I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the importance of being more sympathetic to Trump voters, and a recent piece on Ana’s Substack really helped crystallize it for me. It’s not about agreeing with every viewpoint or excusing harmful rhetoric, far from it, but about recognizing the human stories, fears, and frustrations that drive people’s choices. Dismissing an entire group as ignorant or malicious only deepens the divide and shuts down the possibility of dialogue. If we want to build a healthier political culture, we have to start by really listening to why people feel the way they do, even when it’s uncomfortable. Understanding doesn’t mean endorsing, but it does mean caring enough to look beyond caricatures. The rise of MAGA populism reflects a deep sense of disillusionment with institutions and elites, and until we confront that honestly, we’re missing the bigger picture.
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