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Ugh. Pam is the type of person that is needed. She has had the veil lifted and can share that knowledge as no other.

To remain a free and diverse country, we must be willing to accept our diversity of opinions as we move towards our common greater goal. We must be willing to disagree agreeably in acquiring and preserving freedom.

I hear you. Jan 6 just doesn’t sit well with me at all. I just heard about this though. I’d really have to sit with it for a bit.

Sadly, forgiveness comes hard for a lot of folks. She should just go to a different event. No one has to know who she is. No one knows who I am. Also, she needs No forgiveness except from herself.

One of the problems of Wokeness is the inherent hypocrisy…

I don't think Pam's a hero but do think she's accepted costs and responsibility, said what she did wrong, said her sorries. In a culture that values second chances, that should usually be enough. Left or right, perpetual purity penalty boxes undermine the responsibility for growth we ask of people.

You do not have to thank her or forgive her, but let her speak

She knows she was lied to but took the FULL responsibility for her actions. Instead of retreating into non public life she wants to warn others=Hero.🤷🏻‍♂️🕊️🇺🇸

People need to get over themselves, this is an all hands on deck moment because Republicans aren't going to help us, nor the courts especially,SCOTUS. I guarantee forgiving Ms.Hemphill isn't going to be as horrendous as losing our democracy & living in taco's authoritative hellscape.

I welcome anyone who isn't currently supporting trump. Little by little, people are coming around , even if they aren't democrats. How else will we ever heal and m9ve forward?

I agree! She admitted she was lonely and spending too much time online, she got pulled in, too naive. We need her.

Seems to me that she’s an excellent explainer of how the GOP lies trap regular people.

She should feel honored. She rises above the ilk.

Will we ever learn? Open the tent to everyone. She is sorry, we forgive.

She is a hero. This is ridiculous…

Dear Pam Hemphill, You are always invited to stand next to me at our TN rallies. My "FORMER Republican" sign was met with welcoming arms and thoughtful questions.

You don't need to be "embraced" to participate. You examine what the party stands for. Then you examine yourself. Focus on amends, not forgiveness.

Please take the time to learn more about Pam Hemphill’s background. www.ktvb.com/article/news...

I’d sponsor her in my town. I think maybe it’s the water in Idaho. Every time I go there I just get a weird vibe. Like Utah on steroids.

Unacceptable!

Liberal purists are in every state. What I think of them ... 😝

Calling her a hero might be a bit much. But I do agree she should share her story, if anything to prove that some in that ilk can learn and grow.

When general elections are decided by a single percentage point, you can't be picky about voters. Remember that every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.

Yes. Big tent and wide gate. Less condescension, more welcoming.

Good read

Adam, you are amazing.

This is also why many can no longer stand going to rallies — sick of being talked at and told what to say, how to say it, etc., by a bunch of self-satisfied so-called protest “experts.”

Just like I support you, and I support Pam, I hope more democrats will continue to welcome all supporters.

I guess that the messages were a polite FU to you and her. Maybe moderate Democrats are next in line.

Disunity and petty squabbles have always been the weakness of the "left" in the US and Canada. Unfortunately the loudest voices seem to want everyone to be held to a spotless, and frankly impossible, standard.

Is Putin the president or Trump ! www.facebook.com/share/v/1FTK...

Purity police is one of the reasons we are in this hell. Perfect isn’t opposite of good enough. Let’s stop purity test please.

That's why I don't get close to groups of any kind- they become mini cults.

Yup, it’s a social form of learned helplessness

Cooking the books? Fears Trump could target statisticians if data disappoints | Donald Trump | The Guardian share.google/r47H6i5LpJPY...

Agree!!!! Easy to divide when so loosely joined

We don’t have to forgive them, but we do have to allow them to find a new identity. The best cult deprogrammers are former cult members. No one had to forgave the Nazis for Germany to evolve.

How about we start reaching a hand out to those who have done the work to reprogram themselves? Holding grudges is immature and like Rep Kinzinger reminds, will lead us to failure.

If not you, then who? If not now, then when? Be there. www.nokings.org

I'm a long time feminist, freedom fighter, labor organizer and advocate, decades long environmentalist from back when it was called ecology but I've had run ins with those snotty "leftist" wankers for being insufficiently pure and it's galling. I wonder seriously if they are real or sock puppets.

