Ex-Republicans, do you sometimes feel unforgiven?

[Ladyhawk]

Mike Malloy just went off on a tirade against even ex-Republicans. I used to be a Republican. My heart really was in the right place, but I didn't have the right information. My family are still Republicans, but, sadly, I don't think their hearts are in the right place. That realization kills me inside because I love my family. There's also a part of me that hates them. Rage and love, love and rage--it hurts like hell. Still, if they were to say, "Woah, I made a huge mistake," I would welcome them. Also, I'm finding it hard to completely give up on them.

I'm past the stage of no forgiveness. I realized it was an internally inconsistent position for me since I voted for * in 2000. I didn't know what the hell I was doing. Honestly. Had I known, I would never have done it in a million years. Though it's late in the game, there have to be others in this same position.

I was raised fundy and Republican. Republicanism was almost a religion. It's hard to release oneself from cult-like thinking.

Mike, if you read this, buddy, all I can say is that I was voting against my beliefs, against my best interests and didn't even know it! I had to release myself and it was bloody hard. Have a little forgiveness for those who see the light, those of us who--against the odds--learned to think for ourselves.

Is there anyone else here who is angry with ex-Republicans? If so, I understand why you are angry. I also hope that you can forgive me. I've tried to make up for it. I have tried hard to become a better person. I'll be working on it for the rest of my life.

[stepnw1f]

1. Not Me

I may at times spout off in anger and frustration, but when one honestly comes around I say, "Good for you!".

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Same here. I get read the riot act for being the wrong kind of

progressive sometimes, so I can understand what ex-repubs feel in the face of angry dems.

However it is my firm belief that we all need to come together, left, right, and center to punt the junta out of D.C.--and hopefully into jail. So I welcome truly ex repubs with open arms.

------------------------------------------------------
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[stepnw1f]

32. Everyone Needs to Come Together

to get these bastards out of office and to reform our government.

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. Big time. It's the only recourse we have left to us. To massively

overwhelm them in numbers.


------------------------------------------------------
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[calimary]

56. Yeah, me, too. They who still cling to their bush-worship DO make me

MAD!!! But on the other hand, I believe souls CAN be saved.

I have a couple of friends who are just SO mis-informed because they hang out with - in one case, lots of rednecks, red-staters, and cowboys; and in the other case, the ultra-wealthy and well-connected. They both get their information mostly from those spheres of influence in which they circulate.

If I, or others, continue to present them with the facts and the truth, and they resolutely refuse to hear it, then I have no further patience for them. If, on the other hand, they give me an even listen and an open mind, and it starts to sink in and they change, or at least enlarge their thinking, WONDERFUL!!!

The jury's still out on both of these women. One is vacillating now - deeply distressed that bush is "good, but he's surrounded by all these BAD people!!!" - to which I feel compelled to point out that - he's surrounded by all these BAD people because he HIRES AND APPOINTS AND ASSEMBLES THEM, HIMSELF. They're there directly because of HIM. The other one could only stammer - "uh, boy, I'm getting wrong information. I'm getting the wrong information here..." but I haven't seen or talked to her in a long time.

There's one other - a woman who's a nurse, and hangs out with other health care people, most of whom qualify for the famous "have-nots" category. GOD only knows why she likes bush. The last time she and my husband had a talk, and she was distraught about the inaction she got from her local Social Security office and how understaffed it was and how people didn't answer the phone and when they did, all she got was the runaround. My husband mentioned that this is what you get when you vote for bush, because he's cut everything back. Earlier, she was resolute in her defense of bush, every time she and I would discuss it. This time, our side of the debate was met with the proverbial stony silence. No comeback at all.

I don't know how this ends up. I'm trying to save these souls. Don't know if it'll happen. Denial, doncha know? But I haven't given up yet. Although, it's awfully hard. And there's part of me that wants to rub it in their noses and squawk - "well, YOU HAPPY NOW???? YOU LIKE THE JOB YOUR PRECIOUS FUCKING bUSH HAS DONE NOW???? YOU STILL OKAY WITH THIS??????" I don't, at least not yet. But lemme tellya, sometimes I am exactly on the edge.

