Today is Yom Kippur — the highest of the Jewish High Holidays. It is a day of atonement for our own transgressions; but it is also a day of forgiveness, which was the focus of the service I attended last evening. And as I contemplate the Rabbi’s words today, my thoughts turn to the most unforgiving — and unforgivable — person I could ever imagine: Donald Trump.

Right now, I should probably be asking for forgiveness for the uncharitable thoughts running through my mind at the very mention of his name. But his spitefulness, vengefulness, and cruel acts of retribution are well known. And, far from ever considering anything resembling repentance, he firmly believes that these are signs of his overall strength.

But he is wrong. And you needn’t take my word for it; rather, consider this from no less a personage than Mahatma Gandhi:

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

Perhaps that explains Trump a little more clearly: his inability to forgive others, to the extent of carrying a grudge for decades, may be a simple weakness, rather than true evil.

Maybe.

But I can never forgive him for what he has done to this country. His basic lack of empathy, his overwhelming greed, dishonesty, corruption, and cruelty, are far deeper and more despicable character flaws than mere weakness, and they have caused him to do irreparable harm to millions of good people.

I suppose this is an indication of my own weakness of character, but I can’t help it. With apologies to Gandhi, I believe — regretfully — that there are some people who simply do not deserve our compassion.

I’ll try to work on that . . . but don’t expect a miracle.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
9/21/26