slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Below is a cut'n paste article that, in light of current events, I found highly topical. It is an opinion with which some will identify. I insist on emphasizing that h**eful people come from all sides of the ideological or partisan divide. That's made quite clear simply by reading comments within the OPP forum on a regular basis. It is inevitable that some of that h**efulness will surface again, as readers will take what they will from the following.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By John Pavlovitz

I think many people in America are exhausted right now. I know I am.

H**eful people will do that to you.

You see, it’s difficult enough on our best days, to get out of bed knowing that there will be all sorts of adversity out there; unexpected challenges and unanticipated conflicts that we could never foresee or predict. It’s a Herculean undertaking just to be willing to brave that likelihood. It’s another thing entirely, to know for certain that you will experience spectacular hatred simply by choosing to participate in this current version of America. It is a given now.

When h**eful people have power (as they now do), they embolden other h**eful people, giving them license to unleash the God-awful things that they’d otherwise keep concealed and subjecting the rest of us to a regular cavalcade of horrors. This is what our country is experiencing in these days: a Renaissance of open bigotry—and it will level you if you have a working heart.

The other morning I saw a picture of a middle-aged man at a convenience store with a t-shirt that said, GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY. My first thought was, “What on earth is wrong with him?” My immediate follow-up questions were about his wife or children if he had them; about his parents, friends, boss, pastor or church. I wondered how someone becomes the kind of man who would see a GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY t-shirt and think, “This is just what my wardrobe is lacking!”

And I grew weary.

Then, I happened upon some Twitter trolls with MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hashtags, harassing a Muslim-American woman with vicious, vile messages about “going back where she came from” and taunting her with images of bombed out Syrian villages. I started to engage them, and they quickly commented that being a “filthy Jew libtard,” I should leave as well. I considered breaking the news to them that I’m not Jewish, but would feel no shame if I were—

But I just became tired.

Later I read our President’s Twitter feed; a seemingly endless parade of angry, nonsensical ramblings, wild accusations, unhinged conspiracy theories, and mischaracterizations of the press, women, immigrants, Democrats, protestors—most of America. I began responding to him.

But I grew exasperated.

I surveyed the latest monstrosities manufactured by Stephen Miller, Mitch McConnell, and Mike Pence; all their legislative assaults on the poor and already marginalized. I considered an opposing response, but soon gave up.

I felt drained.

I happened upon a Facebook post from a former church friend back in Charlotte; a bitter, racially charged tirade about “lazy people living off the Government, finally having to be responsible.” Knowing he was a Christian, I started to reply with some quotes from Jesus that I wish he’d consider.

But I quickly became fatigued.

I overheard a conversation at a local coffee shop, with a woman going on and on about how much Donald Trump, “clearly loved his wife,” and how she had “zero respect” for Barack Obama as a husband and father.

I nearly went into a coma.

It was barely 11 AM.

I strongly considered going back to bed.

Lately, many Americans are enduring such days with stunning regularity, and coming to terms with this irrefutable t***h: H**eful people who are bent on being h**eful will wear you the heck out.

They are thoroughly frustrating because they do not respond to facts, data, honest questions, personal stories, heartfelt pleas, civil discussion, or any of the things many of us grew-up believing people wanted when engaging in disagreement. They are fully entrenched in their heavily fortified position of contempt and they are not budging. And so, even if your instinct and intention is to build a bridge or have a conversation or find common ground with them, they have little interest, if such things mean having to relinquish any of the hatred their hearts have become so set on harboring. They seemingly would rather retain rightness than entertain reality—and this is fully tiring to encounter every day.

Now, this far into perhaps the most openly h**eful Presidency in our nation’s history, I confess that I am profoundly exhausted; from lazy racial stereotypes, from alternative Fox News facts, from hackneyed narratives about Muslims and gay and Jewish and brown-skinned people, and from a President who is mortally allergic to decency.

