The Line

I’ll keep this simple.  My uncle, Richard Craft, died in The Ardennes, Belgium in December, 1944, fighting Nazis.  He and thousands of other Americans did not sacrifice their lives in that cold place so that, two generations later, the President of the United States of America could say there are “many sides” to what happened today in Charlottesville.  No.  Just as there were 73 years ago in that forest in Belgium, there are only two sides today.  Pick a side.

If you believe there are “many sides” to racism, you’re on the wrong side.

If you believe the “white” race is a legitimate political or philosophical category of person, subject to oppression by the liberation and empowerment of others, or that membership in this specious fiction entitles you to oppress, abuse, or murder others, you are on the wrong side.

If you watched what happened today and do nothing, you are on the wrong side.

If you call yourself a Conservative, and you say nothing against fascism, you are on the wrong side.

If you believe Islam, Judaism, or any other religion or creed, or any of the people who practice another religion, or no religion at all, are inherently inferior or a danger to you or to Christianity, you are on the wrong side.

If you believe in Jesus Christ and you think he was with the white men marching with torches last night, you are on the wrong side.

If you believe Christians are an oppressed minority in America, you are on the wrong side.

If you support Donald J. Trump, you are on the wrong side.

If you get your news from right-wing-radio, Fox News, or the pulpits of bigots and hate-mongers, you are on the wrong side.

If you believe you have the right to march and shout to promote hatred, racism,  sexism, homophobia, anti-Semitism, and against immigrants, the poor, and Muslims, you are right, but you are on the wrong side.

If you think you can be an American patriot and a Nazi, or a member of the KKK, or the so called “Alt-Right”, you are wrong.  You are a disgrace to your country, and you are on the wrong side.

And if you think you will win this fight just because you won an election, you are wrong.  You are on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of this fight, and you are in the wrong. 

And if you call yourself my friend and you believe any of this hateful nonsense, you are wrong.  I do not wish to be your friend.  Not now.  You are on the wrong side.  There is a line.  I will not cross that line ever again to shake your hand, wish you well, or try to convince you why you are wrong.  You are on the wrong side.  It is up to you to move, be left behind, or go to Hell, I don’t much care which option you take.

And to all my friends on this side of the line: fight.  They must not win, and they won’t unless we let them.  Fight.  Donate money to the enemies of this new fascism.  March, vote, argue if you will, but fight.  

If you don’t, if we don’t, we are all on the wrong side of the line.