'F--- you, you Nazi piece of sh--' and other love notes from the kind and compassionate left

By Gary Abernathy

Returning to the PBS ‘NewsHour’ offered a reminder that Trump-hate is an all-consuming condition on the angry left

More than two years ago, after writing my last of nearly 200 columns over six years for the Washington Post, I decided to take a break and pull back from most public media appearances. That included occasionally serving as a regular fill-in for David Brooks on the Friday week-in-review discussion segment of the PBS “NewsHour,” which I had been doing for two or three years.

I enjoyed doing the “NewsHour” and especially working with the producers and hosts, including the legendary Judy Woodruff and, later, co-hosts Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett. All were gracious, friendly and fun to work with. I also liked and respected Jonathan Capehart, despite our stark political differences.

Writing for the Post beginning in mid-2017 had opened doors to numerous media opportunities, speaking engagements and other adventures in the ensuing years. It was mostly fun. But it wasn’t something I was motivated to do forever.

The end of my relationship with the Post in September 2023 — a time when the newspaper went through staff and budget reductions (I was a contract writer) — seemed like a good time to make a clean break from everything else in the public eye, at least for a while.

I let PBS know that I was taking a sabbatical from “NewsHour” appearances (likely permanently, in my mind at the time), and I turned down nearly all other media interviews since then.

Just to have an outlet to vent on current events now and then, I wrote occasionally on this Substack platform. I didn’t market or publicize it. It was read mostly by friends, family and anyone who accidentally stumbled upon it, free of charge.

Still, a “NewsHour” producer found and routinely read my columns, and in turn would contact me now and then to ask if I was ready to come back. For months on end, I politely declined each invitation.

After being asked again a couple of weeks into the new year, I agreed to come on by Zoom this past Friday to discuss the Minneapolis protests and ICE activities there. That appearance is posted above.

I enjoyed doing it. But immediately after the show, I was reminded of one downside — the deluge of hateful emails and social media messages that routinely followed my “NewsHour” appearances, as well as my WaPo columns in years past.

I fondly recall a favorite refrain often emailed to me back in the day from some WaPo readers whenever I wrote about the pandemic: “I hope you get Covid and die.” Appreciate that. You have a nice day, too.

After most “NewsHour” shows, I usually heard from a few conservatives, moderates and even liberals thanking me for providing more contrast on the program. I think Capehart and Brooks agree on things more often than not. In fact, Brooks, who for years identified as a conservative Republican, wrote a column in late 2024 referring to himself as having become a “conservative or moderate Democrat.”

The “NewsHour” (like WaPo) has an audience primarily comprised of political progressives — including those on the far, angry, radical left. And on Friday, quite a few of them weren’t happy about an actual conservative (on most issues) interrupting dinner.

Release the hate!

Immediately following Friday’s show, the deluge of hate began flooding in. I actually appreciate and enjoy reading notes from progressives who share reasonable, constructive and even critical feedback, and I often reply to them. There are good, sincere people on the left. Criticizing me and anyone else for their political views is fair game. Have at it.

But most of the responses were not civil or constructive. They were hateful, crude and rude. I had learned to expect such blowback (and even laugh at some of the more creative ones) during my six years writing for the Post and previous two years or so appearing on the “NewsHour.” But after more than two years between appearances, the quick and ferocious resumption of the hate mail was impressive.

There were those who wrote to say they were so upset by my comments that they were contacting PBS to make sure I’m never on the “NewsHour” again. A point of view contrary to their own is apparently too much to handle.

I was inundated with the usual comparisons to Hitler, Nazis, racists, yada yada yada. Several predicted that I would surely burn in hell. And it’s always fun to hear from people — especially when they are self-identified white people — complaining about my white privilege.

By the hundreds, they hurled the usual worn, tired insults and accusations. It accomplishes nothing for people to lob the “Nazi,” “fascist” and “racist” accusations. It cannot lead to a productive conversation, and that’s obviously not what they want. But I don’t consider people who make such claims necessarily eaten alive by hate. They’re just very wrong, and many of them are just trying to be provocative.

