I mean...
This was in reference to his friendship with John Adams, which went south after Adams was elected president & VP Jefferson refused to work with him as they were from different parties. They spent the next 20 years snipping at each other. https://twitter.com/BenWinegard/status/1305972378011398145

In fact, Jefferson hired a journalist to slander Adams & claim he wanted to start a war with France. That journalist wound up in jail on sedition charges & later demanded a position when Jefferson became president. He was refused, so he's the reason we know about Sally Hemmings.

They eventually reconciled & spent their last decade corresponding, as much for posterity as for anything else. This is a nice thought, sure, but like just about every other lionization of the Founding Fathers, it ignores some of the inconveniently less pleasant parts of history.

One of these days we won't try to shame each other with quotes out of context from dead men. And, of course, that thread's full of jackasses pissing & moaning about cancel culture because it's easier than thinking for yourself.

Criticism of "woke," too, which you'll never convince me isn't because they object to having to acknowledge black people came up with something. I am sick to the teeth of this whole discussion & it never fails to come across as bougie white people upset their asses aren't kissed.

I am currently living in a part of the country where it's too my benefit to not tell anyone I'm a far-left, anarchism friendly atheist who's down with people living their own lives even if & especially if they're not ranch-standard All American types.

I don't know if I'd actually be in physical danger if I told people I'm pro-trans folks, unconcerned about the nuclear family, or thought global climate change was indeed the biggest threat to humanity, but I'm not inclined to find out. A childhood of mockery for being a bookworm

was enough to me make a bit chickenshit in the whole matter. MS has changed for the better in the past 25 years in many ways, but it's still a state that's killing itself over COVID because they're convinced masks are a Satanic liberal plot. It's nobody's fault but mine, but...

there are only two people within 300 miles of me that I've spoken with freely & not edited my more "radical" aspects, & both of them I have to pay (or medical insurance does, anyway).
Look. No one owes you or your opinions instant respect & they're within their rights to tell you

to piss off if they feel said opinions up dangers to them or their loved ones or even goes against their deeply held beliefs. If a vegan didn't want to associate with me, fine, I eat meat & those are choices we have to live with. If a Christian doesn't 'cause I'm an atheist, fine

That's within their rights, too. But - & I hope my fellow Honky Americans someday get this - people have a right to think you're a butthole, especially if you're being a butthole about having your opinions. Again, upset because you feel the "woke" is judging you?

Ask them why, maybe. Life isn't black or white & "right or wrong" is rarely not in the eye of the beholder. They don't have to explain it to you, but you can ask them why just like they can tell you to fuck off. But if you're not even going to bother to understand ideas that

are really out of the mainstream - & no, you're not a rebel or outlaw just 'cause you say you are - then don't piss & moan that people don't want to interact with you. If you're going to be a pain in the dick, own that shit.
Or shut the fuck up, one. I don't care anymore.