op-ed

Dear Trump Supporters,

I write to you not in anger, though I have plenty of it. Not in condescension, though it’s easy to slip into that when frustration runs high. I write to you in a sincere attempt to understand, to bridge the ever-widening chasm between us, and to share a plea from one citizen to another.

Donald Trump has just won re-election in 2024, an event that many, myself included, hoped would never come to pass. While the final votes are still being tallied, the outcome is clear. This moment feels like a reckoning—a harsh realization of how fractured our nation truly is and how much work remains to be done to restore our collective moral and democratic compass.

I’ve spent countless hours trying to empathize, to understand why this movement continues to capture so many hearts and minds. I know empathy is essential—it fosters connection, compassion, and common ground. Yet, even after years of contemplation, I am left troubled by what seems to be missing from the core of the MAGA movement: empathy itself.

The MAGA ideology thrives on two of history’s most destructive forces: ignorance and fear. It has become a juggernaut fueled by misinformation, amplified by rage, and laser-focused on targeting “others”—those who look, live, or think differently. This is the movement's tragic irony: while its leaders promise to protect their followers, they exploit and discard them just as ruthlessly as the groups they vilify.

To the average Trump supporter, you might not feel this yet. Many of you believe you’re standing on the winning side. But consider this: authoritarianism never stops with the first group it targets. Eventually, its insatiable appetite for control consumes everyone. Today, you might see yourself as part of the in-crowd, but tomorrow, you or your loved ones could find yourselves cast out for being too different, too inconvenient, or simply no longer useful.

It’s easy to write MAGA off as a force of malice, stupidity, or cruelty, and while there’s no doubt its leaders act with calculated self-interest, I don’t believe the same about most of its supporters. You’ve been manipulated, sold a dream by a man who never intended to deliver it. And now, in 2024, you’ve handed him another four years to break our systems and divide our communities.

This brings me to the hard part: how do we move forward?

We cannot make progress unless we address the root of the problem. At its heart, this is an issue of critical thinking, logic, and a willingness to challenge what we believe. None of us are immune to propaganda, but it is our duty as citizens to seek truth, to think for ourselves, and to refuse to let our minds be weaponized by those in power.

If you’re willing to take that first step, here are some practical ways to start:

1. Diversify Your Sources: Stop relying solely on social media or partisan outlets for your news. Seek out multiple perspectives, especially those grounded in verified facts. Good journalism exists, but it requires effort to find.

2. Question What You Hear: If something you hear or read fills you with rage or fear, pause. Investigate it. Ask whether it’s true, and who benefits from you believing it.

3. Engage in Dialogue: Don’t just speak to those who echo your beliefs. Have conversations with people you disagree with, not to argue, but to learn.

4. Recognize Red Flags: If a leader consistently spreads misinformation, incites hatred, or places themselves above the law, those are signs of authoritarianism, not strength.

I understand this is a bitter pill to swallow. Admitting you’ve been misled, or that you’ve placed your trust in the wrong hands, is one of the hardest things to do. But it’s also one of the most courageous.

History will judge this moment. It will record how our country, at a critical juncture, chose to either rise above its divisions or let them consume us. You, Trump supporters, are at the center of this story. You hold tremendous power to determine what kind of country we will become.

I hope you’ll use that power to reflect, to grow, and to lead us toward healing. America deserves better than division, cruelty, and lies. And so do you.

Sincerely,

Gerald Davis

Concerned Fellow Citizen of The United States Of America