I’ve been thinking about my blog about Gus Walz and I need to clarify. Showing emotion is good and a sign of true strength for any human being.

Mocking someone who cries says more about the one who mocks than it does about the one crying. The number of times I’ve had people apologize for crying while they were in my office never ceases to amaze me.

Why do we apologize for tears, which are a gift of God? Toxic masculinity says tears are bad, but last time I checked the Bible, Jesus wept.

Also it doesn’t matter if a person is neurodivergent. Bullying and punching down is cruel. It’s why I react so strongly to anyone who demonizes or dehumanizes any person. It is why my response to categorizing any group without seeing the people first (“illegals” for example) is visceral. We are all children of God, and making fun of anyone is a sign of weakness.

People running for office are in a different category. They put themselves in the public square. While I wish the name-calling would cease and discourse would be elevated, at least people can punch back. It’s not my preferred manner of dialogue, but I am able to make judgments based on the language a person uses. For example, making fun of a person’s weight or name says you are a small cruel person. And I do think people have a right to defend themselves. As my father-in-law said, you shouldn’t start the fight, but you can finish it.

The key for me on a person’s character is what they do with the power they have. Do they use it to lift others up and defend the weak or do they use it to elevate themselves and seek retribution. That’s how they show you who they really are.