Alright y'all, I've had it.

Ok, that's it.  I've had it.  I'm done.

I have just seen YET ANOTHER post on social media that states (if I may paraphrase), "I'm voting for Donald Trump because I'm a Christian."

And I have to say something.  I'm mad at myself that I've given the naysayers enough power that I feel the need to become defensive; however, this is the position I find myself in, and I'm going with it.  If you care to hear me out, read on!

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*deep breath*

I have a really hard time labeling myself as a "liberal".  Frankly, I'm sure that if I did, many of you would be disappointed in me.  You would feel that I have been brainwashed, poisoned.  You would worry for my well being.  You would pray for me.  You would shake your head and give knowing glances to my parents around town... "I'm so sorry," your face would say, "I thought your daughter was better than that."

I don't agree with "the left" on every issue.  I am pretty firmly planted in the middle on most political policies.  If you'd like more information on where I stand on different issues, please let me know!  The point is, I'm not going to label myself.  I'm not a democrat; I'm not a republican.  I don't believe in our current system or it's ability to do much good for any of us.  In the last election, I didn't even vote.  I felt so numb to the whole process, like nothing I said, thought, or did would matter.

However, throughout the current election season, as Donald Trump has risen to the position he's currently in, something stirred inside of me.  Something angry, hurt, indignant, and strong.  And suddenly, it didn't matter to me that the system is imperfect.  When I read Donald Trump's offensive tweets, heard him "speak his mind" on television and the radio, read article after article about his lack of tact and poise, I felt a fire in my soul that I couldn't ignore.

I truly, deeply care about people and their God-given rights.  I've always passionately rooted for the underdog, which would include minorities and women, because I always felt they needed as many champions as they can get.  I'm not perfect, but I work hard to fight my own prejudices and assumptions EVERY DAY.  Racism and sexism are real, and they live in the minds and hearts of many of us.  It's okay to admit that.  But it's not okay to ignore it, act on it, or praise someone promoting it in a public arena.  It's not charming that Donald Trump "isn't a politician."  His comments and actions (encouraging violence at his rallies, suggesting Muslims not be allowed to enter our country, alluding the the fact that he'd like to commit incest with his daughter, to name a few) are disgusting.  If you'd like more examples, let me know.  No, you will not convince me Trump is not racist or sexist; please don't go there.

Just as it instills in me a passion for women and minorities, this care I feel for others is why I would never say something like:

"Trump supporters are amoral."
"Trump supporters are brainwashed, just drinking the koolaid."
"Trump supporters will believe anything said against Hillary."
"Trump supporters believe the Bible is up for interpretation."
"Trump supporters are a special kind of stupid."

These are all things that my Facebook friends (and/or their friends) have said about Hillary supporters.  This election has been polarizing in the worst ways, and much of what we've all said has been driven by emotion.  Would you say something like that about me, specifically?  Would you say, "Caitlin Sutton is a special kind of stupid"?  I'd really like to think not.  I'd like to think you all know me well enough to know I'm not amoral, brainwashed, or unintelligent.  And I'd REALLY like to think y'all know where I stand with Jesus and the Bible.  But you're not thinking about me or any other particular individual when you say these things.  You're thinking about a collective enemy, that doesn't have a familiar face.

Here's what you need to know: my genuine care for people is what makes me so passionately #nevertrump.  I know that my vote may not make a difference, as Georgia has been a republican state for as long as I can remember, but I won't be counted in the number that rewarded this man's behavior.  I understand, and am working to accept, that none of you will be persuaded (one way or the other) by anything I have to say here.  I just feel the need to explain and defend one of MY God-given rights.

So, that's it.  I've had it.  I am NOT a bad Christian for choosing not to vote for the Republican candidate this year.

I'm with her... And I'd appreciate it if you treated me with respect anyway.

About Bigmama...

This is my grandmother, Jane Young.

She is affectionately known as Bigmama around our hometown.  She is a mother of 5 and grandmother of 14... She's even a great-grandmother!  She is a cancer survivor, a fierce believer in the Lord, and a strong woman all-around.  She is hysterical, sometimes when she doesn't mean to be.  Just mentioning Bigmama brings a grin to the faces of EVERYONE who knows her; each person can recall a time that Bigmama made them smile or laugh.  She is generous, but frugal.  She is kind, but honest.  She is beautiful and smart.  She is absolutely the foundation of our large extended family.  I feel so blessed to know her and to have her present in my life.

One of Bigmama's favorite places on Earth is the McDonalds in Sylvester, GA.  Yes, I'm serious.  This woman LOVES her McDonalds.  Specifically, she loves her McDonalds Diet Cokes.  If she passes McDonalds, she's going in to get a coke.  If you're passing McDonalds on the way to see her, you're stopping to get her a coke.  And no, you may not got through the drive-thru, because those Diet Cokes taste different and she can tell!  She often makes trips to town just to stop by McDonalds.  This doesn't even include the mornings she and Bigdaddy spend eating breakfast and "visiting" at McDonalds.  When Bigmama was going through chemo treatments, she often told her children and grandchildren that she couldn't wait to be well enough to get another Diet Coke from McDonalds.

