Dear Sir or Madam:
I’ve known Mike since 1969, which was even before everyone, except maybe 3 other people in the world and myself, started calling him Mikey. All through high school and college, I was much more politically liberal than he, and when I turned 21 in 1976, I registered as a Democrat and campaigned for Jimmy Carter.
Several years ago, I realized that the party was going crazy, and, after a couple of years of rather anguished observation, I disaffiliated. When Mike told me about the award and said he hoped I could attend, I told him how proud I was of him but that I wasn’t sure I could be around that many people who where probably quite childish and self-involved. Your ridiculous reason for rescinding the award reinforced that feeling. Yes, he is still a registered Republican (and has many of the same feelings about them as I do about the Democrats), but if ever there were an opportunity to prove that you could look beyond party affiliation to the work that one has done, this is it. I assume, however, that your goal is not for the greater good of the country but only to gain absolute power for the party, which will, quite frankly, be the downfall of the country. I also know that my opinion means nothing to you because I am not rich and powerful.
I actually hope that you do not reinstate the award because I personally believe that it would not be an honor. You don’t deserve to have such a brave, hard-working individual affiliated with you.
Sincerely,
(name withheld)
