Just this morning, I published a story about how the Trump administration is responsible for summarily canceling a Kennedy Center performance by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC.

Compared to the acts of persecution and erasure that you write about, that's perhaps not much. But it's telling a example of erasing us, of working to ensure that nobody knows our names.

Conservative people believe that we have to be erased, that our names don't deserve to be known, for no reason other than their irrational prejudices and bigotries. Obviously, appearing on stage at one of the nation's premier performing arts centers is incompatible with that goal.

And if they're petty enough to do this, they'll do much more — as we're seeing on an almost daily basis.

By the way, I once wrote a story about a boy whose name I can't remember. I met him when we were both in the 8th grade, and I had kind of a crush on him, although I don't think I would have called it that at the time.

Unlike your 10th-grade protagonist, I know for a fact that my 8th-grade friend did not live. He took his own life, and I'm pretty sure I know why.

I've never been able to remember his name, not even after writing a story about him, and I think that's also powerfully symbolic.

However, his life and death deeply touched me, and I've never forgotten him as a beautiful person.

I used to drive myself crazy struggling to remember his name, but I think I now realize that I don't have to, becaue he stands in for all of us.