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In a caller post, we covered the wake-up calls of Americans who near the MAGA movement. It resonated with readers who wrote successful with much stories — astir the radical that they know, from acquaintances to household and friends, and adjacent themselves. Along with a fewer responses from Reddit, here's what radical said:
1. "I ever voted Republican until Trump came down the aureate escalator, accusing each amerciable immigrants of being rapists, pack members, etc. Also, his comments erstwhile helium degraded women. He is and volition ever beryllium a con man."
2. "Treating the state similar a concern sounded good, but what came with it was monolithic corruption. America was great, but helium tore that each down and made america into a third-world country. He picked fights with different countries until we were each unsocial with nary allies. It became evident that immoderate clip helium opened his mouth, helium was telling lies. He wrecked our economy. We had products and services to sell, but due to the fact that of Trump, nary 1 would bargain from us. Now he’s starting wars to instrumentality america distant from the Epstein files. I beryllium present and think, 'Why isn't this antheral successful jail? He is simply a convicted felon. What does that archer you?'"
—Anonymous
3. "A friend’s coworker voted for Trump successful 2024 because, 'Coffee shouldn’t outgo 5 dollars a cup,' the feline said. Of course, helium was referring to Starbucks java alternatively than making it astatine home, which would beryllium cheaper. I decided to analyse wherefore java costs 5 dollars astatine Starbucks. Obviously, the farmers and growers of java successful places similar Latin America aren’t making a batch of money, and neither are the Starbucks baristas, who marque astir $15 an hour. Starbucks, owed to its sanction marque recognition, has an 80% markup. Also, their comparatively precocious hired CEO was fixed a $113 cardinal bonus."
4. "Grew up successful a precise blimpish Christian household. Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck were ever connected the radio. I ne'er challenged overmuch due to the fact that that’s each I knew. Voted for Trump successful 2016. The existent wake-up telephone was Covid. Quickly started to spot the holes successful the narratives. Then the blatant disregard for people’s wellness and safety. I started doing much of my ain probe and intentionally listening to some sides. Didn’t instrumentality agelong to shed the propaganda."
5. "My brother's girlfriend's mom's breaking constituent was the alleged 'Big, Beautiful Bill.' She was truthful utilized to Republicans failing to chopped benefits for seniors that erstwhile they did, she was pissed. Straight up r/leopardsatemyface."
6. "I truly started paying attraction to what helium was saying erstwhile helium started calling John McCain, who was a POW, a coward. Then I started fact-checking, and realized what helium is, hundreds of lies later, and 34 felony counts made maine recognize I made the close decision."
—Anonymous
7. "Student astatine my university. She's inactive a conservative, but it was Renee Good and Alex Pretti's deaths that did it for her. She told maine she'd ne'er truly thought she'd accidental it, but that she was starting to enactment abolishing ICE and rethinking her MAGA alignment."
8. "My dada was a die-hard Trumper, but aft Covid that damn adjacent killed him, helium yet admitted, 'I deliberation Trump's a liar.'"
—Anonymous
9. "When Trump said portion visiting Arlington National Cemetery anyone who enlisted successful the military was stupid due to the fact that helium was a draught dodger!"
—Anonymous
10. "When honorable questions got maine labeled arsenic a traitor. That’s erstwhile I knew it was a property cult, not a platform."
11. "When Trump awarded himself a Nobel prize, renamed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts aft himself, and reacted to Rob and Michelle Reiner’s murders by making it each astir him, I mislaid respect for him. Let’s dump Trump."
—Anonymous
12. "Not me, but my grandma voted for him the archetypal clip and saw however atrocious helium did and yet admitted to america that she voted for the incorrect person, which I appreciated. It's hard to admit you're wrong."
13. "It wasn’t immoderate 1 thing, but I bash retrieve the Sharpie connected the upwind map thing. Also, erstwhile Gen. Mattis near arsenic Secretary of Defense, Trump tried to accidental immoderate bullshit astir giving him his nickname. As a Marine, I was a large instrumentality of Gen. Mattis."
