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I can’t get past the events of Jan. 6, 2021, the subsequent attempts by many Republican politicians to steal the election and the cowardice of the rest of the Republicans who went along for the ride.

Our political system had one chance to rectify the situation during the two weeks following the event. The House impeached Donald Trump but a bipartisan majority in the Senate failed to get the necessary number of votes to convict. And that’s where the tale ended for most politicians.

Politicians, like athletes, must have short memories in order to keep playing the game. It’s their role to legislate, and to do that, they must engage the administration on an issue-by-issue basis. Even if Democrats take back control of the House and the Senate in the midterms, bringing up Jan. 6 is a losing proposition that will further divide our nation.

But as a voter, I will never forget.

Which means I’ll never vote Republican again. That won’t seem like much of a loss to Republican strategists since the last Republican I voted for was John McCain, but that statement defines me as ultra-partisan. It also allows people on the right to automatically dismiss my opinion because nothing they say will change my mind. I’ve become what I never wanted to be: a completely partisan voter (and it even comes with a dismissive, social media diagnosis: Trump Derangement Syndrome.)

I’m struggling to get beyond this because I don’t see how our democracy survives if we all become blindly partisan, but I can’t unsee what I saw on Jan. 6. Assuming many other people feel the same way, what can we do to move forward in a positive manner, both personally and as a society?

One thing we can do is remember that politicians might have short-term memories out of necessity, but voters don’t have to forget the events of Jan. 6. And ultimately, it’s the voters who decide who represents them. Vote!

Another thing I plan to try, on those rare occasions I talk politics with my Republican friends, is to refrain from talking about the issues. Instead, I’ll focus only on values. I’ll ask rhetorical questions without expecting an answer. Do you think all people should be treated humanely? Do you think the President should uphold the Constitution? Do you think this administration is practicing Christian values?

Of course, many Republicans will view these as trick questions and counter with convoluted logic and well-worn stories of Democratic misdeeds, but so what? That’s only an attempt to justify the unjustifiable by creating false equivalencies. The goal of the conversation isn’t to argue or convince, because neither side will sway the other with logic and facts. The goal is to elevate the conversation and let them ponder their responses.

I believe many Trump supporters know exactly the kind of person he is and voted for him anyway. Let them sit with that. Arguing won’t change their mind. Only listening to their conscience can do that.

Ultimately, if that doesn’t work, then maybe we just have to accept that this is one of those unfortunate times in American history when we must choose one side or the other. Maybe we can’t get past it this time, at least not without major harm to our society and democracy.

And if that’s the case, I want to make sure my grandchildren know what I thought and where I stood during the great turbulence.