The proudly sexist Butker is backwards, bullying, chauvinistic, and sick. But his views are also nothing compared to Project 2025–the playbook out in-the-open detailing Trump’s next Presidency, including the end of all abortion rights, end of public education, end of independent justice, using military vs protestors…if you want this BS to be American policy, don’t vote.

American democracy is on the line: vote.

Dear Mr. Butker,

I’m a 6 foot 3 white guy with a big red beard and I think a woman’s place is…whatever she wants it to be. My mom wasn’t legally allowed a bank account or a PO Box without a male cosigner when she was younger, and I don’t want to return to that world.

I’m aware of Project 2025, and it’s frightening. I hate our support of Netanyahu, but that won’t stop me from voting President Biden and for democracy rather than abstaining, third party voting, or voting Trump—who would scuttle the Department of Education, our urgent addressing of climate crisis, our reinvesting in infrastructure, healthcare, and the middle class; the protection of basic voting rights and the continued promotion of decency over cons, hate, and lies.

I’m straight and I think gay or Trans friends are…friends, going to heaven if there is one, not defined by me, certainly.

I’m irritated by performative virtue signaling extremists on both sides, but I’m an extremist on climate crisis, equity, peace over war, protected bike lanes, organic and local and vegan food.

I’m a hippie dippie but I don’t buy Birks–they got bought by VC bullshit—I don’t support Bezos’ SuperYacht fund (Amazon) and I do bike every damn day and hug trees and compostable is my love language—but I don’t stink, do shower, don’t hug my Positivity It’s all Good pillows.

I do videos to millions about meditation and such but don’t think for one second I’m any kind of guru or teacher or want to be—I’m a student, I’m just sharing what helps and inspires me.

I do love my dog and do respect boundaries and training, tough love and cuddles both—i’m not down with whatever goes BS. I’m up, rather, for giving my dog the most social, fun, genuine, kind, healthy, silly life possible.

I’m a hater of Netanyahu, and the extremist elements within both Israel and Hamas, both. Violence is seductive, but never solves anything.

I disagree with folks strongly, sometimes, but try to practice respectful dialogue and avoiding falling into stereotyping others as NIMBYs or whathaveyou. I’m more interested in solutions, in helping, than in territory, in being “right.”

I’m vegan but I hate poly/synthetic/plastic (which equals 7x air travel in terms of climate crisis, which kills millions of animals directly and billions indirectly) more than I hate secondhand wool, say. When I say I love my dog, that love extends to all sentient beings, not just those who serve my happiness.

I’m only interested in being of benefit, and I’m an idiot, full of mistakes, wildly imperfect, learning as I go, too. I’m great at some things, deeply caring, and I suck at other things.

I’m deeply in love with Kelsey, and goddarnit I’m grateful for her belated presence in my life. And that means supporting her career, not just her child and our family. It also means, say, my doing the dishes, and her drying them; or vice versa; or paying the bills, but helping fold the blankets, too.

I’m a real man, and that means I’m…just whatever I am. I cry, I love (good, not too cheesy) romcoms, I’m a feminist, and I believe that toxic masculinity or The Patriarchy harms men, too. I’m practicing anti-racism, and I’m okay with being de-prioritized (see the equity illustration), but I don’t think any one group is inherently better or worse than any other. Given structural and latent personal racism, however, history is now, and to stop the ripples we must invest in personal and society ethics, both.

I’m the publisher of one of the last great independent, mindful community sites, Elephant Journal, and if every one of you who read this shared your writing about what you care about this week, and consistently—we’d survive and thrive another 5 years.