The Scriptures of my religious tradition often mention Jesus withdrawing to the solitary places to pray (Lk 5:16, Mt 12:15, Mt 14:13, Lk 22:41.) I imagine this is how he was able to sustain himself while encountering h**eful people while not becoming h**eful himself—how he was able to keep being the voice of love surrounded by so many bitterly opposing voices. I am trying to find this healthy rhythm of withdrawing and engaging, but it is hard to come by.

Like the vast majority of this country, I want it to be the place where e******y, diversity, and decency find sanctuary, and though I am fully committed to the aspiration, I am feeling the cumulative weariness sustained from a small but fierce portion of the population (including far too much of its leadership) whose narrative about the world depends upon acrimony for so much of it. I know that I’m not alone in this emotional depletion and physical fatigue.

But the people consumed with hatred will not consume me, and they will not change my heart toward the world. They will not derail my path or alter my convictions.

I will be a person of love here or I will die trying.

If you find that you are similarly weary today, be encouraged. Rest and resist and fight to remain loving.
H**eful people are exhausting—so refuse to become one of them.

dtucker300 Loc: Vista, CA

It makes me wonder if this is why we have so many people suffering from depression and it is showing up in younger and younger students in middle school and even grade school, Suicide rates have increased. This is not the way it is supposed to be.

ImLogicallyRight

What I became tired of was reading all of his examples were about so called hatred on the right. I find that same kind of hatred on the left so his tirade became meaningless and biased and full of crap.

emarine

[quote=slatten49]Below is a cut'n paste article that, in light of current events, I found highly topical. It is an opinion with which some will identify. I insist on emphasizing that h**eful people come from all sides of the ideological or partisan divide. That's made quite clear simply by reading comments within the OPP forum on a regular basis. It is inevitable that some of that h**efulness will surface again, as readers will take what they will from the following.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By John Pavlovitz

I think many people in America are exhausted right now. I know I am.

H**eful people will do that to you.

You see, it’s difficult enough on our best days, to get out of bed knowing that there will be all sorts of adversity out there; unexpected challenges and unanticipated conflicts that we could never foresee or predict. It’s a Herculean undertaking just to be willing to brave that likelihood. It’s another thing entirely, to know for certain that you will experience spectacular hatred simply by choosing to participate in this current version of America. It is a given now.

When h**eful people have power (as they now do), they embolden other h**eful people, giving them license to unleash the God-awful things that they’d otherwise keep concealed and subjecting the rest of us to a regular cavalcade of horrors. This is what our country is experiencing in these days: a Renaissance of open bigotry—and it will level you if you have a working heart.

The other morning I saw a picture of a middle-aged man at a convenience store with a t-shirt that said, GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY. My first thought was, “What on earth is wrong with him?” My immediate follow-up questions were about his wife or children if he had them; about his parents, friends, boss, pastor or church. I wondered how someone becomes the kind of man who would see a GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY t-shirt and think, “This is just what my wardrobe is lacking!”

And I grew weary.

Then, I happened upon some Twitter trolls with MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hashtags, harassing a Muslim-American woman with vicious, vile messages about “going back where she came from” and taunting her with images of bombed out Syrian villages. I started to engage them, and they quickly commented that being a “filthy Jew libtard,” I should leave as well. I considered breaking the news to them that I’m not Jewish, but would feel no shame if I were—

But I just became tired.

Later I read our President’s Twitter feed; a seemingly endless parade of angry, nonsensical ramblings, wild accusations, unhinged conspiracy theories, and mischaracterizations of the press, women, immigrants, Democrats, protestors—most of America. I began responding to him.

But I grew exasperated.

I surveyed the latest monstrosities manufactured by Stephen Miller, Mitch McConnell, and Mike Pence; all their legislative assaults on the poor and already marginalized. I considered an opposing response, but soon gave up.

I felt drained.

I happened upon a Facebook post from a former church friend back in Charlotte; a bitter, racially charged tirade about “lazy people living off the Government, finally having to be responsible.” Knowing he was a Christian, I started to reply with some quotes from Jesus that I wish he’d consider.

But I quickly became fatigued.

I overheard a conversation at a local coffee shop, with a woman going on and on about how much Donald Trump, “clearly loved his wife,” and how she had “zero respect” for Barack Obama as a husband and father.

