Subject: Re: Shapiro's history being scrubbed
Sorry, I don’t take lectures from people who have the attitude that you do about half the country.

First, it's only about 1/3 of the country. In round numbers, the US is 1/3 each democrats, republicans, and independents.

Second, there is a minority of republicans who have not swallowed the MAGA kool-aid. That reduces my attitude down to something closer to 1/4 to 1/5 of the country. Still a lot of people, though.

Third, I have that attitude because that 20% - 25% of the country is literally tearing the country apart. You are on the verge of putting a convicted felon, an adjudicated rapist, a con man, a sociopath into the White House. Again. By doing so, we would run the risk of losing our Democratic Republic to an autocracy. Yes, it might not happen. But there is a real possibility that it would. We shouldn't be any where near doing that.

Normally, I have a lot of grace towards people with different ideas about how the country should be governed. Sincere disagreements about a great many issues that are discussed honestly and openly are healthy for any country, but are the core principal that has served this country well for almost 250 years. Those discussions have to be based on two shared things: facts, and putting what is best for the country ahead of self.

The most important manifestation of putting self over country is accepting defeat when voters choose the ideas of others over your own. We accept both winning and losing elections with humility. When you win, you don't denigrate your opponents, but accept the challenge of putting your ideas into practice. When you lose, you accept defeat with grace and work to change minds with either better communication of your ideas or better ideas. For those elected as part of either a minority or majority, you treat your peers with respect, you continue to promote your ideas, you engage in compromise to get some of your ideas implemented.

We now have a significant portion of Republicans who refuse to acknowledge facts as facts, and who put self ahead of country. When they win elections, they attempt to oppress their opponents so those opponents have a harder time winning in the future. When they lose, they yell and scream like children, claiming things are unfair and hurtling unfounded accusations far and wide. Rather than accept that their ideas were less popular than other ideas at the polls, they - and specifically you, Dope - have to protect their fragile egos by convincing themselves that there was some unfairness in the process, that voting was rigged, that they were unfairly smeared, that those with power used that power against them. They do this because they are themselves willing to use those tactics to win. They can't conceive that others play fair when they are willing to cheat.

So while I normally have grace to opposing ideas, there comes a time when grace can no longer be offered. Those opposed to American ideals cannot be allowed to corrupt those ideals for their personal gain. Those who have been duped by con men need to be told plainly and clearly that they have been duped. They have to be shouted down loudly, strongly, and consistently in the marketplace of ideas. They have to be exposed for what they are - not bad people, but people who have fallen victim to one of the biggest cons of our lifetimes. The only bad people here are the ones running the con. Those who understand they are running a con, and those who allow the con to continue. The victims of the con are Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. Some are victims by believing the con. Others are victims by having to live with the consequences of the con - the marginalized, the powerless, those whose lives have been disrupted or destroyed by the con.

So I don't care how you respond. I will continue to call out lies, to promote facts, and to speak plainly about the country. I will not sugar coat things, but will say it like it is, whether those listening can accept it or not. I want the country to get past this terrible time. But that will not happen with capitulation, with letting people have their say when their say is filled with lies.

Like it or not, I'm here to stay and to tell the truth to the best of my ability.

--Peter