An Open Note to Nascar1966

[DerbyCat]

NASCAR, despite what you may think, I am an intelligent person. I am smart enough to look at your profile here on DT and it sheds light into the person you are. I commend you on your military service, my father and grandfather were both Navy men, Vietnam and WWII, my mothers side of the family were all Marines and Army... I understand and respect those that serve our country and I thank you for your service. If you're like members of my family, you went into service directly out of high school and if you had time, you got a college degree when you left - I don't know about you but only my uncle and Dad got degrees, everyone else just got a job to support their family. Several of my Dad's siblings and cousins became cops after service and that's why I was one too after I flunked out of college my senior year (I finally finished my bachelors degree a decade later and am a thesis away from my masters degree). I finally grew up, figured out what I wanted to do with my life and found things that make me happy - horse racing is a big part of my happiness.

I know you love this country and you're frustrated by what is happening to it. Despite what you may believe, the current President is not the cause of all of our problems, it's the political system and the current climate of political discourse. Blindly hating a man and disparaging him won't solve the nations problems, actively engaging in discussion about the problem and bringing people together in ideas that lead towards solutions is far more helpful. Insults have helped to create the current problems, do you really feel the need to continue that? *We all have far more in common than we realize, but we let pundits and politicians at the extremes tell us who is good and who is evil. *At the individual level, we need to be able to say, "we may have our differences but I accept your opinion, so long as you can articulate it, help me to understand it, yet see my side as well". *Can you accept that?

If you'd like continue the status quo, then you'll do what you want to do. I am extending an olive branch in hopes of finding the things we have in common and understanding our differences. At the very least, as a military man, I would hope that you show me the respect due a woman, which you may not realize I am - I know you were taught respect with your background. *

Respectfully,
DerbyCat