But it must not be a permanent disability for me - I STILL believe that souls can be saved... and I'm still out there trying...

[annabanana]

2. for me, anger just isn't the right word..

I welcome ex-pubs with a sigh of relief and a renewed sense of life's possibilities.
I guess I'm just a liberal tree-huggin' softie... but I LOVE redemption stories. And coming in from the cold is an impressive accomplishment, especially for those in a red environment.

[Jawja]

4. I have an ex-Republican in my

family, along with other Republicans. I understand where they were coming from. They are old time Republicans - probably like you - less government and taxes, fiscal responsibility, socially liberal to moderate.

It has taken awhile for REAL Republicans to understand that the party is no longer run by REAL Republicans, but by neocons. Lots of power by Southern "Christian" organizations.

:hi: :toast: Here's to a recovering Republican.

[Ready4Change]

11. Yes.

But I understand.

I understand that, to many liberals, the current extreme right wing nutcases in charge of the GOP are thought to be "Republicans."

But, in my mind now, there IS no Republican Party any more. That Party has been taken over by zealots, and many conservatives are too bedazzled by winning elections to notice the problem.

RIP, GOP.

[donco6]

5. I heard that. As an ex-Republican myself -

I wanted to ask him, so Mike, are you saying that only if you're BORN a Democrat, are you worthy? I don't get it. He basically said he hated traitors and that people who switch parties cannot ever be trusted not to switch again.

In my own case, I had a genuine change of heart, and could never imagine voting Rep again. I'm GAY, fer Chrissakes.

He seemed a bit vitriolic about it, and I think he's off-base.

[Ladyhawk]

14. I totally agree with your assessment of the situation.

I also had a true change of heart. In my school, church and home, I was taught to hate gays. When I was a freshman in college, I told my boyfriend to disown his gay father OR ELSE. And the thing is, he AGREED with me because he was fundy, too. :( :( :( :(

Obviously, my behavior was completely unacceptable, but it was all I knew. As my opinions changed, I had to switch parties! Would Mike rather I be true to my family, my church and my school and continue to vote for gay-bashing Republicans? NO FUCKING WAY!

In a way, I had to disown friends and family in order to follow what I felt was right. And in disowning family, I found myself back in the position of rejecting people based on beliefs. There has to be a way to hold people accountable, yet forgive them when they see the light. I'm having a hell of a problem with this. I need for my heart to be soft and my head to be hard, I guess. Accountability mixed with openness and forgiveness is hard to attain

[calimary]

59. TELL me about it!!

I struggle with this all the time. An immediate tendency to want to read somebody the riot act because of their ridiculously unspooled thinking. I tell ya, it takes everything I've got not to stomp up into some bush-supporter's face and not scream - THANKS A FUCKIN' HEAP!!! YOU shoved this plague down upon us!!! But I don't. It's tempting as hell to want to flip the finger to somebody on the road with a bush/cheney or "w04" bumper sticker as I drive past. But I don't.

I hope that the Katrina fiasco has melted some of their hearts and shown them that this fabulous-sounding small-government crap is just that - crap, and that those who insist it's correct need to be marched out to the woodshed.

For those who have seen the light - I salute and celebrate them, heartily. Because you couldn't be more correct - it takes a HUGE amount of courage and clear-headed thinking to be able to extricate yourself from what may be a lifetime of propaganda force-feeding, especially if you're steeped in it from childhood at home/church/school. It takes a truly big person, of very great character and conscience and courage, to realize he or she is on the wrong path, no less to admit and embrace that fact, and then turn in the other direction.

[Seen the light]

6. I don't understand it

I'm another ex-Republican. Look, when you're force-fed this crap all your life, it's a hard thing to break away from.

[donco6]

8. Yes.

I think he was off-base to go off on the converted.

