more than our biology, our history

I think that people are basically good. We become jaded and disillusioned thanks to our families, our cultures, societies, and our own experiences. People don’t normally go around trying to screw with other folks, but we just end up butting heads because of our egos. That’s the theory that I currently hold to, but I’m open to changing my mind.
I keep running into people who make me question my faith in humanity, in everyone’s “Buddha nature”, including my own. Everyone seems to have some hustle, some angle they’re trying to work to get themselves over on everyone else. It is especially hard to be optimistic about my fellow humans when the person in question is someone you trust or should trust, because of their occupation or profession. It makes me question everything and everyone—not a good feeling at all.
I have a lot of anger, a lot of hate—not 100% sure why, but at least I now acknowledge that it is there. That’s a first step, right? The whole trust thing is kinda hard—I have a really hard time trusting anyone. When I do give someone their trust and they screw me over, it’s close to impossible for me to forgive or forget.
The Mohawks’ first contact with the French was roughly four hundred years ago—they encountered Samuel de Champlain when he and some of his soldiers were accompanying a group of Algonkian Indians into battle. The larger force of Mohawks attacked the approaching line of Algonkians and was surprised, to say the least, when Champlain stepped out from behind the formation and fired a musket shot into them. The first shot ending up killing four sachems (elected representatives handpicked by the Clan Mothers). The Mohawks still haven’t forgiven the French—vengeance has been a prominent feature of their culture.
Like my Mohawk ancestors, I don’t want to forgive anyone—I would like to avenge whatever it is that needs avenging. But Buddhism teaches compassion—especially toward your enemies. Some modern Buddhist writers have been quick to point out that this doesn’t simply mean being a doormat to whoever comes along. Engaged Buddhism has you acknowledge and attempt to understand the other person’s side.
So I’ve been told, so I’ve read.
The main point is that we are all capable of change and all capable of living better lives. We are all capable of taping into our Buddha natures and to become more than our biology, our history. It is a horrible feeling when you feel that you can trust no one, when you feel that the worst parts of our nature are the only things we have in common. To have lost all faith in all humanity. But Buddhism teaches, stresses that this is only a feeling, and not the reality.
I just wish I could learn to believe.