Purity tests are the death of coalition building! Hold your nose for DEMOCRACY!

Thank you for this!

We need Pam’s to reach the MAGA cult. She is far better to reach my family members than I am. Do not punish people who’ve finally seen the light. Welcome them

Loved this part- “We’re bigger than MAGA, but none of it matters if so-called ‘leaders’ continue to choose division over unity based on their own sense of moral superiority.”

Forgiveness can be a personal decision and an internal shift, whereas trust requires consistent actions and a demonstrated change in behavior from the other person.

Adam - this woman - regretful as she may be, has taken some controversial positions that don’t align well with decency and protection of young women (against male predatory practices). One thing for certain - nothing is black and white and billionaire propagandists are targeting us.

Under the current circumstances, what has evolved over the past decade -- suspicion is 100% justified. I agree.

x.com/ncookbouton/...

Isn't wise to vet people you'll allow to speak on your behalf? x.com/ncookbouton/...

bsky.app/profile/shee... You probably missed this weeks video of Pam being okay with a 44 year old man having sex with a young child. Pam Hemphill’s voice should not represent anyone.

Pam Hemphill, the so-called “MAGA Grandma” was at Jan 6 attack, was arrested, plead guilty, was sentenced. Ms. Hemphill refused to take Trump's pardon because ... she knew she was guilty, and all she and others had done was based on a LIE. She considers the Trump pardon a continuation of the lies.

Amen! We need everyone who's interested in fighting for truth & honor. This woman admitted her guilt & paid the price. She is exemplary of what we all pray to see in those who were lost

📌

The left engages in too many purity tests. Is it more important to be pure or to win?

You and Liz did very good 👍 Thank you for your service. So did any of the MAGA Jan 6’ers who declined pardons and are consistently speaking against #FOTUS47 Glad people are wanting to join hands 🙌 They should not be turned away.

They start as an 'other'. A member of a marginalized group... find a tribe of their own kind, and finally feel safety and acceptance. Next they're bonding together, by engaging in a same marginalization of 'others' to validate themselves. Left has too many Sects, focused on own individual issues.

Funny how y’all are brimming with the milk of human kindness for white magas. But got nothing but FAFO for Latin and Arab magas. Hard pass, won’t be any MAGAs at these rallies - let her go where they’re at and talk to them. We don’t need her message.

Agreed. A once-Trumper who self-punishingly rejected a pardon by the lying chief insurrectionist of her crime of being fooled by that liar. That's different from cases in which Trumpers regret only when they later find out they're also indifferently punished by fascist buffoon.

Pick a side people. I am going to be on the right side of history and I will call out what I see: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, Nazis, sadists, etc.

Not helpful.

Yeah it's definitely the left, the people y'all spent all election season spitting on, to blame for your loss

Why should the left, or anyone, associate with a POS just because they're not MAGA? 😂 A POS is still a POS.

bsky.app/profile/shee...

Hemphill would make a very poor spokesperson. It would be best for everyone if she took up gardening or knitting or fly-tying. bsky.app/profile/shee...

There are examples of people who have taken 'make amends' very seriously, and Pam is one of them.

Thanks for sharing all the specifics of a not-surprising, yet extremely disappointing gaffe. We MUST do better 🗽

Too often do I see people barking at those who ought to be— would be their allies, if only they had the patience to accept them. Drives me nuts. Thank you for not living down to my (anecdotal) experience. Keep being awesome. :-)

bsky.app/profile/mike...

Spot on! Fragmenting purity tests doomed the Spanish republic in the war with the fascists. Don’t be like the Spanish republic.

We have to take everyone who is willing to go against Trump, except Musk.

Even though we do our best, we still make mistakes, apologize and make amends. It is all we can do and still remain true to ourselves. There will always be purists who can’t accept that. It’s up to the rational ones to reign them back & help them see.

Sounds like she is welcome to attend, just not as a speaker.

+1 as a French-born I am proud the gaullists and communists fought (and bled) together in the resistance, without regard for the previous communist-nazi alignment.

I like how it’s stated in the article that “we need more people like Pam” and I agree because she can personally testify to the cultish influence of MAGA!!

Great post Adam. Agree completely. “Divide and conquer” involves not being divided and having an open mind.