[Ladyhawk]

21. It is. It's hell to break away because it feels like a betrayal

of family and friends. They'll tell you so, too, and in many cases will pull away. I pulled away, too. Finding the right balance is going to be hard.

I hope you can help us with your unique point of view, Seen the light. I've been in the process of breaking away for twenty years, both from my religion and from the Republican Party. Bush's presidency was a "last straw" experience for me.

[donco6]

37. I left Christianity AND Republicanism.

So basically I had NO FRIENDS or even acquaintances when I packed up my duds and moved to Denver in 1991. I didn't see any other option. But evidently, that is of no value compared to a Dem who was, say, raised in a Dem household and never questioned THOSE beliefs.

At least I know what I believe now. I know I was wrong before. So what's bad about that, exactly? Isn't that what we WANT?

[Ladyhawk]

42. I did, too, so yeah, I pretty much lost friends and family.

I'm still at a loss as to how to proceed and it's been years. I left Christianity when I was in my early twenties and formally left Republicanism--though it had been a long time coming--in 2002.

[calimary]

60. Welcome to DU!

Now YOU are one of those I salute, and celebrate!!!

Yeah, it's hard, for certain. I mean, look at all the people who haven't managed it yet. Glad you have. That says quite a bit about you - all good things.

[Geek_Girl]

7. I love Ex-Republicans

I just wish there were more of you.

:loveya:

[MissMarple]

63. Thank you.

:) But I was never a real Republican. I only registered so I could vote in the primaries in Colorado. Where I live, in this area of Colorado, Democrats had no influence, there we NO elected Democrats. (We have one now in the state legislature) So, moderate Republicans were, and still are, fighting the wing nuts. We have a lot of wing nuts here. This is Fundyland.

But the winds of change are in the air. I can only hope they turn into something of a gale.

Anyhoo, I'm really an Independent. Classically so. I like Democrats, Republicans, Greens,... just not all of them. They have to be progressives first.

[hippiegranny]

9. all are welcome

into the light. when folks finally see the truth and are willing to admit they were wrong, they are completely forgiven. i only hope they take that new knowledge and go forth to enlighten others.

[agincourt]

10. Hell no! I DON'T hate ex - GOP

The ones who drive me nuts are the current ones who worry more about Bush and blow-fly babies like Karl Rove, rather than about America. They'll worry more about Bush than NOLA.

[Der Blaue Engel]

12. Nope

I don't think that's a widespread feeling. Malloy can be a little strident. I'm an ex-Repub and an ex-fundie and I've never felt like anyone blamed me for it. Better to admit a mistake and change your ways, after all.

:hug:

[jzodda]

13. First off I disagree with your premise

Just being a Republican does not make you a terrible person. Its how extreme your politcs are and also how you live your life. I know many moderate Repubs here north of New York City and they are really good people.

I have an (ex) friend who was a self described liberal. He would blindly support left leaning positions no matter what. He was also a white coller criminal who stole from his clients and went to jail because of it. All the while making huge sums of money he never donated to any causes.

I have a current friend who is a republican. He does not make much money and has 4 kids-yet he finds time to be a volunteer fire-fighter and donates thousands of dollars every year to organizations like the red cross, save the children, etc.

Where is he now? Down south working to help in the relief effort.

So to be so blinded for one side or the other is wrong. Anybody who is angry that a person is in one party or the other is misguided. In any event the Dem party is not so different these days then the other side. What they care about is money, money money and more money. Both are beholden to corp interests and huge sums of money. As an attorney I get invited all the time to meet with the Dem politcal "stars" All I need to do is bring my checkbook.

[Ladyhawk]

15. That's a good point. I feel there are good people who are still

being blinded by the right. After the election, I was blinded by my own anger. I need to find the right balance. Unfortunately, I don't think Mike Malloy has found the balance yet, either. :(

[jzodda]

17. I know what you mean

At times I had a hard time too with balance. Especially during the election period. In 2000 I worked for the Gore campaign and spent 2 weeks in Florida, and this time I worked for Kerry.

