In One Betrayal Too Many: Why I Left MAGA, Rich Logis relates how he joined MAGA believing he was doing “something good and moral for my country.” MAGA became his beloved community and gave him a sense of identity and purpose. Rich embraced the fear and hatred underlying the movement—he even became a MAGA pundit. But eventually the lies caused so much cognitive dissonance that he stepped out of his information bubble and sought independent sources of news. Even though he came to realize he had made a mistake, Rich made excuse after excuse to himself, until his conscience could tolerate no more betrayal.
Like Rich, many find it extremely distressing to leave their MAGA community behind to face the unknown alone. He explains that’s why he formed Leaving MAGA, to provide a welcoming, nonjudgmental landing place for those in the movement who are having doubts. The organization does not “advocate for a particular partisan outlook,” he writes. “One of our priorities is to provide people the freedom to find their own path…our members are conservative, moderate, and progressive.”
One Betrayal Too Many is also for the tens of millions of Americans who have friends and/or loved ones in MAGA. It gives them an insider’s perspective that illustrates how well-educated, intelligent people with good patriotic intentions can end up in the movement. To further emphasize the point that there is no such person as a stereotypical MAGA American, the book includes the stories of six other people who joined Leaving MAGA.