But then there’s the next-level venom, which I had also come to expect over the years, but which can still surprise me by the level of unrestrained viciousness. Many responses came from people whose only ability to communicate is apparently by channeling as much vile obscenity as their fingertips can type.

Who takes time to do such things? Who sits down and just starts writing a string of profanities to someone else? Do they think their words really have impact other than what they reveal about themselves?

I cannot resist sharing excerpts from just a representative few. These arrive, mind you, from the side of the political spectrum that we are told is more loving and compassionate than those of us on the right.

An impressive number of them are signed by people apparently using their real name, but I’ll withhold such identification. I’m presenting the excerpts as they came (mostly from men, but a couple of women, too) with the caps, spaces, punctuation, etc. that they used. I am, however, cleaning up some of the language — but every time you see “F- - -” or other profanities, be assured they spelled it out.

Ready, set …

“Hey Gary……. F- - - you you f- - -ing nazi.”

“GO F- - - YOURSELF, YOU STUPID IGNORANT NAZI C- - -!!! GO F- - - YOURSELF, YOU STUPID IGNORANT NAZI C- - -!!! GO F- - - YOURSELF, YOU STUPID IGNORANT NAZI C- - -!!! GO F- - - YOURSELF, YOU STUPID IGNORANT NAZI C- - -!!! GO F- - - YOURSELF, YOU STUPID IGNORANT NAZI C- - -!!!” (He apparently found a message he liked and stuck with it.)

“Saw you on PBS. Im impressed. I didnt think an idiot like you could even get on PBS. What a trumper ass kisser”

“You are disgusting. You are a liar. F- - - YOU.”

“You are a radical right wing republican fascist pedophile collaborator .”

“G. Abernathy: you are a g- -damn, fecal cephalic sphincter muscle lying bastard.”

“F- - - you, you Nazi piece of sh- -. I will dance on your grave, you old fascist.”

“I just wanted to write you to let you know you’re a total moron… I wish people as dumb as you weren’t on this planet. It would be a MUCH nicer place. Again, you’re a moron, fool and a dolt.”

“Wow, you're a real smug prick and a fascist to the core.”

“What a f- - -ing jerkoff you are. Go f- - - yourself, asshole. You f- - -ing pathetic lowlife piece of worthless sh- -.”

“You're a pathetic bootlicking piece of sh- -.”

Sometimes they actually make me laugh: “Moron, do yourself a favor, next time the idea comes to your mind to run your stupid, ignorant low IQ braindead mouth, think again. F- - -ing imbecile. When you shut up, less people know what a f- - -ing moron you are. Holy crap! How do you even manage to tie your own shoelaces? Jerkoff”

I usually wear Skechers Slip-Ins, but thanks for your concern.

On and on they went, and they’re still rolling in. There’s this one, less vile, apparently from Yoda: “Completely clueless & nuts this guy.”

But the winner is: “You are disgusting and I hope you get an AR 15 up your smug ass.”

If I wanted to play the victim game, I should probably consider that last one a threat (and maybe others as well), and contact the FBI to investigate the source. I should go online and take to the airwaves to announce how offended I am.

But I can’t, because I’m not. Being offended is a choice, and no one should let anyone — from an anonymous hater to the president of the United States — have enough control over you to offend you with their comments.

In reality, I just think it’s sad. I feel sorry for people who are so consumed with hate. They are apparently devoid of love in their lives. But as a member of the Christian faith, I’m told to love my enemies and pray for them. So I have to love and pray for people who write to me and say, “F- - - you, you Nazi piece of sh- -,” and others who say, “I hope you get an AR 15 up your smug ass.”

Sadly, TDS turns out to be real

The bottom line is that Trump Derangement Syndrome turns out to be a real condition. The hatred directed at ICE is clearly driven by hatred for Trump. The hatred directed at me and anyone else seen as even slightly sympathetic toward Trump is driven entirely by hatred for Trump.

