People who punish

 I’ve known people who shoot squirrels for getting into the bird feeders and who shoot crows for getting into the corn.

I try to keep squirrels out of the feeders. But I’m not vigilant about prevention and not vengeful when prevention fails.

But I have known people who are obsessed. To me, their obsession undermined their humanity. It invariably undermined my trust in them.

It’s hubris: the idea that the natural order cannot be maintained unless one person remains vigilant to correct pillaging squirrels. And now we have people who think the natural order can’t be maintained unless they correct all the people who have different views about cultural values.

It seems to me that people like that are obviously unsound. I don’t trust them.

My differences with those in power in Washington today go far beyond any political issue. Those differences are so profound I don’t think our arguments are about politics.