14. "I was a lifelong Republican backmost successful 2015. As soon arsenic I saw the main campaigner was Trump, I jumped ship. Never was MAGA. My brother, who was ever conservative, did the same. I americium thoroughly disgusted by what the GOP has become. They are the antithesis of Christianity and the Constitution. They are everything they assertion to hate; they are the sheep."
15. "I’ve voted Republican mostly since 1981. Voted for Trump successful 2016 due to the fact that I unrecorded successful a bluish state, truthful I knew it didn’t count, and besides Hillary. Saw done the bullshit from the opening and knew Trump was destroying the Republican Party. I voted autarkic successful 2020 and full-on Democrat successful 2024. I volition find it precise hard to ballot for a Republican ever again. They didn’t basal up to his nonsense."
—Anonymous
16. "I voted for Trump successful 2016, reasoning each his hijinx and bullshit was conscionable rhetoric for daze worth and votes. Once helium became the president, though, listening to him talk connected our behalf made maine shudder. Watching the incessant tweeting each nighttime agelong made maine think, 'What satellite person does this?' COVID was the opening of the extremity arsenic it was plain to spot helium was successful mode implicit his caput and yet excessively arrogant to admit helium was ever incorrect astir it. I retrieve saying to myself successful the summertime of 2020, erstwhile helium started talking astir the insecurity of mail-in ballots, 'He’s gonna marque an contented of this if helium loses the election.' SMH. Then January 6 happened. I sat determination successful beforehand of the TV successful utter disbelief arsenic I saw his sycophants assaulting instrumentality enforcement officers arsenic they attempted to tempest the Capitol and halt the counting of ballots. And wherever was my president?"
17. "I person a comparative who near MAGA backmost successful his archetypal word erstwhile helium tried to spell aft SNAP benefits… Then they went close backmost connected it during the pandemic owed to vaccine and disguise conspiracy hysteria, lone to erstwhile again consciousness betrayed and permission MAGA owed to the Big Beautiful Bill cutting SNAP benefits. I stake they’ll beryllium backmost supporting Trump soon enough…"
18. "Growing up Mormon, my parents were beauteous conservative, my begetter especially. My archetypal predetermination to ballot successful was 2020, and I was serving a ngo astatine the time, and I conscionable sat everlastingly trying to determine due to the fact that I was passively fed truthful overmuch nonsense similar that Republicans grip the system amended and worldly similar that. I chose Trump and instantly regretted it. I retrieve bypassing the restrictions connected my telephone conscionable to get predetermination updates, and erstwhile I saw Biden was going to win, it was the biggest relief. Since returning from my mission, I've truly worked hard to deconstruct each the harmful ideology I've been taught, and doing truthful helped maine travel to presumption with being bisexual arsenic well."
19. And finally, "I can't talk for each fiscal conservatives, but I genuinely utilized to judge that our beardown subject protected (and promoted) ideology elsewhere. It was besides the root of large backing for technological breakthroughs. As such, I had nary contented supporting funding. To beryllium honest, I inactive don't (as agelong arsenic the subject is loyal to our constitution and not the president). I was raised successful the Reagan era, wherever we were taught astir payment recipients gaming the strategy and defrauding taxpayers. I thought of societal programs arsenic 'why should I enactment truthful hard for others for them to conscionable get it for free?' Then I did good for myself and saw firsthand however overmuch the affluent cheat our government. I present recognize I was upset astir payment frauds cheating america retired of pennies erstwhile I should person been focused connected the affluent cheating america retired of hundreds (or more). It has been a hard acquisition to learn. I'm trying to marque amends."
What bash you deliberation of these "wake-up" calls? Do you cognize anyone who (or person you) stopped supporting MAGA? Let america cognize successful the comments! Or, if you similar to enactment anonymous, you tin capable retired the signifier below.
Note: Responses person been edited for length/clarity.
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