James Home Kitchen

Respect for Differences, Condemnation of Extremism

I decided to take down my past post about Charlie Kirk—not because of the negative comments (and I do appreciate those who supported me), but because I realized that some of what I wrote was misunderstood and, in some places, overstated. I needed to correct that.

My mistake was that my words sounded like I was blaming the Democratic Party or transgender and homosexual communities. That was never my heart, and I owe an apology.

In fact, I have many friends who are Democrats, and some are gay or le***an. I also work with people who live very different lifestyles... Yet in all of these relationships, we treat one another with respect and are able to openly discuss our differences without hatred. This may come from my own past — I was once an adulterer(refered to my past posts), but I was saved by my wife’s forgiveness and by Jesus’ grace. Because of that, I know firsthand the power of redemption and respect, and I try to extend that same grace to others. Many of my customers are Democrats as well. We’ve had conversations—sometimes about tough issues like illegal immigration—but we’ve remained respectful to each other. And most of them still come back to my restaurant, which means more to me than words can say.

I also think of one of my tenants who is transgender. When we first met, he was uneasy, maybe wondering how I would treat him. After running the background check, I had no reason to deny his application, and I welcomed him. Even though I may not personally agree with his lifestyle, I made sure through my attitude that he felt secure and respected, and I promised to protect his rights as a tenant. Today, he is one of my best tenants. That experience taught me something important about dignity and fairness.

But what breaks me most about Charlie’s death is the pure evil behind it. You don’t have to like him. You don’t have to agree with him. You can debate him, challenge him with facts, ignore him, or boycott his organization. But no one—no one—has the right to gun him down in public, in front of his wife, his little children, his friends, and ten thousand witnesses. That act was not courage—it was pure cowardice, and it must be condemned. Responsibility must not stop with the shooter alone. The people, educators, and extremist groups or organizations that encourage or praise, normalize, or justify such violence must also be held accountable.

My heart aches for his wife, Erika, and for their children. To see her stand so bravely after such a devastating loss moves me deeply. And to think his little children had to lose their father in such a cruel way is unbearable. It takes me back to my own family’s past, when many of my father’s relatives were brutally murdered and executed in public after lies and false accusations from communist authority and riot groups/individuals. Murder is murder—no matter who it is, no matter the politics, no matter the ideology.

Violence does not belong to the left, the right, or the middle. It is the tool of extremists, and it is the enemy of us all. Whether you are Democrat, Republican, independent, conservative, liberal, transgender, homosexual, or straight—we all have a stake in standing together against violence. Because if we don’t, no one is safe.

I am proud that, in the days after Charlie’s death, most communities did not erupt into riots or extreme violence. Instead, people mourned, prayed, and came together in sorrow — a response that showed the best of our nation. I am proud to be an American. I will stand and fight for the freedoms we hold dear, and I will protect my family, my friends, and those who rely on me — including my customers🤗.

We must defend liberty through law, reasoned debate, and peaceful action, and reject the extremists who would silence voices and steal our freedoms.

May God bless America.

your humble chef, James