I cannot imagine living every day with such hatred. There are people I don’t particularly care for, including people I know personally and people on the national and world stage whom I’ve never met. But I cannot think of a single person, even on the far-left spectrum of politics, who I dislike with anything near the all-consuming hatred that some people hold for Donald Trump.

They wake up hating Trump. They eat lunch hating Trump. They go to work hating Trump. They walk the streets hating Trump. They go to bed hating Trump. They live and breathe Trump-hate.

You know that notion of someone living rent-free in someone’s head? That’s obviously true of Trump’s haters. They cannot shake him. Their hatred of him consumes them entirely. It’s a sad thing to witness.

If the “NewsHour” invites me back, I’ll probably say yes. The issues that will be at the forefront in the coming midterm elections and the 2028 presidential campaign are things I care about.

I was ready to sit on the sidelines, but anyone who cares about the rise of the violent radical left can’t afford to do that. I welcome the opportunity to represent a point of view that isn’t always stated even by many Republican commentators on mainstream outlets.

Offering strong conservative and sometimes pro-Trump commentary (anyone who thinks I’m always favorable toward Trump hasn’t read or heard me consistently) in front of an overwhelmingly left-leaning audience results in predictable backlash.

But there are those, even on the hard left, who listen and consider. I heard from them, too, people asking sincerely to understand my point of view and engage in a civil conversation. They are outnumbered right now by the haters. But we have to grasp at opportunities to change that equation.

The only thing accomplished by the rude and profane attacks leveled at me and others with similar views is sad proof that the far-left revolutionaries taking to the streets will not be quelled by conversation or “Can’t we all just get along?” entreaties. Hopefully, enough others on the left will rise up to denounce the violence and lawlessness.

If you think our immigration laws are wrong, change them in Congress, not with physical aggression on the streets. Our nation is at a tipping point. The questions and issues of the day will hopefully be settled at the ballot box and not — as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recklessly suggests by invoking “Fort Sumter” rhetoric — on a battlefield.

I used to hope that I could contribute to a reasonable lowering of the temperature through conversation and a plea for more tolerance on both sides. Many of my WaPo columns were geared toward that aim. Some liberals demonstrate that desire as well. But the radical left has made it clear they’re having none of it. They’re driven by anger, resentment and their blind hatred of Donald Trump.

My objective now is to lend my voice, in whatever platform available, to persuading a majority of the country to reject the growing leftward movement toward socialism, violent upheaval (i.e. aggressively interfering with legal law enforcement actions, violently protesting in the streets, threatening to hunt down ICE agents, invading church services in progress) and the destruction of long-held traditions and norms.

The left often accused Trump of violating norms. No doubt, his approach is often counterproductive, a fact I have often pointed out. But it seems that his far-left critics were really upset that he was defending and preserving social and economic norms they thought they were successfully overturning and revolutionizing until he came along.

It was mostly enjoyable to be back on the “NewsHour.” If I’m not invited back, that’s fine. If nothing else, it will reduce the obscene messages and emails — and their sad reminder of the degree to which Trump-hate has destroyed logic, reason and civility for a startling number of people.

Former Washington Post contributing columnist Gary Abernathy’s book, “MAGA Republicans Are Already Normal – And Other Shocking Notions,” is available in hardcover, paperback and eBook on Amazon.

Gary is a veteran of journalism and politics, having served as an editor, reporter and columnist for three Ohio newspapers. He won numerous industry awards, including from the Associated Press, for editing, reporting and column writing. He also worked in politics, including for three members of Congress.

From 2017-23, Gary wrote nearly 200 columns for The Washington Post, having been invited to join the Opinion roster when the newspaper expanded the voices representing voters who put Donald Trump in the White House. He has regularly appeared as an analyst on other media platforms, especially on PBS' "NewsHour."