Hey Alex, Our relationship has nothing to do with politics - I just like you and even if I strongly objected to everything you stood for, I'd still befriend you. I was friends with people all my life who were diametrically opposite to everything I believed but that's part of being human. I admit it's hard to listen open- minded to opposing viewpoints but I think what joins us together is stronger than what breaks us apart.

I recently saw an old Law & Order episode that dealt with forced sterilization and it sickened me. I don't think that's the solution to overpopulation. I see the good that Bill Gates does and if what you say is true, I would be disheartened. But sometimes you have to eat the wheat and spit out the weeds if you're going to eat at all.

I'm upset to see the plight of migrants seeking asylum in the USA and the treatment of blacks and innumerable incidents of blacks being murdered by police. I believe Black Lives Matter and I am also sickened by the millions of people who have contracted Covid and died - 85 million cases and 2 million dead. BTW, a decrease in flu is probably the result of people washing hands, keeping distant and wearing masks.

As for socialism, have you considered the effects of unrestricted capitalism? The whole world lives in a mixed economy but in the USA people who get sick and are poor can't pay their medical bills and end up either bankrupt or dead. We have to show some humanity and care for one another.

I don't care if you dismiss me as a North American liberal - all I care about is the greatest good for the greatest number - and I do believe in democracy as our best bet for achieving equality.
I certainly don't want to kill off anybody and am a Christian who believes our highest authority is God, not the State.

BTW, that other good friend of mine also lives in South Africa and I'm aware of many of the challenges you face. I believe in unity on the essentials ( caring for humanity), tolerance for everything else and above all, love and respect for one another.

Yes, I personally believe Trump is an evil narcissist who only cares about himself and I find it almost impossible to listen to his rambling diatribes, but as much as I repect peoples' right to their own beliefs I also believe in objective truth and if 73 million people say a foolish thing, it's still a foolish thing.

So, I hope we can look past our differences, Alex, and focus on where we do agree :)