Around the time of the election I lose all sense of balance. Its like the 7th game of the world series. Anybody who even smells republican might get a speech from me lol

so I have been there too!

[Obamarama]

18. Yeah, Republicans ARE terrrible people.

When you vote Republican, you vote for evil. Plain and simple. Nobody will ever convince me otherwise, and let me tell you...more and more people are waking up and smelling the coffee.

If Republicans don't want to be thought of as evil, then they need to take their grand old party back out of the hands of the neocon thugs who have hijacked it. If you don't, then you are an accomplice to their crimes.

[OnionPatch]

16. No, no no!!

Please don't feel this way! It's got to be extremely hard to admit you were tricked/bamboozled but those who can bring themselves to do so have earned my admiration and thanks. I would NEVER be angry at someone for figuring out the hard truth. All I can say is THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart! You give me faith that Americans are capable of seeing the truth even through all the lies we are told.

[titoresque]

24. what about the ones

who don't come to their senses until a few more thousand people die?
What about them....are you really going to open your arms to them?
Not me! There is too much information out there and what it comes down to now is being gravely irresponsible and lazy.
We have a society of people who have been convinced that Bush and company will take care of them....yes,even after what we've all seen this past wek....there are so many who still believe to the point that they are willing to hand over there freedom and privacy for the illusion of safety......because they are LAZY and irresponsible......and they have blood on their hands!!!

So while more and more people speak out, and more and more research is put out these people keep the blinders on.......it's disgusting and I for one will not be part of the welcome wagon for much longer........I mean for christ sake what does it have to take for people to finally wake up?! Anther N.O.? Two more? Another war? Martial Law? A draft?
How bad does it have to get before they jump ship and finally "see the light" ?!

[OnionPatch]

28. Well, I think a lot of people

depended on the mainstream media and just didn't have the time to dig deeper and check out the media's accuracy. I'm certainly not going to trash them when they come to their senses, sorry. I think the rabidly GOP people you're talking about are not the kind of people who will ever come to their senses anyway.

[titoresque]

19. I don't actually know any ex-republicans

but if my in-laws were to pluck their repuke heads out of GW's ass I don't think I would come running to congratulate them. I just have too much anger I guess. But I do think there is a big difference between ex-republicans and ex-bush loving republicans.

As I see it the Repukes of today supporting this monster....for 2 terms?!....are very different than the Republicans of my parents generation. I don't know....I guess it would depend on a few things......for instance why? What finally did it for the person to leave the Republican party? If it was the price of gas....I think I would still want to tell the former freep to go to hell.

Sorry, I know.........Im a jerk. :hi:

[Ladyhawk]

25. No, it's OK. For me it was a lot of things over a long period of time.

I was never a Bush lover. Never. Still, I feel even repentant Bush-lovers should be welcomed. :) Had you asked me that after the election, I might have given you a different answer. I was pissed. :shrug:

There were so many "aha" moments that led up to the big break, but the final insult was the Iraq War. I KNEW * was lying about the WMDs and went to war anyway. I supported the anti-war movement and wished I had felt well enough to attend the anti-war march...so there's your answer. For me, it was the Iraq War.

[Joe Chi Minh]

20. And don't imagine, Ladyhawk,

that all lefties are nice people. I've lived too long and seen too many young left-wing firebrands veer sharply to the right, once they'd made their pile, or were set fair to do so, because, while they knew where their best interest lay, they were SOLELY motivated by it, and didn't really care about others at all. If you're unforgiven by any Dem, you're better off without their approval.

At the moment, I think America stands on the theshold of a wonderful development of the kind of socialism we knew in the UK after WWII, and they still enjoy in Scandinavia. And I believe that, unlike in the UK, in the past, yours will last into a bright and wonderful future. And I trust you'll not be alone in that happy outcome.

[Ladyhawk]

27. God, I hope so! And I know of some really obnoxiously lefties, too.

I have been an obnoxious lefty in some ways. I just can't keep my mouth shut sometimes. :(

[Joe Chi Minh]

43. Join the club!

[calimary]

61. Yeah, really!!!

I'd probably be first vice president of that one...

