What Happened to the Values We Shared?
From shared convictions to painful silence—this is where I draw the line.
I remember clearly. I was in second grade, and I had brought a book home from school about MLK, Jr. You sat down with me and explained that young Martin’s neighbor was not allowed to play with him because of Martin’s skin color.
You told me how wrong it was—that no child should be turned away because of the color of their skin. You didn’t just say it. You meant it.
I could feel it, even then.
And I admired you for it. I still do, even as I carry the weight of what’s changed between us.
I remember when you ran for Sheriff on the Democratic ticket. You spoke about your values in a debate with the incumbent. You spoke to my high school government class as we learned about the democratic process of voting.
I’m convinced that if we’d been old enough to vote, you would have won.
But you didn’t win.
Still, you held your head up high.
And I was proud of you.
We used to agree on values such as integrity, equality, and justice. There was a time when certain values weren’t up for debate.
Truth mattered.
Integrity mattered.
Now?
Truth is dismissed as “biased.” Honesty is optional if it serves your tribe. And even when the abuse is exposed—blatantly, publicly, undeniably—the silence is deafening. Or worse—lies that attempt to cover it up.
The erosion of values didn’t happen overnight. It crept in—like a slow leak in the foundation, weakening what once held us upright.
We saw the signs:
The rise of “fake news” and misinformation
The fading sense of community
Online cruelty and hate, normalized
The death of civil debate
Greed rewarded
Accountability abandoned
And abuse—still hidden, still protected—in places of power
And now, here we are.
One of my first pieces on this platform—"If This Isn’t Your Line, What Is?"—asked whether there was a line in the sand for Trump supporters.
I’ve tried to understand how the ground shifted so far beneath us—how values we once held sacred became negotiable. But nothing prepared me for the silence that followed this.
In May, Trump was told by Attorney General Pam Bondi that his name appears in Epstein-related investigative files—some of which are now public. There’s been no formal accusation. But the values you once taught me—truth, integrity, protection of the vulnerable—demand that we ask the hard questions anyway.
This is the line: child rape.
If you can’t speak out against this, what do you stand for? What are your values?
Maybe you once voted for what you believed were family values. But if that’s true—ask yourself: does this still align?
I’m not asking for perfection. I’m asking for clarity. Because silence in the face of child rape isn't neutrality. It’s consent.
I keep hearing the phrase “pro-life.” But life doesn’t begin and end in a womb.
If protecting children doesn’t include standing against the sexual abuse and trafficking of already-born children, then your version of “pro-life” is missing something very important—or, even worse, you’re hiding behind the label.
You taught me to stand up for what I believe in, no matter the cost. I don’t think you expected that I’d ever need to stand up to you.
I can accept that people I love voted for Trump. It’s painful—but the past is fixed. The future isn’t. What hurts the most is how Trump is still defended, as if voting for him once means you’re not allowed to say anything now.
But you are. And it matters.
When people say they love God and stand for values like integrity but won’t speak out against things like child rape—or even make excuses for Trump’s behavior—there is a disconnect.
I know that speaking out in a red, rural area can feel lonely. I know how painful it is to face the truth—that someone you trusted let you down, or worse, hurt people.
But I still believe in the person who taught me right from wrong.
The values you once stood for still matter.
And you can still show us what they look like—not just in words, but in action.
You may have abandoned the version of yourself who taught me those values. I haven’t. I still believe in them.
If this spoke to you, a “❤️” helps it reach others who may be wrestling with the same questions.
Speaking out against Trump doesn’t mean you’ve “switched sides.”
It means you still care about truth. About people. About decency.
If you—or someone you love—is quietly rethinking everything, this is a gentle place to start:
👉 Leaving MAGA