Dearly Beloved,

We are gathered here today to say goodbye to the guardian of freedom, the sanctity of a women’s right to choose, a 50 year precedent that has been destroyed. I’m angry beyond words, but I’m mostly angry with my fellow Democrats and our state and federal representatives.

I’m probably going to make some enemies here, but I feel I must say it. It’s our fault, we Democrats. We liberals who always think we can intellectualize, rationalize, and compromise. Continuously try to reach across the aisle only to have our arm pulled out of socket.

We’ve sat passively by as Mitch McConnell refused to bring the nomination of Merrick Garland on the floor of the Senate. We were shocked at the results of the 2016 election that led to a madman in the White House. We watched as local, state and federal election seats were won by Republicans. We watched as a group of fanatic right wing nut jobs stormed our nations capitol trying to overthrow a presidential election at the direction of the 45th President who had lost.

Here’s the thing. ELECTIONS MATTER and we have seen the devastating results. If we don’t start figuring out how to win elections, we will continue to get more of our fundamental rights stripped away. What’s next? We’ve already seen books being banned from libraries, critical race theory being challenged, children and law abiding citizens being torn to shreds by AR 15’s, and the LGBQT community being marginalized. And even with all this, our biggest challenge is saving planet earth.

I’m a 65 years old women. I am beyond child bearing years, but I believe in the right of a women to choose what is best for her and her situation. It is an extremely private decision that no politician or legislator has the right to interfere with.  I have donated to Planned Parenthood, donated to political candidates to the point of exhaustion, and called my senators and congressional representatives, I have voted in every local, state and national election since 1975. I see such apathy and it makes me sad. Seems like people only care when it affects them personally, then it’s too late.

So as we say goodbye to Roe V. Wade today, let us remember how we got here, and for crying out loud, get out there and #&%$#@ vote.