[Joe Chi Minh]

70. Well, I don't know how to take that,

Calimary..... but I'll risk taking it as a compliment. Though I think Ladyhawk had a more negative notion of the animosity in mind, and a more generalised notion of the right, than the neocon opeatives on here. Discomfiting the latter by every means available is an absolute requirement for us, as far as I'm concerned.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. Of course I can forgive you

You've seen the light. You're trying to do the right thing now. And you are in a great place to do some good, because you understand far better than a lifelong liberal how a Republican mind works. You can find the Truth and show Republicans how Bushco is simply lies.

[kineneb]

23. pleased that you "saw the light", welcome under the Bodhi tree

first step to sanity and enlightenment is to admit your problems and erroneous thinking. I do not understand the closed, negative thinking that goes on in the fundy "churches" and with the mean Republicans. At some point they will become their own worst enemies. That is their karma.

peace to you

[RallyInDC]

26. no way. republicans who supported this evil can not ever be forgotten.

willingly or not, knowingly or not, they supported evil GOP fascists to take over our united states.

I will never forgive them for that, ever..

and I was a republican. but I didn't vote for bush I voted for either mccain or the other guy and will not ever vote them again.

[faithfulcitizen]

52. huh? so, do you forgive yourself?

[Zomby Woof]

29. Fuck Mike Malloy

He is a blowhard and an idiot - no better than Rush. He may share most of our views about Republicans and Bush, but he is still an ignorant twit who mouths off the same kind of shit as Rush.

For peace of mind and sanity, blow up your radio.

[Ladyhawk]

36. I've been wondering about this and this isn't the first time.

:shrug:

I tuned out Randi Rhodes because I hated the way she treated her callers. I think Mike might be next.

[Zhade]

38. Not a fan of him either.

I tried him for a time, but the screaming at people who didn't match his exact narrow viewpoint precisely as he wanted it was enough for me.

I recall a woman calling in to talk about some sort of communal self-governing tribe - I think her eventual point was heading towards "we'd be better off helping each other govern ourselves instead of relying on politicians" - and he just brutally cut her off, railing at her about wasting his time and "not bing on message" or whatever.

Fuck that. I don't care for that kind of personality at all.

Now Thom Hartman, there's someone who knows his stuff AND how to get it across effectively.

[Kerrytravelers]

30. I'm married to an ex-republican. I ADORE him. He's so left of me now!

He was raised in a hard-core fundy fruitcake rethug house. his late brother actually had the nerve to call me a baby killer. Can you imagine. He said Democrats aren't welcomed in his church (yep, you guessed it, he was a Southern Baptist minister.) He didn't, however, have the courage to say this in front of anyone because even my fundy in-laws would have been upset by this.

My response: Educated people ask others their views on issues before proclaiming accusations at them. However, being that you're not very socially educated, I'd expect about as much. And you, sir, would not be welcomed at my church. We actually talk about the teachings of Jesus Christ instead of who we hate and are damning to hell this week. You are an embarrassment to your family and you would be well advised not to cross with me any further, preacher man, because next time, I will annihilate you in front of everyone, including your kids.


(To know me is to fully believe I would say all this. I've never been one who is at a loss for words. And I probably wouldn't have done it in front of the kids... but he wasn't willing to test the waters.)

Andway. I don't hate ex-repubs. I am happy that they found their heart under all that hate and decided to embrace the kindness within them and expell the hate. It takes a lot. Mr. kt's family has acted so childish. We've received hate mail from his parents. And now, because of this, I don't speak more than two words... hello and goodbye... when we have to see them and Mr. kt speaks to them every six weeks or so. And will they be surprised when the kids come. They will not be allowed to be with our children unsupervised ever. We don't trust them with their words and the fundy church they may take our children. But, that is the consequence when you treat people te way they treat people.

