If you do not understand,

Or are not self-fulfilled,

Congratulations! You are smart.

 

This is a blog for free thinkers—truly free thinkers. We will consider ideas, including ideas with which we disagree. We will listen to the most radical suppositions of the other side because that is what it means to be educated, nuanced, and smart.

If you cannot really get on board with the stupid shit you are hearing about politics—this “you’re with us or against us mentality”—or if you want to be compassionate but you cannot take all the logical steps being asked of you, that means you are free thinker. You are the rare among us who will defend the moral fibers of society, because you will say “hang on a sec.”

Voltaire described the foundations of a free society succinctly: “Though I disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it.” (While this quote is commonly attributed to him, historical controversy questions if he coined the phrase or reiterated it.) It does not really matter if Voltaire came up with it. It matters if you and I live it.

The first rule on this is blog is that I am not going to kowtow to the lowest common denominator of reductionist activism on either side of the American political spectrum. I do not care if you make one-word accusations at me. Be assured that I am not racist by virtue of my mother’s lineage, my tan skin, my 3C curly hair, my brown fiancé, and by the fact that I believe that ill will and ill action against people because of their color is wrong. I believe racism is wrong. If someone says something racist in the comments section, those are their words, not mine. I do not condone them. I might, if I have the time to get into a comment war, write back that I disagree. But I will leave the comment up for the sake of their right to say it.

Similarly, if someone says, “Dear Author, you suck. I knew you when we went to college together and everyone thinks you suck. You have too much sex and smell like shit and you’re not pretty and not even that smart and everyone hates you, you stupid-pussy-dick-headed little fart, and also in middle school you were a freak who shit her pants.” I will leave that comment up, too (it’s only, like, 80% true lol).

The second rule is that you will have to bear with my spelling mistakes. I am dyslexic and I have never fully been able to catch them. If you want to experience this like I do, imagine an alto-voiced woman narrating these words out loud.

Consider yourself free here,

Sincerely,

The Author