My little sister died yesterday. She was 58. Pancreatic cancer. I turned 65 the day before that.

[BoomaofBandM]

Cancer has turned into a family thing. My dad died at 65 of lung cancer. My oldest brother died at 56 of multiple myeloma. A sister 3 years older than me was just treated for breast cancer. My family just seems prone to the nastiest of cancers.

Every time I had to read about an anti vaxer or an anti masker I became very angry. My 2 sisters and a brother who went through a series of strokes were in and out of hospitals throughout the worse of the pandemic. Every time someone here posted about losing a family member to covid I cried for them.

We all have our own experience through all of this. While raised to be tolerant of others, I no longer have extended it to republicans. I will be polite but I will not be silent. I hope my intolerance of republicans intolerance makes a difference. We are watching "A Small Light" about the people who defied the Nazis in WWII and helped Anne Frank and her family. It is inspiring.

My family is all democrats. I don't remember ever being told how to vote or even much political discussion in my large family of 7 kids. We were encouraged not to argue politics or religion. Raised to be accepting of others and to embrace our differences. I am lucky we have no Trumpers in my family. But I think my family has reached its limit. A few weeks ago we all got together for the first time in years. My sister wanted one last gathering. And I could feel the frustration simmering in my stoic family.

We did talk religion and politics. We are all angry about anti everything. I have lots of teachers in my family and they were telling me about their live shooter plans for their schools. We talked about Ron Johnson and what an idiot he is. We discussed Medicare for all and what a fight it is to get treatments ok'd by insurance companies. And how both sisters had to fight said companies while also fighting cancer. We talked about how hard it is for our kids to purchase homes.

And I will tell you, none if us blamed anyone in the democratic party. And my usually calm family is angry. And that anger is focused on republicans.

Thank you for letting me vent.