Dear Tomi Lahren,

Just like you, I am a millennial, female republican. I share many of the ideals and values you promote on The Blaze, and I often admire your straightforward, brutally honest opinions about the important issues going on within our country. However, I also sometimes find myself shaking my head after watching you because even for a Republican, I am amazed at how much you seem to be missing and how little regard and compassion you have for others.

I am a big believer in civility. On the other end of every policy or ideology you tear down, are people who want the best for this country, even if they have differing ideas of what exactly that means. I greatly admire honesty, but I find political attacks frustrating and exhausting, and that is sometimes what you do. Believe it or not, it is possible to disagree with people without hating them or criticizing their character. I believe in loving others, even if you disagree with their opinions. Call me naïve, call me a snowflake, call me whatever you want, but it's true.

You've made a career out of pissing off liberals. But recently, you decided to shake things up by pissing off a lot of conservatives, too. It's funny, though, because the reason so many in our party have turned against you is the reason I have more respect for you now than I did before.

So you're pro-choice. So what? I'm actually sort of dumbfounded that your openness about this issue in your interview with The View has drawn so much negative attention to yourself. As far as I'm concerned, the reasons you gave for supporting a woman's right to choose were completely valid- in fact, they were impressive to me. You made up your own mind about the issue instead of mindlessly adopting the opinion of the Republican party. You stuck to your guns when it probably would have been easier to voice an opinion that earned you brownie points with your viewers. I think that's amazing.

In your interview, you said:

“I am a someone who loves the Constitution, I am someone that’s for limited government, so I can’t sit here and be a hypocrite and say that I’m for limited government but I think that the government should decide what women do with their bodies...I’m for limited government, so stay out of my guns and stay out of my body as well.”

It's ridiculous that you were suspended from The Blaze and are having so much negativity thrown at you because you chose to be consistent with what you believe. Whether someone agrees with you or not, it is absurd for them to attack you on these grounds. I am sorry for the hypocrisy of the party we belong to. I am sorry that you are being criticized for utilizing your right to free speech. I am sorry that standing up for what you believe in has consequences.

I'll close with a quote from Voltaire. "I disapprove of what you say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it." I stand with you.

Sincerely,

A member of #TeamTomi

See Also: I Owe Tomi Lahren An Apology