Greetings from South Carolina.

[Are_grits_groceries]

I have returned from the swamps. 2020 was a lost year. I completely lost track of time. It was not relevant.
I also lost most of my family and friends to Trumpitis. They were well on their way and I had already broken off with many but then Q appeared and the rest set up camp on the edge of their flat earth. It was as if I was suddenly surrounded by Klingons or Deatheaters or Orcs(choose your saga.) They shape-shifted into strangers. I still love them but I love who they were and I have fond memories. That is all that is left.
AND contrary to popular belief, I did try to talk to them. I spent time at the beginning working with methods recommended by those who work with cults. Nothing worked. I have come to believe that any change will have to come from inside out. They are impervious to anything from the outside. Without an epiphany, they are gone. I realize that changes do come from the inside but it is impossible to even get them to hold an iota of a different idea. Normally, people will take in some different ideas and mull them over. Not now.
It is tiring being part of major historic events.
Take care!
Grits

[blm]

1. ((Grits))

Many of us can relate.

[usaf-vet]

20. For this born and bred northern Yankee who spent 4 years in the south compliments USAF. GRITS.....

....are still a daily staple for me. Besides some southern friends, GRITS are the best thing I got from those days.

Sorry for your loss of family and friends.

In my mind, there are two pandemics that erupted from the tRump years. MAGA and Covid. Covid has hopefully found a solution, vaccine! MAGA is a cancer with no viable treatment.

[Phoenix61]

33. Have you ever had fried grits? nt

[usaf-vet]

37. Not to my knowledge. Let's just say there were late night ..early morning trips to the all night ...

..... cafes. I travel with some "good old southern boys" so no telling what they ordered for sobering up breakfasts.

But tell me how to make them and I will give it a twirl.

Thanks.

[Phoenix61]

38. You need an clean, empty food can like green beans come in.

When you make grits put the leftovers in the can a chill overnight in the frig. The next morning, take the bottom off the can and push out the grits, slicing into 1/2 inch patties. Fry till golden brown in butter. Some use bacon grease but I like butter best.

[niyad]

2. Huggggs. Good to see you.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. People in cults usually wake up at some point. nt

[gab13by13]

6. I live among them,

I don't see them changing. I saw the best advice here I believe; it is impossible for there to be a debate between a rational person and an irrational person.

[lastlib]

14. If tRumpers could be reasoned with, they wouldn't be tRumpers.

For the sake of your own sanity, it is better to walk away from them. I also live among them, but can't flee, unfortunately. So I walk away.

[Are_grits_groceries]

25. Oh I walked away a while back.

Two of my cousins thought they would be cute. They began to send me Q shit.
I threatened them if they did not stop. It was a vague threat but they know I do not play. They stopped.

[AwakeAtLast]

39. It usually takes a catastrophic event

That effects them personally. And they will expect others to have empathy for them!

[malaise]

4. It's so good to see you posting again

Welcome back my friend.

Leave them - there's only so much we can do.

[Tanuki]

5. Welcome back!

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. Isn't it amazing

that there is so much evidence of mental illness and yet our society seems to want to act like it is rare. You are right about the changes coming from within. These people remind me of the stubborn child who is told not to touch the stovetop and yet walks right over and sticks their finger on it. Sometimes they do it more than once. Then they wail and scream while acting like they had nothing to do with it. You can put some blame on the American condition. We have been brainwashed to believe that we are always right, that we are infallible, that we are god's gift to humanity. And to admit otherwise is to admit weakness and failure. Is it any wonder that so many of us are at each others throats and denying reality left and right?

[judesedit]

19. They deny they have covid as they are being put on a ventilator?????

What's that say right there? They even tell the doctor, "Don't put I died of covid on my death certificate. It's not covid. It's something else". They're basically brain dead. I'm still wondering if it's something they're putting in the food, air, and water to keep people like zombies. Intentionally or not. Like they used bromide to keep the libido down in the military. They dispose of so many chemicals any way they can. It seems like humans aren't human anymore.

And as I've said many times on this site, check out a government program, evidenced in a book called The Deliberate Dumbing Down if America. It will help to explain a lot.

[Duppers]

40. Hmm, that book's foreword...

I ck'd for reviews and found this quoted foreword in a review:

Foreword:

“American social engineers have systematically gone about destroying the intellect of millions of American children
for the purpose of leading the American people into a socialist world government controlled by behavioral and social scientist.”

A "*socialist* world government" the author stated. Wow, really?


Thanks but I'll pass on this paranoia. My 33yo son received an excellent education in our Virginia public schools (including UVa).

