Recently I was unfriended. Not by one person, not even two people, but by three. The first person who unfriended me accused me of idiotic thinking. The second person thought the first person’s response to disagreeing with me was rational and simply followed suit. The third person just slunk away.

I’m sure this is not the first time I have been unfriended, but no one has ever announced it before so I didn’t notice.

For the most part I don’t unfriend people. I’ve written about the phenomenon a couple of times, mostly to point out how silly unfriending makes people look. I’ve blocked a couple people, but usually because they were psychotic or an ex husband who just didn’t need to know what I was doing. I will unfriend someone whom I friended and then immediately spammed me with MLM, CBD products, or essential oils. I’ll unfriend those people so fast your head will spin. I don’t unfriend friends – even if they are just online friends – I scroll by the things I disagree and engage in safer subjects.

For instance a friend recently spent a month celebrating the deaths of people who died due to Covid 19. He shared photos, names etc and then mocked these people relentlessly. He was justified because these people were not vaccinated. His friends joined in the mockery and all had a delightful time celebrating the death of someone’s mother, father, grandfather, dad, mom, son, daughter etc. It was one of the most disgusting things I have witnessed and honestly I’m ashamed of myself for not unfriending that friend. I wish I would have instead of scrolling on by in the name of tolerance. Now it’s too late since he’s unfriended me for not taking 1/6/2022 as seriously as he deemed necessary.

To be clear – what happened on 1/6/2021 was horrible, despicable, foolish, stupid… In no way do I defend the rioters that day, just as I don’t defend the rioters of the summer of 2020 who burnt down my city and other cities. I hold all rioters in the same low regard.

Let me also be clear – and feel free to unfriend me – I do not believe our democracy was under threat then and I don’t believe it is a year later – Sorry Fareed, at least not due to the morons who stormed the Capitol.

But that’s not what this post is about.

I found it absurd that the democrats spent a day memorializing the events of January 6th, 2021. I found it offensive that they were comparing it to 9/11 and Pearl Harbor.

We memorialize certain days because we want to memorialize the victims who died on those days. 2977 for 9/11 and 2403 for the attack on Pearl Harbor. 1 person died as a result of the storming of the Capitol on January 6th, 2021 – Ashli Babitt was shot by Capitol police, no one mentioned her name or memorialized her because she wasn’t the right kind victim. Her death did not serve the democrats so it was ignored.

I stopped watching CNN so I don’t get worked up about politics anymore. Last night – a Saturday – they were airing their series on the 70s so I tuned in. Every commercial and preview for their news shows was hyperbolic ad naseum. Republicans are evil, they are in lock step support of Trump, and the sky is falling.

I know a fair share of Republicans, conservatives, moderates and independents. Not a one of them are in lock step with Trump. In fact, he’s rarely mentioned anymore because guess why?

Because he isn’t President anymore and has no power. He also has no Twitter or Facebook so it’s really easy to forget about him – unless you’re a Democrat that is.

People who unfriend don’t care about facts because it’s all about feelings now. I’m not even sure they could identify a fact anymore. They’re only interested in forcing those who are clearly not as intelligent as they are how to – and more importantly what to – think.

You’re either 100% with us, or 100% against us.

There’s been no push back because of that mentality. The left has successfully – until now – been able to stifle any pesky dissenting opinions. I spend more time scrolling by posts calling for violence against women who are concerned about their children, the state of girl’s and women’s sports and safe spaces. It’s ok to wish someone is raped or punched in the throat, why not? All your friends agree with you so that makes it ok.

We used to call that mob rule, but now it’s just the algorithm and big tech is making bank on it, who cares if people get hurt? And people are getting hurt, but to discuss that is hate speech. That’s how far we’ve come in this ridiculousness.

It’s okay to mock people who died from Covid who were not vaccinated – that’s heroic, but mock the left for having the cast of Hamilton in on the celebration of the events of 1/6/22 and them’s fighting words!

My opinion about 1/6/2022 shouldn’t have been a surprise to any of the people who unfriended me, but who knows, maybe it was just the last straw for them. God knows I post nothing but right wing propaganda on my page. Last year I mentioned how much I hated masks and how I was glad the mandates had been lifted. I was raked over the coals for that, and then piled on.

I’m getting used to the pile on. I used to fear it but now it just amuses me. I’ve also begun to master the art of leaving a stupid pile on comment out there to dangle in all its stupidity and vileness.

I don’t unfriend people because I don’t want an echo chamber. I learn from all different viewpoints. I welcome lively and robust discussion as long as it’s respectful – and admittedly respect is harder and harder to find. Lots of contempt, little respect.

I don’t believe our democracy is under threat by the morons from 1/6/21 or Trump or his supporters today – wherever they may be. I do think the intolerant left will destroy this republic if we don’t start standing up against their intolerance. We’ve been giving the mouse a cookie and he’s turned into a monster.

Go ahead and unfriend me, there’s absolutely nothing I can learn from someone so dogmatically intolerant.