I nearly went into a coma.

It was barely 11 AM.

I strongly considered going back to bed.

Lately, many Americans are enduring such days with stunning regularity, and coming to terms with this irrefutable t***h: H**eful people who are bent on being h**eful will wear you the heck out.

They are thoroughly frustrating because they do not respond to facts, data, honest questions, personal stories, heartfelt pleas, civil discussion, or any of the things many of us grew-up believing people wanted when engaging in disagreement. They are fully entrenched in their heavily fortified position of contempt and they are not budging. And so, even if your instinct and intention is to build a bridge or have a conversation or find common ground with them, they have little interest, if such things mean having to relinquish any of the hatred their hearts have become so set on harboring. They seemingly would rather retain rightness than entertain reality—and this is fully tiring to encounter every day.

Now, this far into perhaps the most openly h**eful Presidency in our nation’s history, I confess that I am profoundly exhausted; from lazy racial stereotypes, from alternative Fox News facts, from hackneyed narratives about Muslims and gay and Jewish and brown-skinned people, and from a President who is mortally allergic to decency.

The Scriptures of my religious tradition often mention Jesus withdrawing to the solitary places to pray (Lk 5:16, Mt 12:15, Mt 14:13, Lk 22:41.) I imagine this is how he was able to sustain himself while encountering h**eful people while not becoming h**eful himself—how he was able to keep being the voice of love surrounded by so many bitterly opposing voices. I am trying to find this healthy rhythm of withdrawing and engaging, but it is hard to come by.

Like the vast majority of this country, I want it to be the place where e******y, diversity, and decency find sanctuary, and though I am fully committed to the aspiration, I am feeling the cumulative weariness sustained from a small but fierce portion of the population (including far too much of its leadership) whose narrative about the world depends upon acrimony for so much of it. I know that I’m not alone in this emotional depletion and physical fatigue.

But the people consumed with hatred will not consume me, and they will not change my heart toward the world. They will not derail my path or alter my convictions.

I will be a person of love here or I will die trying.

If you find that you are similarly weary today, be encouraged. Rest and resist and fight to remain loving.
H**eful people are exhausting—so refuse to become one of them.[/quo



Another good read Slat... Hatred and intolerance are bred in ignorance... this is the challenge to the American experiment.. Rodney King nailed it buddy... Trump didn't ...

dtucker300 Loc: Vista, CA

[quote=emarine][quote=slatten49]Below is a cut'n paste article that, in light of current events, I found highly topical. It is an opinion with which some will identify. I insist on emphasizing that h**eful people come from all sides of the ideological or partisan divide. That's made quite clear simply by reading comments within the OPP forum on a regular basis. It is inevitable that some of that h**efulness will surface again, as readers will take what they will from the following.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By John Pavlovitz

I think many people in America are exhausted right now. I know I am.

H**eful people will do that to you.

You see, it’s difficult enough on our best days, to get out of bed knowing that there will be all sorts of adversity out there; unexpected challenges and unanticipated conflicts that we could never foresee or predict. It’s a Herculean undertaking just to be willing to brave that likelihood. It’s another thing entirely, to know for certain that you will experience spectacular hatred simply by choosing to participate in this current version of America. It is a given now.

When h**eful people have power (as they now do), they embolden other h**eful people, giving them license to unleash the God-awful things that they’d otherwise keep concealed and subjecting the rest of us to a regular cavalcade of horrors. This is what our country is experiencing in these days: a Renaissance of open bigotry—and it will level you if you have a working heart.

The other morning I saw a picture of a middle-aged man at a convenience store with a t-shirt that said, GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY. My first thought was, “What on earth is wrong with him?” My immediate follow-up questions were about his wife or children if he had them; about his parents, friends, boss, pastor or church. I wondered how someone becomes the kind of man who would see a GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY t-shirt and think, “This is just what my wardrobe is lacking!”

And I grew weary.

