You’re not who I thought you were. See, I thought there was one thing all good and decent people agreed on. ‘Children should never be abused or intentionally traumatized. EVER.’ If you had asked me last week if the people I know and love all agreed on that one thing, I would have said ‘absolutely.’

Facebook friends are different. I’m used to seeing some posts by them that leave me speechless. But you? I was sure that even though our opinions on certain issues differ, I honestly believed when I stood on the side of ‘there is never a justification for child abuse’ you would have been standing next to me.

But here I am, looking over at you on the ‘yes but’ side and I can barely comprehend it.

Your voting for that man was a tough pill to swallow, but I did my best to try to let it go and focus on all the things I love about you.

But this? You have a ‘yes but’ for abusing and traumatizing children? I can’t let this one go. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that you can see those images and read the reports and be anything but horrified. I can’t believe you have allowed your heart to grow that cold.

I’m not interested in dialoguing with you about why your only reaction isn’t ‘this must end now!’

I believe adults should always do whatever they can to ensure the safety and protection of children. I don’t care what their parents did or didn’t do. They’re innocent children, and there is never an excuse or justification for intentionally inflicting abuse or trauma on them. I’m willing to die on that hill.

Are you willing to die on yours?