Edited to add: Mr. kt was barely rethug (as he says it) for years, but just sort of hung on. He switched parties in 2001 after seeing how the rethugs stopped the vote counting in Flordia.

[Rebellious Republican]

33. "I'm married to an ex-republican. I ADORE him. He's so left of me now!"

My wife says the same thing about me! And we are polar opposites (not really), she was a damn yankee, Kennedy Democrat, from PA dutch country, educated at Penn State during the sixties kinda girl.

I was an F150 pick up truck driven, southern white male, Goldwater Republican, ex military and graduated from the school of hard knocks kinda of guy.

Go figure, opposites attract is what they say. Yep thats my girl, as we say down south "she's a keeper", I love her and would not have it any other way.

:wow:

[Rebellious Republican]

31. Yes, sometimes I get targeted here at DU, because of my ......

pseudonym. Sometimes it feels like holding a lightning rod in a thunderstorm. Often times its easy to see it is freeper trolls with very low number posts. Gee, maybe thats why I chose it, I can envision the sound of teeth gnashing together as they read my post :evilgrin:.

I usually have no problem sending them down in a flurry of flames. It is easy since I am very intimate with their tactics and know how to push all there buttons with out showing any anger or disrespect. Thats the part that they really can not take, they live for you to stoop to their level, it really infuriates them when you understand this and do not give them what they came here for.

Instead of I turn the tables on them until they start rambling incoherently, lowering themselves to the usual name calling and incoherent ramblings. I force them to show their true selves and thats usually when the mods see that they are not just "newbies" with innocent comments. At that point they are tomb stoned (it is an art form that I have developed). I must admit that I derive great pleasure from exposing them for what they are!
Personally I believe in a troll free blog

However, there have been several occasions when I feel my posts have been ignored all together, or even challenged by high post DU'ers. They just see "Republican" in the name and thats all they need to start flaming away or testing me to see if I am the real deal.

Hell, all anyone has to do is click on my profile and see how long I have been around here for. Yep I am a real FORMER republican and damn proud of it, obviously I have not been tomb stoned, so I guess the admin and mods agree. The last Republican I voted for was George H.W. Bush (#41). I did not re register as a Dem until "02", I thought that I could make a difference from the inside. I finally figured out that there was no stopping the steam roller the neocons created and bailed out.

As far as ignoring my posts, thats ok, I understand maybe some are not sure about me, so much for the big tent, eh. They are just missing out on some unique insight and perspective.

I have read and enjoy reading your posts Ladyhawk, do not feel alone, I have close family and friends that are still drinking the cool-aid. I usually avoid talking politics with them or at least understand when to turn to another topic. They will eventually come around, its like drugs and alcohol, you can do nothing to make them quite until they are ready. Thats when they hit their personal bottom, and some have a deeper bottoms then others.

:toast:

[ComerPerro]

34. Depends what kind of Republican they were, and what they are like now

As long as they have realized the error in their judgement and work to correct the situation by voting and converting others, then I don't hold anything against them.

But, some of them, all I can do is laugh (especially those who were severely screwed over by Republican policies).

Then again, at least they had the good sense to wake the hell up.

My question is, what the hell is wrong with anyone who still votes Republican?

[XOKCowboy]

39. I heard that too

Mike was HARSH wasn't he? If it's any consolation the lady he was replying to was talking about former Dems who turned Republican and now are so fed up with Bush, they're thinking of coming back to the Democrat Party. I've got to agree with him that we should use them for their vote if they become Dems but never trust them. They've shown their true colors.

Am I angry with ex-Republicans? Nah. By coming over you've shown that you have critical thinking skills and we need you on our side.

[PowerToThePeople]

41. I :heart: Mike Malloy

That was so on-the-spot. Fuck 'em. They brought this on themselves and on us. If they want to have an epiphany, good for them. But they are the fucking devil who have destroyed all that was good in this country. ANd they did it for completely selfish reasons.

I totally agree, give those fucking repukes an inch and they with throw us in gitmo, take our property through imminent domain and laugh all they way to the bank...