Then, I happened upon some Twitter trolls with MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hashtags, harassing a Muslim-American woman with vicious, vile messages about “going back where she came from” and taunting her with images of bombed out Syrian villages. I started to engage them, and they quickly commented that being a “filthy Jew libtard,” I should leave as well. I considered breaking the news to them that I’m not Jewish, but would feel no shame if I were—

But I just became tired.

Later I read our President’s Twitter feed; a seemingly endless parade of angry, nonsensical ramblings, wild accusations, unhinged conspiracy theories, and mischaracterizations of the press, women, immigrants, Democrats, protestors—most of America. I began responding to him.

But I grew exasperated.

I surveyed the latest monstrosities manufactured by Stephen Miller, Mitch McConnell, and Mike Pence; all their legislative assaults on the poor and already marginalized. I considered an opposing response, but soon gave up.

I felt drained.

I happened upon a Facebook post from a former church friend back in Charlotte; a bitter, racially charged tirade about “lazy people living off the Government, finally having to be responsible.” Knowing he was a Christian, I started to reply with some quotes from Jesus that I wish he’d consider.

But I quickly became fatigued.

I overheard a conversation at a local coffee shop, with a woman going on and on about how much Donald Trump, “clearly loved his wife,” and how she had “zero respect” for Barack Obama as a husband and father.

I nearly went into a coma.

It was barely 11 AM.

I strongly considered going back to bed.

Lately, many Americans are enduring such days with stunning regularity, and coming to terms with this irrefutable t***h: H**eful people who are bent on being h**eful will wear you the heck out.

They are thoroughly frustrating because they do not respond to facts, data, honest questions, personal stories, heartfelt pleas, civil discussion, or any of the things many of us grew-up believing people wanted when engaging in disagreement. They are fully entrenched in their heavily fortified position of contempt and they are not budging. And so, even if your instinct and intention is to build a bridge or have a conversation or find common ground with them, they have little interest, if such things mean having to relinquish any of the hatred their hearts have become so set on harboring. They seemingly would rather retain rightness than entertain reality—and this is fully tiring to encounter every day.

Now, this far into perhaps the most openly h**eful Presidency in our nation’s history, I confess that I am profoundly exhausted; from lazy racial stereotypes, from alternative Fox News facts, from hackneyed narratives about Muslims and gay and Jewish and brown-skinned people, and from a President who is mortally allergic to decency.

The Scriptures of my religious tradition often mention Jesus withdrawing to the solitary places to pray (Lk 5:16, Mt 12:15, Mt 14:13, Lk 22:41.) I imagine this is how he was able to sustain himself while encountering h**eful people while not becoming h**eful himself—how he was able to keep being the voice of love surrounded by so many bitterly opposing voices. I am trying to find this healthy rhythm of withdrawing and engaging, but it is hard to come by.

Like the vast majority of this country, I want it to be the place where e******y, diversity, and decency find sanctuary, and though I am fully committed to the aspiration, I am feeling the cumulative weariness sustained from a small but fierce portion of the population (including far too much of its leadership) whose narrative about the world depends upon acrimony for so much of it. I know that I’m not alone in this emotional depletion and physical fatigue.

But the people consumed with hatred will not consume me, and they will not change my heart toward the world. They will not derail my path or alter my convictions.

I will be a person of love here or I will die trying.

If you find that you are similarly weary today, be encouraged. Rest and resist and fight to remain loving.
H**eful people are exhausting—so refuse to become one of them.[/quo



Another good read Slat... Hatred and intolerance are bred in ignorance... this is the challenge to the American experiment.. Rodney King nailed it buddy... Trump didn't ...[/quote]

Rodney King asked the question. I'm not sure he got the answer he wanted.

debeda

Interesting post. I would agree that I'm REALLY tired of the h**eful rhetoric. I just see it coming from a different direction. And I dont consider disagreement h**e.

PeterS

[quote=emarine][quote=slatten49]Below is a cut'n paste article that, in light of current events, I found highly topical. It is an opinion with which some will identify. I insist on emphasizing that h**eful people come from all sides of the ideological or partisan divide. That's made quite clear simply by reading comments within the OPP forum on a regular basis. It is inevitable that some of that h**efulness will surface again, as readers will take what they will from the following.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
By John Pavlovitz

I think many people in America are exhausted right now. I know I am.