During her battle with cancer in 2012.  She BEAT it!

Yesterday, Bigmama went into McDonalds, and was not greeted by anyone at the counter.  In fact, the young woman working the register ran to the back of the kitchen and she and her coworkers refused to wait on my grandmother.  As she repeatedly asked for someone to come take her order, these young men and women laughed at her and turned away.  When she left, without service, the McDonalds employees continued laughing, as one crudely imitated the way Bigmama walks with a cane.  They were, apparently, unaware that two of Bigmama's own grandchildren were in the restaurant witnessing this horrible behavior.

My family is obviously hurt, disappointed, and enraged by this incident.  I, for one, am shocked that anyone could treat another human being this way, much less an elderly person.  I will never understand how difficult it is for some people to feel empathy towards others.  If this is something you struggle with, here's a free tip from me: the next time you feel ill will towards someone, imagine if that person were your grandmother, your sibling, your father, your child, etc...  How would you want someone else to treat your Bigmama?

After hearing of this incident, one of Bigmama's daughters-in-law, Nicole, posted about her anger on Facebook.  Since then, the post has been shared over 370 times across the state (even in some other states) and has received hundreds of responses between the original post and all the shares.  Countless people in our family and community have reached out to the manager of this McDonalds, the owner of the franchise, and corporate offices... Some have even gone by the McDonalds to express their disappointment with the situation.

Seeing and hearing of the people rallying around our family has been incredibly heart-warming.  And seeing and hearing my family stand together and say, "We will not stand for this" has actually made me smile a few times between the tears today.  I'm so proud to be part of community that cares and part of a family that stands to defend one another when we can't defend ourselves.

My beautiful Momma looks just like her momma!

So, as usual, I'm going to try to focus on the positive here:

- It's clear we're not the only ones who love our Bigmama.  She has made such a positive impact on so many!
- It's great to be from a small town.
- People still do the right thing every once and while.  People still love and care for each other.
- A few hateful people won't steal our joy!

I'll leave you with my favorite quote (disclaimer: the author is widely debated):

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."  And I'll add: Be kind, for everyone you meet is someone else's Bigmama.

My favorite picture of the three of us... circa 1999?

Dear Gabby, happy birthday!

Dear Gabby,

Today, you are nine years old... Nine isn't a particularly exciting number, and I made that worse by counting wrong and telling everyone you were eight two years ago (oops), so it's almost like you haven't aged at all... Most women would appreciate that blunder.

Some of my favorite throw-backs... All from the same Mother's Day weekend in 2009!

 Somehow, it worked out that I had the day off today, and your friend Oliver is staying with us, so I took you both on a casual stroll down to the bay. But, as usual, "casual" is a laughable concept when you're involved, because you only have two speeds: wide open, or asleep. :-) So I watched you weave to the left and right of the path, stopping to pee about 12 times, pulling on your leash until you choked, and harassing strangers with your crazy energy (not to mention poor Oliver!). I am sorry I never took you to obedience class or helped you learn to walk correctly on a leash. Though, you don't seem to mind your own lack of etiquette. 

Our lives have changed so much in nine years... We became single (and that REALLY stuck! Lol), we graduated from THE Georgia Southern and The University of South Carolina, we started a career, then we started a NEW career, and we moved way too many times to count. I get to say "we" because you were there through all of it. Granted, you may have had no choice in the matter, but I'd like to think, by way of your affection, that you'd have chosen to stick with me anyway. 

Your personality hasn't changed much over the years. You're very anxious; and I owe you an apology for laughing out loud when the vet said he thought you were Obsessive Compulsive... But COME ON! What are the chances that I would end up with an OCD dog? You never grew out of your hatred and fear of car rides, which is tragic since you've probably spent half your life in a car. I've never had a wreck with you in the car... So what's the deal with that? You sleep more now than you used to. I don't think my sedentary lifestyle has been a good influence on you. I often compare you to a cat, but you know I don't mean that. I don't worry much because the vet makes comments like, "She's gonna live a looooong time!" when he sees you spazzing out in his office... That makes me confident that your energy levels far exceed the average "senior dog". 

Last night, I was watching a reality tv show, and in that particular episode, the featured family had to put down one of their dogs. I sobbed, obviously. And you ran over to put your front paws on my chair and tilt you head in that way that says, "How can you cry when I'm so cute?" Little do you know, that's WHY I was crying at that particular moment. It's not always convenient to have you around (any parent that says otherwise is lying), but geez, the thought of living without you is heart wrenching. So do me a favor, and just go ahead and live forever, mmkay?

Now, I'm thinking you need a birthday treat. So I'm gonna get dressed, pack you in the car you despise, take you to Petsmart, where you'll be super nervous, and pick out a treat that you'll lick twice and walk away from. I think Oliver will enjoy this birthday more than you will. But I also think you'll forgive me.