[manic expression]

40. Not just forgiveness...

but respect. I very much appreciate what you have done. To overcome what you grew up with is really amazing, and I tip my hat to you. There is no reason for you to feel "less" than any other person here.

[javadu]

44. This Is One of My Pet Peeves

The last repub I voted for was Bush's father against Clinton. It was the first election in which I was old enough to vote. I have not voted for another repub since.

These sentiments come up among dems. I think it is very hypocritical and not very liberal of dems to refuse to accept us former repubs. Dems also need to understand how hard it is to change for those of us who were "born repubs" and "Christians." Everyone talks about how important it is to question your faith, but no one talks about how difficult it is.

[DanCa]

45. I voted for Mccain am I forgiven?

I voted for mccain in the primairy because of the attack ads, and because of jr.s track record. I also think that a sitting president should have a spent time in active combat and not the way chimpy did . So am I forgiven?

[noahmijo]

49. That's my story too

I was a McCain Republican thinking it'd be great if McCain at least won the primary that way we'd have two good guys up against eachother. i.e. regardless of who wins the country at least isn't likely to go to hell in a handbasket.

Then Karl Rove came along and I vowed never to vote Republican again.

[HEAVYHEART]

46. Hi

I'm not an ex pub. I just wanted to give you guys a hug for seeing the light! :grouphug: Thanks for your heartfelt post. :pals:

[sysoprock]

47. Bush is a Republican, but not all Republicans are Bush.

It's imporant to remember that when attacking Republicans in general.

There are alot of moderates that think the current administration has hijacked the Republican party and alot of it's elected leaders have gone right along with it.

It used to mean something to be a Republican, it used to be an honorable thing.

Look at CNN's Jack Cafferty over the past couple weeks covering Katrina; no bullshit, blunt, telling it like it is. That's what conservatives USED to be.

Personally I would like for the party to put itself into that position once again.

That said, every day on here I see ex-freepers creating accounts on DU, fed up with Bush and his policies.

If people like Mike Malloy think an "I told you so" is worth another 4 years of Republican control then I guess they can go right ahead and throw away that crucial section of votes by telling ex-republicans to kiss their ass.

[noahmijo]

48. Wait when did Malloy do this? He's off today...

he's supposed to be off today...are you listening to a repeat??

I stopped being a Republican the moment the party joined together and decided to slaughter McCain.

[BurtWorm]

50. Ladyhawk, you're too sharp a new Democrat

for anyone to hold former-Republicanism against you.

:patriot:

[Downtown Hound]

51. We should not only forgive ex-Republicans

but welcome them with open arms! We need 'em. The sign that any movement is coming undone is when there's mass dissension in the ranks. The more ex-Republicans there are, the better.

When I was growing up my dad was a Republican and my mom was a Democrat. Until the age of 17 I followed my dad, but I came to eventually like Bill Clinton because the country seemed to be getting better under his leadership than it ever did under the Republicans, so I switched sides right as it was time for me to vote. So I know what it's like when you grow up with it. It drove my dad crazy when I voted for Clinton in '96. My dad died shortly after that, and I've always wondered what he would think of *. It would be very hard for me to know there's anyone in my family that supports that bastard. So hey, you stood up for what you believed in against everyone in your family because you knew it was the right thing to do. Who cares what Mike Malloy or anyone else has to say? It takes courage to learn to think for yourself against the programming that you received when you grew up.

[tabasco]

53. I welcome all who have seen the light with open arms !

I just ask them WTF took you so long?????????????????

[B Calm]

54. I love Malloy!! Even if some of you don't understand him and

what he's doing.

[mitchum]

55. I welcome them, but that doesn't mean I have to forgive them

[KitchenWitch]

57. In my eyes, you are not unforgiven

I was a fundie for a brief time period in the early 80s...for any newly recovering republicans I say, "Hey, welcome aboard!"

