Jesus said, “Whoever is not with Me is against Me.” He also said, “Whoever is not against Us, is for Us.” This was echoed in the sixties as “If you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” I bought into this creed then -- and apply it now.

Over the last several months, I have cut ties with several long-term friends.

The first -- I’d known for over twenty-five years and had always enjoyed. We had been catching up over lunch a few weeks ago when she said, “I’m done with the Twins ballclub. When they posted that memorial to George Floyd in their outfield, I lost all interest in them.”

The next person severed our ten-year friendship when she said, “If those blacks simply would learn to do what the police tell them to do, there wouldn’t be any problems.”

Another one is a high school classmate who sent a long email ranting about how Doctor Fauci is in cahoots with the drug companies to make $billions from covid, which has been over-blown by the mainstream media.

One more person is someone I’ve been friends with since 1989. He opined that transgender teens just need parents who know how to say, “No.” That was his answer to the “trans-athlete dilemma.”

These are not bad people who are espousing this tinfoil-hat nonsense. These are rational human beings who are assaulted every day by politicians and media stars who have found the power and riches that can be achieved through hate speech and multi-phobic actions.

Here are some basic facts:

George Floyd was killed. George Floyd was a human being. The killing of a human being is a hateful act that should not be ignored. Any attempt at justifying such a killing is sinful.

Covid is an international pandemic that has killed nearly four million people. Nearly two percent of those that have had the disease have died. It is a deadly killer who should be respected. Senators throwing bricks at an eighty-year-old scientist, who has successfully devoted his life to mitigating epidemics, should be shunned and voted out of office.

In this emotionally charged world, you have chosen to post ultra-conservative viewpoints on a site devoted to authors who are largely trans. Authors, by their very nature, have opinions and a strong urge to voice them. You shouldn’t be surprised when you stick your jaw out and someone responds with a vicious punch.

BarbieLee – there probably are no two people on this site more alike than you and me.

We have extremely similar backgrounds.

The major difference is this.

In the late 1950s, a drought left our family penniless. The county organizer made a visit to our farm to check to see if my father “Was still a strong Democrat.” When my dad assured him that he was -- the “organizer” found my dad a job as a mechanic with the state highway department. That put food in my stomach and probably allowed me to go down the paths I did in my life.

From that day forward, I tended to see things from the liberal point of view. That was set in cement when JFK ran for president since I was Roman Catholic.

During the sixties, I identified with the activist priest and embraced much of the liberal counterculture.

I’m sure, BarbieLee, your adherence to conservatism has similar roots.

Your party has always had my respect. I’m sure I’ve voted for as many R candidates for national office as I have D candidates. I’ve sent as much money to Rs as I have to Ds. One of my best friends was an R governor.

But -- what is currently passing for the R party is far from what I have respected. The party I respected would not stand behind the Big Lie. The party I respected would not stand for Qanon. The party I respected would want to know why those people died defending our Capitol? The party I respected stood behind individual’s rights and would not want to tell trans youths that they don’t have the same rights as every other student.

BarbieLee – you seem to think people don’t respect you. How could they not? Don’t confuse lack of respect with the inability to swallow your far-right soundbites.

I’m sorry your feelings have been hurt.

Jill