[Tom Joad]

I have a cousin that is a lesbian and has been in a long term relationship with her partner for at least 25 years.

I have a brother-in-law that is gay and has been in a long term relationship with his partner for even longer.

These are four of the finest human beings I know plus they are loads of fun to hang out with.

My best friend in school was the redneck son of a north Florida dirt farmer and he was a terrible bigot back in the day.

He went to college then graduate school and ended up with a PHD and is now a liberal.

Another good friend of mine was a card carrying member of the Klu Klux Klan when I first met him as a co-worker back in 1976.

He'd come in Thursday morning after his Wednesday night meetings with "the boys" and he'd be all ramped up and ranting and raving about "those colored Devils" as he would call them.

Then he started taking night classes at the local junior college when the state started this program of paying for them for State Employees.

It took him 8 years but he eventually got a degree in Anthropology.

Along the way he ditched the Klan and became practically a hippie.