Have you ever truly hated a politician? Is there one you hate now?

2016-05-20T16:55:04-04:00

In a rush to respond to a question of “hatred” this morning, before I left to take a granddaughter to a scholastic testing center, I answered hastily.

https://www.rallypoint.com/shared-links/hillary-clinton-former-senator-for-new-york-govtrack-us?urlhash=1545454&cid=5889921&email_token=ZVRjMk9YWnNOblJoU2tka1dqZzRVSEV5VDJSNFltczVXV0o2UzFaQ1RqbFdhMVk0UVRodmIzUTVUVDB0TFRabWNIVnhRMjkxZFVRclVXTmtURFkyTlN0Vk1FRTlQUT09LS1jM2JiOWY1MGQxNzI5MTFhYTJjMDdjNDRjMTc5ZmUzOGUzNTUxNDc5&utm_campaign=activity&utm_content=notifications&utm_medium=unpaid&utm_source=email

My response bothered me until I could get back to my computer to correct it. Then I realized that this was too important to bury in another discussion thread. Thus, I ask, “Have you ever truly hated someone?”

Honestly, I have. My ex-spouse. Not for the way she treated me, but rather because I once loved her. The simple truth is that I don't believe you can really hate someone unless you first love them. If you can accept my premise, you will understand why I can say, without reservation, I have never hated a politician. Not even those who might seem eminently worthy of hatred.

I have been disappointed in some. I was disappointed that President Reagan wasn't able to reverse the growth of government. He tried and failed. You may not remember, but he was disappointed in himself for that failure. I was disappointed that President Bush invaded Iraq. Replacing a tyrant with “democracy” seemed doomed because people who voluntarily live under an authoritarian rule are rarely happy when liberty and its companion, responsibility, are thrust upon them.

I was never disappointed with President Obama. He has lived down to my every expectation. Yes, I'll admit that he has angered me at times with his cowardice and ineptitude. But hatred? No.
However, I've been accused of hating him. I'm being accused of hating Hillary Clinton because of my very vocal and passionate objections to her election, and I wonder why. Then I realize the reason. “Hatred” is the perfect foil to my every objection, especially those that begin to resonate with her supporters. Dismissing me as a “hater” eliminates any need to deal with my objections. Any discomfort raised by the reasonableness of my arguments is quickly salved.

“He hates blacks.”

“He hates women.”

“There's an end to it. Anything and everything he says is invalidated just because he's a bigot. A misogynist.”
The same defense is being used against Trump, isn't it.

Trust me. I never loved Hillary. I never loved President Obama. I could never really hate either. Nor could I even hate other, even more reprehensible people if I never loved them.

I don't like them and nothing anyone can say or do will make me like them.

You may not like me for objecting to them. You may not like me for my passionate and vocal arguments to diminish the regard that others have for them. Don't worry. I can deal with it. I doubt that they worry much either about me.

But you can't simply dismiss me just because I don't like what you like. Because I don't like the ideology that you like.

But when you call me a “hater”, I know what you are attempting to do. Others know it too. And we are not impressed.

Hillary Clinton, former Senator for New York - GovTrack.us | RallyPoint

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/hillary_clinton/300022 Not endorsing her, but thought it interesting that other comments state she has no track record in government, maybe they should take a look. I had no idea, except that vote for the Iraq war that was questionable.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made May 20 at 2016 4:58 PM

2016-05-20T16:58:24-04:00

Despise because they are lazy, have everything, work for nothing, treat people around them like shit, and have no appreciation for anything yes. Hate is a strong word. I would not use hate. Mind you if they were on fire and I had a glass of water, I would drink the water.

Response by SGT Jerrold Pesz made May 20 at 2016 5:46 PM

2016-05-20T17:46:12-04:00

I don't hate anyone. Like love hate is an emotion and I am just not an emotional person. There are people that I don't like and there are people that I feel that the world would be better off without but I don't get emotional about it.

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made May 20 at 2016 5:52 PM

2016-05-20T17:52:58-04:00

As far as I can throw a bull elephant.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made May 20 at 2016 8:00 PM

2016-05-20T20:00:22-04:00

I suppose I might hate some politicians if I ever gave them a serious thought....

Response by CSM Thomas McGarry made May 20 at 2016 8:29 PM

2016-05-20T20:29:57-04:00

As others have said hate is a pretty strong word, I think that's one of the problems with our political system, I certainly do not agree with many on what their opinion is on politics or a certain issue but I like to think I disagree with them or a certain politician and certainly note hate them.

Response by Alan K. made May 20 at 2016 8:58 PM

2016-05-20T20:58:25-04:00

Yup......Have to change the channel.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made May 20 at 2016 9:53 PM

2016-05-20T21:53:59-04:00

I have CPT Jack Durish. I hate that person to this day. I forgave him, but I still hate him. He is my wife's uncle, who in 1982 convinced my wife and me to go into business with him and his wife at a restaurant in Brenham, Texas. I left a company I had worked for, 15 years. I was a shift manager, making a good salary with great benefits. I had four kids in school, and we had a good life. The business was his father- in-laws and had been open twenty years. The first year was great. The second year we stayed in trouble with our business not making any money. We had a lot of business but the profit wasn't there. Long story short, we had to give up our business because we couldn't pay our bills or the bank. Our "partner", come to find out, was stealing money and not paying the FICA taxes. He and his wife still maintained their six figure jobs in Brenham. He was our book keeper. We had to file chapter seven and move back to our hometown without a job. I eventually got a great job, which was putting us back in good shape. The second year of the job the front office let me know my pay checks were being garnished by the Feds to pay off the FICA taxes. I got to keep 30% and 70% went to them. It was either that or face being arrested and sued by the government. It took us 18 months to pay off those taxes. The entire time, I was stewing and the hatred was building. I was a Vietnam vet with PTSD I didn't know I had, and it made my anger even worse. One night some friends were over at our house and we drinking and playing games. I went in the bedroom and got my pistol and I was going to drive to Brenham and kill the SOB. My friend and I wrestled for the pistol and he won. I went into a deep dark hole and all I thought about was him screwing us so bad and with out four kids having to suffer because we were broke. That's why I decided to forgive him, and I did when he came to our house. I told him I hated his guts but I had to get that monkey off my back by forgiving him. It helped me move on, but I think about what he did sometimes, and thank God I'm on meds now. He's a lucky bastard is all I can say.

Response by MAJ Keira Brennan made May 20 at 2016 10:16 PM

2016-05-20T22:16:48-04:00

Donald Trump and George W Bush

Response by SSgt Christopher Brose made May 21 at 2016 3:51 AM

2016-05-21T03:51:34-04:00

I think part of your premise is as wrong as it's possible to be -- you certainly can hate someone without having loved them first. (Where on earth did you get the idea that you can't hate someone until after you love them?)

I hated John Kerry for throwing Viet Nam soldiers and vets under the bus, for tossing his medals, etc., and then for pretending to be a hero when he ran for President.

I hated Al Gore and the entire Democrat Party for working to get 15,000 military ballots disregarded in Florida, when those ballots arrived from a war zone without postmarks (which they didn't need) after the election, because those ballots were presumed to favor the Republicans.