You see us gathering in our ranks now - weary and wounded but still ready, willing, and able to head directly into battle. See us entering the field:
Grandmas and grandpas whose opinions were disregarded as ‘old fashioned’ and ‘out of touch’ as they attempted again and again to reach out in loving kindness to their precious grandchildren.
Childhood friends who watched in horror as their old friend devolved into someone they couldn’t recognize - only interested in hanging out with other poor deluded souls - leaving good friends in the dust.
Family doctors - the few standing by their oath and refusing to refer a patient they have known since birth - and then watching that young patient pursue physical harm through the oxymoron known as ’affirming care.’
Aunties and Uncles, who, while writing out a birthday card to what seems like an empty hole - never getting a ‘thank you’ or even a ‘hello’ text in return - wondering how to address the card - finally deciding to throw it out and just put cash in an envelope instead.
Siblings who watched their parents dissolve into a messy ball of insecurity as this one sibling pulled down every tradition, every family vacation, every high school prom, every holiday, every joyous memory - as this one sibling sucked all of the air out of the loving family leaving an empty shell of people trying to hold it together in the wake of ‘wokeness.’