Michael, the ability to comment on your person digitally is not so good. my name is Richard. you remember me because we were close friends when we lived in Riverside, before i moved to Santa Maria because my dad was transferred to Vandenburg air force base. i guess we were about 12 and we met at school and became friends. i especially remember 7th grade. i read some of the commentary about your insecurities as a child. even then i was aware, being a tolerant catholic. i liked you a lot and i really do not remember you being bullied for being gay or effeminate, but if you say so it must be true. you pretty much behaved like a normal insecure early teen. before adolescent would likely be more correct. we both lived on the poor side of the tracks. then your dad, who was a contractor, built a new house for your family in a better part of town. you invited me over to help you make lolly pops. i was seated on a low chair and you were standing above me. you, taller, stood above me. then for no reason you lowered your face and kissed my mouth. i had never been kissed before by another boy. i ignored what you had initiated and continued to process the lolly pops. your mother and father did not like me, maybe they thought i was a bad influence because of my Spanish surname, or perhaps they thought i might be queer. doesn't matter much to me. i have often thought about you and your sister Kay and your mom and dad. i was aware of your being Mormon, or affiliation with the church of latter day saints. did not think much about it. but i see what your family/faith did to you, and perhaps your birth religion; a great injury. they psychologically injured you and placed you in a place of psycho/emotional risk. and that is something that rarely can be undone. your life has been over the top. i do hope you have found peace. i still have the photo you sent me from your high school graduation. i went on to UCSB and other dumpsters. i moved to New York City in 1980. but i still miss California. Richard
Review of One Nation Under God
