The moment you see something with your own eyes and feel injustice with all your senses, you cross an inner border, you know you can’t go back from there.
This joke was not the product of haplessly old-fashioned, harmlessly sexist men. It was purposeful, deeply misogynistic violence, passed off as joking.
Darling, live well
If we should die tonight, let the world know our voices rang out
To sing all the words to all the songs that left their marks in our hearts
Today, on your birthday, I will drink Jack Daniels, and pour one out for you, Daddy. I will light my skull candles, and blast Steve Earle. I will weep not for your absence but to honor your legend, and I will slur stories of my outlaw-patriarch to anyone who will listen.