“I do not care what your political affiliation is; pepper-spraying a toddler is NEVER okay.”

Well I mean first of all, yes, of course it’s reprehensible to pepper-spray anyone who isn’t posing an imminent threat, aging from newborn on up.

But also, maybe -just maybe- we SHOULD care about your political affiliation?

Maybe dismissing political affiliation as irrelevant in these cases is, in fact, part of what’s encouraging all of this in the first place.

Because I’m not seeing any Democrats who have “support the pepper-spraying of toddlers” in their talking points. I’m seeing members of ONE party calling for it, voting for it, carrying it out, and wanting more of it.

So let’s drop the “I don’t care what your politics are” nonsense. Let’s start there, shall we? Because it entirely misses the point and implies as perfectly acceptable the larger and the latest horrific narrative that Republicans, moderate Democrats, centrists, conservatives, and far right domestic terrorists are creating.

Politics matter. Political affiliation matters. Words matter. Actions matter. Policies matter. And if we want people to matter, then we yes, absolutely need to start caring what your political affiliation is.

And we need to start saying it out loud.

So for the record, pepper-spraying a toddler is never okay AND I care DEEPLY if you affiliate yourself with the political party enabling and endorsing it, whether that endorsement is silent or loud, implied or direct.

In other words, fuck the people, politics, and party doing this shit. Fuck them, and fuck them straight to hell.