[cynatnite]

58. I don't see the point of the question

I was a republican many years ago. I was a huge Reagan fan and voted for him. Since that time, my views began changing after that horrendous 'contract with america' came about. I was disgusted by it.

Should I feel unforgiven? No. Should I expect forgiveness from anyone else? No.

I feel no guilt whatsoever for once being a republican. Why should I? That was a whole lot of years ago and people do change. While I was a republican, I was not responsible for the actions of those I voted for. Nor should I be accused of it.

This is like being responsible for Clinton's penis. Yes, I voted for him, too. But I'm not responsible for what he did with his penis while in office.

Even if someone was a republican last year, last month or even yesterday and changed their party affiliation, I'm not going to make them feel guilty or even tell them I won't forgive them nor should they expect it from any other dems.

When someone does something wrong or realizes they did something wrong, they will either feel guilty about it or not. All the convincing, showing them the truth and exposing the lies and evil in the world won't make anyone feel remorse unless they are capable of it from the beginning.

[LoZoccolo]

62. That's because Mike Malloy's job is not to make progress...

...but to make $$$$$ off of demagogueing who want orgasms of rage five nights a week. His show gives primacy to the visceral to such a degree that it cancels out just about any practical purpose to it. Any radio host who calls his followers "truth seekers" has to be scrutinized.

[NervousRex]

68. Pathetic...

Yeah, Malloy is raking it in...:rofl:
I can understand Malloy not being an ex-repubs cup-of-tea, so to speak, but to slap him with the demagogue label is harsh, and ignorant.

[LoZoccolo]

69. Nope.

And I'm the one who's harsh? We're talking about Mike Malloy!

I mean let's see...he goes and does something that's counterproductive but appeals to his own and his listeners' hateful emotions...sounds like demagoguery to me.

[buddysmellgood]

64. Malloy is the left's answer to Rush, except Malloy uses facts. His opinion

is sometimes extreme...let's say often.
I don't let Rush get to me, don't let Malloy make you feel guilty.
I release you.

[sweetheart]

65. That white mans burden

It does not matter what i do with my entire life, as i am born under
the cloud of republican criminality, am raised in a republican police
state and pre-programmed, like a robot, to hate and make war on them.

So do i feel unforgiven? I remember so many years wishing that the
nuclear holocaust would just come already and wipe out the city. Regular
wage-slave life was *that* bad, that i would rather have had a fireball.
And for all those years, where i felt like that, i am unwashed.

As today, i believe in life, in choosing your own destiny and liberty.
But those long years of wishing for a nuclear war to wipe out the
republicans, was my only memory of being a republican... a sort of
willfull suicidal feeling of wanting to be stopped, like a teenager
crying out for a limit.

And as i get older, all i discover, increasingly, is the ugly shit that
the USA actually stands for; that in truth the nation stands for slavery
and enslavement on a worldwide scale, something unforgivable.

Perhaps an economic meltdown is a much more peaceful end to the
tyranny, as god help us for all the millions who really secretly want,
like i did for so many years, a nuclear armageddon.

[converted_democrat]

66. Yes, often. n/t

[Freedom Socialist]

67. Well...

Back when I was a right-wing social liberal (aka a libertarian-conservative who hates Jean Chretien), I joined CRAP thinking that it was a libertarian party...

Nowadays I find the NDP much too right-wing for my tastes...

Weird, no?

I still hate Mulrotten and Da Cretin though.

[Lecky]

71. Jeez Mike Malloy is not helping when he does that crap...

I love ex-Republicans they give me hope for the future!

[mirror wall]

72. It's quite foolish to be upset with someone who's realized the error of...

...their ways. Especially when the portion of the populace that votes is apparently split neatly in half.

I love former Repubs. It's always heartwarming to see someone wake up out of a stupor, especially when it ususally places a strain on their personal life.

If being born into a political ideology was the only legitimate way to claim that ideology, the Democrats would be in even bigger trouble than they're in now. I'm willing to bet that the Red States out breed the blue by a fairly considerable factor.

It's never too late to embrace facts and compassion.