The far left is the same as the far right. We need to welcome and accept everyone to the cause. Yes we can be angry but we also are responsible for each other as human beings. Kindness and acceptance is taught. Don’t use the tools of the oppressor to get your point across.

I'm extremely LEFT leaning and understand that January 6th is still raw for so many of us,the pardons were the bandaid being ripped off Personally, I would have welcomed Pam with open arms. If we are going to beat the EVIL from within, we need people like Pam Hemphill to come forward and speak out.

So very good. As a retired SocWkr there were times the cases I assigned to me to reassign to my staff were families with previous histories of being 'difficult'. Yet, a case work began & one learned why, the opportunity came to forgive yourself for judging a family based on opinions of other SWs

ICE is now removing foster children from their foster homes for deportation. These children are not criminals!!!! 👇 www.instagram.com/reel/DK2TOjm...

Far-left purity destroys us. It’s why Trump is president.

They need to stop this foot shooting. We need as many boots on the ground as possible.

💯 she is exactly the type of person who should be celebrated. She has accepted full responsibility for her past actions and has a great story to tell.

I couldn’t find the video you mentioned, but in the ones I watched she talked about live and let live, supported abortion rights, was anti assault weapons and called J6 an insurrection. I’m not saying elect her to Congress, but if she wants to march with me I wouldn’t say no.

💯 I couldn’t agree with you more. Former reformed MAGAt are our allies. Current MAGAts are our enemies. We need to differentiate between those.

Yah, that’s disgusting. You guys should have her show up and speak at another prominent rally. She’s more of an asset than the idiots that turfed her.

I needed this one today! Seriously needed to read this dialog. I have been heading down this path and I don’t like myself because of it. I will do better. ☯️☮️

Yes! They should beg her to come!!!

She should have been the headliner!

100%. I myself have been guilty of the "FAFO" and "I told you so" about former Trump supporters. But we need to unify against him, full stop.

I hop another No Kings group invites her to speak. I’d love to hear her speak.

Purity testing and glass house mentality from progressives is real — most are affluent enough that their lives won’t be affected regardless who is in power. Politics is a persuasion game. Do we as progressives want to persuade the center to shift to us, or do we enjoy sitting in our high castles?

Sorry, not Sorry. Forgiveness can be obtained at a confessional. Recant in private, doing good deeds for the folks you have hurt with your vote. Headlining an event isn’t contrition, it’s a pass. We aren’t in that stage of grief for the loss of our beloved Democracy to start giving passes!

I am a democrat and this is very true of a large part of our party, especially the far left. Democrats are quick to judge and convict and that is part of the reason we lost in 2024.

It's not like we have to be BFFs, y'all I 1,000% understand the loathing and distrust yet I also understand basic fucking logistics and ratios. WE NEED MORE willing resisters! Get off the damn high horses, make nice, and FIGHT TOGETHER

Hmmm… Sucks when someone does a lot of shitty things whilst masquerading as a hero, then does one thing (very) right but still doesn’t get the hero’s parade they feel is more than deserved. 😭 It’s almost like it takes more than doing one thing right to redeem oneself and earn people’s trust.

The question, to me, is whether you get a speaking slot or not which is different than if you sre i. The movement.

That is ammunition for the right. Also, an invitation for the woman to question why she thought wrong

That is sad and pathetic.

See also Cheney, Richard

THE REASON DEMS WILL FAIL!!!! CLUTCHING THEIR PEARLS AND PURITY TEST! WHILE OTHER SIDE ALL OUT WAR! TRYING TO START A CIVIL WAR!! HIS OBJECTIVE FROM DAY 1 ! OF 2.0!!

I agree.

What an absolute disgrace. We need more Pam Hemphill’s to be accepted after she’s apologized, she didn’t take a damn pardon! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

I don’t get it.

Yes!! We don’t need folks to get baptized in liberalism to give them a seat at the table! Every small crack in the foundation moves them to the middle. Open the gates!

What a bunch of crap. We are in a war so some of these progressives need to get real.

It’s either change or lose forever and we in the rest of the world will not forget the weakness of the American center and left.

So do they *want* her to go back to MAGA? She's better than quite a few people, political identity irrelevant, who refuse to admit they ever did anything wrong to help create the environment for the current crisis. Plenty of blame to go around.