H**eful people will do that to you.

You see, it’s difficult enough on our best days, to get out of bed knowing that there will be all sorts of adversity out there; unexpected challenges and unanticipated conflicts that we could never foresee or predict. It’s a Herculean undertaking just to be willing to brave that likelihood. It’s another thing entirely, to know for certain that you will experience spectacular hatred simply by choosing to participate in this current version of America. It is a given now.

When h**eful people have power (as they now do), they embolden other h**eful people, giving them license to unleash the God-awful things that they’d otherwise keep concealed and subjecting the rest of us to a regular cavalcade of horrors. This is what our country is experiencing in these days: a Renaissance of open bigotry—and it will level you if you have a working heart.

The other morning I saw a picture of a middle-aged man at a convenience store with a t-shirt that said, GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY. My first thought was, “What on earth is wrong with him?” My immediate follow-up questions were about his wife or children if he had them; about his parents, friends, boss, pastor or church. I wondered how someone becomes the kind of man who would see a GRAB AMERICA BY THE P*SSY t-shirt and think, “This is just what my wardrobe is lacking!”

And I grew weary.

Then, I happened upon some Twitter trolls with MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN hashtags, harassing a Muslim-American woman with vicious, vile messages about “going back where she came from” and taunting her with images of bombed out Syrian villages. I started to engage them, and they quickly commented that being a “filthy Jew libtard,” I should leave as well. I considered breaking the news to them that I’m not Jewish, but would feel no shame if I were—

But I just became tired.

Later I read our President’s Twitter feed; a seemingly endless parade of angry, nonsensical ramblings, wild accusations, unhinged conspiracy theories, and mischaracterizations of the press, women, immigrants, Democrats, protestors—most of America. I began responding to him.

But I grew exasperated.

I surveyed the latest monstrosities manufactured by Stephen Miller, Mitch McConnell, and Mike Pence; all their legislative assaults on the poor and already marginalized. I considered an opposing response, but soon gave up.

I felt drained.

I happened upon a Facebook post from a former church friend back in Charlotte; a bitter, racially charged tirade about “lazy people living off the Government, finally having to be responsible.” Knowing he was a Christian, I started to reply with some quotes from Jesus that I wish he’d consider.

But I quickly became fatigued.

I overheard a conversation at a local coffee shop, with a woman going on and on about how much Donald Trump, “clearly loved his wife,” and how she had “zero respect” for Barack Obama as a husband and father.

I nearly went into a coma.

It was barely 11 AM.

I strongly considered going back to bed.

Lately, many Americans are enduring such days with stunning regularity, and coming to terms with this irrefutable t***h: H**eful people who are bent on being h**eful will wear you the heck out.

They are thoroughly frustrating because they do not respond to facts, data, honest questions, personal stories, heartfelt pleas, civil discussion, or any of the things many of us grew-up believing people wanted when engaging in disagreement. They are fully entrenched in their heavily fortified position of contempt and they are not budging. And so, even if your instinct and intention is to build a bridge or have a conversation or find common ground with them, they have little interest, if such things mean having to relinquish any of the hatred their hearts have become so set on harboring. They seemingly would rather retain rightness than entertain reality—and this is fully tiring to encounter every day.

Now, this far into perhaps the most openly h**eful Presidency in our nation’s history, I confess that I am profoundly exhausted; from lazy racial stereotypes, from alternative Fox News facts, from hackneyed narratives about Muslims and gay and Jewish and brown-skinned people, and from a President who is mortally allergic to decency.

The Scriptures of my religious tradition often mention Jesus withdrawing to the solitary places to pray (Lk 5:16, Mt 12:15, Mt 14:13, Lk 22:41.) I imagine this is how he was able to sustain himself while encountering h**eful people while not becoming h**eful himself—how he was able to keep being the voice of love surrounded by so many bitterly opposing voices. I am trying to find this healthy rhythm of withdrawing and engaging, but it is hard to come by.

