Hello Jim --

I read Christina's piece first, as you recommended, and responded to it accordingly.

I think you address a variety of issues, here -- and, from my perspective, it's quite a mixed bag. Let's unpack much of it.

First, regarding how you view abortion and gun control: those are simply issues on which there will probably never be a consensus, in this country. I tend to lean AWAY FROM from your position when it comes to abortion, and I tend to lean TOWARD your position when it comes to gun ownership. So I won't belabor those topics...

I completely agree with your point about how parents pass their own trauma down onto children or grandchildren. It's one of the (many) reasons why I will never have kids, myself.

I'm in agreement with you on both Prop 47 (which is why I voted against it, when I lived in California) and Eminent Domain. I do feel that you're painting BLM protestors with too broad of a brush; there are more peaceful demonstrators than you seem to give the movement credit for. But I do agree that looters should be punished (let's just not assume that a majority of BLM engage in looting, because there's no evidence for that).

I definitely agree with you when it comes to resisting/refuting the "all-white-people-are-racist" fallacy.

However, it seems as though your piece is a covert way to drum up generalized opposition to liberalism and socialism. Those ideologies, like any other ideology, have their mix of good and bad points. We must never lose sight of this.

I don't have a problem with the celebration of Jesus Christ in schools *if* it's VOLUNTARY on the student's part. As someone who isn't Christian or monotheistic, my fear is that -- under the framework you're proposing -- it may become coercive.