have a damn thing to offer people that act this way.

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Maya Ram's avatar

Many POC would argue they faced lack of government empathy for much longer than white and/or privileged Americans. Maybe this is a sign everything needs to destroy everything in order to defeat Trump and then start from scratch with a functional, forward looking constitution.

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Andrea J's avatar

And for the cherry on the top she filmed her "apology" in a cemetery!!! I heard she is up for re-election in 2026. Hope the good people in Iowa vote her out!

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FrIday-Night-Dump's avatar

The social contract was destroyed by social media. Also, an inability to sue social media companies for product liabilities and the harms they cause, due to the obsolete and anti-consumer Section 230 liability shield.

Section 230 is outdated and keeps Americans, their family members, their privacy, and their safety at risk.

There are no communitarian values left after COVID lockdowns brought out the Ill-mannered, unempathetic, self-pitying and self -serving worst parts of most of us.

Simply put, they’ve been replaced by rampant consumer and celebrity fetishism.

That’s leaves us with lives with little meaning or purpose.

Most people say they have no friends and are lonely loners. Our government tells us to stay home every year — this year, it’s saying, “don’t fly, you might even get measles.”

If a tree is poisoned by rotten fruit, nothing good will descend from it. Trump’s leadership seeks to normalize crime, not fight it. His leadership is each person for themselves, the rich will be fine, like Herbert Hoover believed.

We need to revive the social contract, the golden rule, and explain why communitarian values save us all money.

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Maurice K Lethbridge's avatar

Empathy is an instinct and is a sign of compassion, confidence and strength. Its death in society beyond government is more common than reported. Some now regard individuals who seek empathy from companions as weak.

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Patti's avatar

Thank you for all you are doing to fight against this fascist administration. ❤️👏🇺🇸

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