[judesedit]

41. It's called brainwashing. Or teaching to the test. Take your pick.

No disrespect meant. Another interesting read, Dumbing Us Down by John Taylor Gatto.

[jaxexpat]

36. In a world where an expanding population fights for finite resources, .....

the echo chamber and facts have equal gravitas.

[rurallib]

8. good to hear from you again!

[Maeve]

9. Welcome back

You are among friends here!

[arlyellowdog]

10. It's so hard

I found a photo of a deceased relative. She was holding my arm at my mother’s funeral. Ten years after that, she mentally placed me on the side of her children that did not share her radical, weird religious, political thoughts. I got cut off. Now, years after her own funeral, I am realizing the much larger pain she caused with both her cut off children and the ones who shared her beliefs. The family was left hurting. I want to blame all this on some sort of dementia. I look at that photo and remember that she told me my Mother loved me so much a day I so needed to hear that. It’s nothing but pain.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

11. Ran as fast as I could from the bizzaro world some of my former friends lived in...

Nice to see your name again!

[GoCubsGo]

12. Greetings from elsewhere in South Carolina!

Good to see you back! I'm sorry you're having to go through that. I hope you, Tater and Moonpie are doing, otherwise.

[AirmensMom]

13. Sounds like the Borg to me.

It happened in our family. There's only one sane person left.

It's good to see you, though. You still have us.

[gademocrat7]

15. Hey, Grits

Glad to see you back. You are spot on about family and friends who drank the kool aid.

[voteearlyvoteoften]

16. Hey grits

My go to comment is “ Maybe you should find another news source”

[Joinfortmill]

17. So sorry. QANON needs to be identified.

[flamin lib]

18. Missed ya'. Really glad you're back.

We are family here. Sometimes and for some of us all the family we have but we are always here.

[yardwork]

21. Welcome back. I missed you.

I don't know how our country can move forward with half the population believing extraordinary lies. I'm really at a loss.

[Sancho]

22. Yep, my sister and her family in SC are lost too...

...amazing that people who are educated believe the nonsense.

[barbtries]

23. good to see you Grits!

I'm sorry about your family. I've pretty much lost one brother. we're still civil so far, but - well, dunno if i'll ever see him again. it hurts.

[SallyHemmings]

24. 2020 was a lost year

sums it up.

I am out of suggestions for connecting to the trumpers. Walking away may be best for your mental health at least for now.

It would be far worse of he won re-election. He didn’t.

Sleepy Joe has been the perfect dose of sanity. On some level, the trumpers may see the temperature drop. Maybe.

You are not alone on this journey.

[Always Randy]

26. There is hope---your next door neighbor---GEORGIA

The RWNJ and Trump --flipped the state BLUE ----there is now a reverse migration with families moving back to Georgia. Confederate monuments are being torn down. Stacey Abrams will be their next Governor. And a criminal investigation of Lindsay Graham's interference with the Georgia election is underway. I would ask that you insert this into your morning gratitude mantra. Texas BLUE in 22.

[Dr. T]

27. Hi, Grits.

I recently had to break up with a girlfriend whom I dear loved. Not because she turned Trump but for other reasons. The heartbreak still touches my every waking moment. Your wrote, "I still love them but I love who they were and I have fond memories. That is all that is left." Those words are helping me see it in a different light, helping to make sense of it, compartmentalize it, and lay it to rest. Thank you.

[randr]

28. They all stepped into deep deep doo

Even if they get the shit off they will still stink for a long time. They know this and are reluctant to wash off the shit as it is their only means of identification to each other.

[AverageOldGuy]

29. Speaking of grits . . .

There's a pot of Geechie Boy Mills stone ground grits bubbling on my stove as we speak. Making grits and grllliards for supper tonight.

[twodogsbarking]

30. Shrimp and grits with local St. Johns Island shrimp.

Didn't make it to SC this year. Stay well grits. The best part of life is yet to come.

[AmBlue]

31. Welcome back.

I hear you and I'm so sorry. My own college age son and his GF have been victims of the propaganda too. In their case it is not severe but I worry it will worsen. And you're right. Unfortunately, we can't change them. We can only love them and hope for something that will open their eyes to the truth.

[Wounded Bear]

32. Good to hear from you! Best of luck!

:gouphug:

[panader0]

34. Good to see you again. And you're right about "the lost year".

[BumRushDaShow]

35. Wow. It's been forever since you last posted

Glad to see you back and you're right, 2020 was a nightmarish lost year that followed 3 previous wasted years.

And I missed seeing this --