Can we talk politics? Sexuality? Race? Education?

There are, unfortunately, a large number of parents of a certain age and a certain background who were and are racist. Who fought against woman's rights, civil rights, and interracial marriage. Who denigrated immigrants. Who thought--and still think--that gay and LGBTQ+ folk were out to destroy America.

But something I've noticed as the years have rolled along is that younger generations tend not to care about those things. They've found that people are, by and large, people.

And this is especially true for those who went to college and, perhaps for the first time, sat next to one another in class and in the process found out the thing that they were told to fear... wasn't really that scary after all.

But now, when they go home, they find that they're unable to communicate with those who still embrace and express the old fears and attitudes and hatreds.

And so they leave.

Went out to dinner with my wife a few weeks back and a table of younger folk (20s) were laughing and having a good time. White. Black. Asian. Hispanic. Men and woman. One gay and another openly trans. (Have a trans daughter, recognized the pins.)

Just friends, enjoying a night out.

I actually have a lot of hope for this country.