Dear Editor:

News trollers are often given an assignment to keep hate language going by using words like “Democrat” or “Ideologue” as if a person does not exist in any other capacity than a political member and not who they are.

Everyone was born with a gift of love, a brain of iron will for keeping life full of hope and joy.

I know a lot of people and we never ask each other what party do you belong to, or what religion do you follow. Instead we get to know each other by the things in our lives that we have loved and what we hope to achieve in the future. One of my friends has been a part of our family for a very long time. She gave me a great surprise when she picked me up at the airport with her son and his school friend. She apologized for the cold weather, but alerted me we would be stopping downtown to hand out water, peanut-butter crackers, and warm socks that keep feet and hands warm for the homeless.

Homeless hid in bushes and protected places while we stood on the corner waiting for them to see we were handing out gifts.  Many were veterans waiting for medical treatment.  Some requested small Bibles for reading and others asked for prayers.

Despite these many long lived connections, when I said I would never send my child to a school with guns, she called me a Democrat as if that was my soul’s definition. I am the same person she knew. I was raised a Quaker pacifist 60 years ago. Later in life I attended Methodist and Congregational churches. I am proud of every pacifist who served their country in war without carrying a gun. Many were named heroes — one saved 75 comrades by using his intelligent iron will and inner heart. I, too, faced a loaded gun, but having no gun allowed me to save everyone’s life.

We are not defined by party or gun ownership. We are defined by how we live in sharing love and kindness with others.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb