You cannot get your news from FoxNews if you are a critical thinker. As for empathizing, well… I grew up in conservative fundamentalist circles. Empathy is right up there with crystals and witchcraft and therapy. I was literally once told being an empath is actually witchcraft — by a pastor from whom I sought guidance on how I could help people with my empathy. He actually convened a prayer circle to anoint me and "pray the devil away" from me. I was sixteen.

That was back in the 1980s. Things have not gotten better in those circles. Sad to say but, those same folks are the core of Trump's evangelical support. They are fundamentalist, evangelical, and Dominionist — and always have been.