Like the vast majority of this country, I want it to be the place where e******y, diversity, and decency find sanctuary, and though I am fully committed to the aspiration, I am feeling the cumulative weariness sustained from a small but fierce portion of the population (including far too much of its leadership) whose narrative about the world depends upon acrimony for so much of it. I know that I’m not alone in this emotional depletion and physical fatigue.

But the people consumed with hatred will not consume me, and they will not change my heart toward the world. They will not derail my path or alter my convictions.

I will be a person of love here or I will die trying.

If you find that you are similarly weary today, be encouraged. Rest and resist and fight to remain loving.
H**eful people are exhausting—so refuse to become one of them.[/quo



Another good read Slat... Hatred and intolerance are bred in ignorance... this is the challenge to the American experiment.. Rodney King nailed it buddy... Trump didn't ...[/quote]

Well, the message is, it's okay to h**e. There was a time that simply because it wasn't PC that someone would hold their tongue over how they really felt. Today it's fine to denigrate people because of the color of their skin. My oldest brother uses to love to tell off-color r****t jokes. He got a big kick out of it and the rest of us just looked the other way. Then he married someone who was very PC and the off-color jokes came to a grinding halt. But go by today and he will be happy to regale you with most r****t off-color jokes you have ever heard. So what happened? Well after 30 years of marriage he's not afraid of losing Sherry and DJT has made it okay to denigrate others because they are racially different than you are...

Dan the man

I found the same... to much exaggeration in the news!

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

You seem to have disregarded my opening statement.

Rose42

You did emphasize it comes from both sides but the author didn’t seem to get it. Otherwise a good article even though one sided.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Your comments generally seem to recognize & present reasonable balance. In this case, I found the article powerful...too much so to be dismissed. I prefaced it in an effort to recognize that an alternate view could be found and presented. OPP is, after all, a sounding board for all perspectives.

Have a great day, Lady Rose

zombinis3 Loc: Southwest

Nope examples given are mostly from the right yes but can be from both sides of the current line that is dividing us. I have meet people who believe that there are ones who live off the govenment from both sides of that line. They also believe that the country should have protected borders but not the solid instance of a wall. Their belief is also people who need help have to have that help available ,without the consideration of differences. His opinon was that the leader of a country or group basically sets the general feelings and actions of the group.

Wonttakeitanymore

Lopsided reasoning ovomit displayed and caused more hatred than any before and hopefully after him!

crazylibertarian Loc: Florida by way of New York & Rhode Island

I agree with this Slatten, but I think that L*****t sources & instances of h**e are far greater than Right wing. Just on OPP, I have never read anything that matches the hatred & vitriol in the postings from Keven, PeterS, Lone Wolf and others.

And it's the Left that is always warning about right wing extremism yet who's been doing the r**ting? Can anyone even remotely claim that Black L***s M****r and A****a are right wing. With everyone of these shootings, the L*****ts frantically search for evidence of right wing malcontent yet, more of them seem to have left wing backgrounds. Were The Reign of Terror, Stalin's Show Trials, Castro's purges (that have been conveniently swept under the rug and ignored) and Pol Pot's K*****g Fields in any way Rightist (I am not mentioning Hitler's horrors which the Left has successfully pinned on Rightist when Hitler was a socialist).

The writer is correct - people who are filled with h**e, are vexations for soul, both for others and themselves. They must be very unhappy people.

A huge problem is that they are often fairly articulate and intelligent and their rantings with their spewing of vitriol seem to be clever putdowns but, on inspection are nowhere near the cleverness of Winston Churchill or William F. Buckley. Rather it is simply name calling. They thus garner an audience, a la Hillary Clinton with her deplorables and irredeemibles remarks. They despise all who disagree with them on anything and likely despise each other as well. Don't forget those purges.

And one last point! Such attitudes are often sources of violence and signs of true psychopathology. These people are unbalanced.

lpnmajor Loc: Arkansas

I feel sorry for h**eful people, they must be terribly unhappy