Rich Logis, a former voter for former President Trump, appeared in a video message broadcast to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night to say that the COVID-19 pandemic showed him how Trump was “lying about pretty much everything.”
“I believed Trump,” he said. “When the pandemic hit, we needed leadership, but we were given almost nothing. It was a major betrayal to the country.”
Logis described himself as a “full-fledged member of MAGA” and encouraged fellow voters that there was still time to change their minds about whom to cast a ballot for in November.
You’re missing the point. He did a bad thing. Yes. But punishing him for doing it doesn’t undo the bad thing. Right now we have the chance to praise the good thing: switching sides.
What will get more blue votes: penalizing red votes after they’re already cast, or extolling the virtues of voting blue, especially using cases of those who have seen the value of switching sides?
You’re not wrong that his vote may have caused harm, but he has just as much right to cast it as you have to shun him for it. The real story here is that he learned and is now on a more productive side. We should be celebrating the future, not dwelling on past mistakes.
“Your honor, I may have shot that man. But now I know shooting people is wrong so I shouldn’t be punished for it.”
If you think the sentiment applies to all cases, you’re really missing the point.