I’ve been on twitter six years this month. Within a few months of coming on Social Media for the first time I found myself expressing my political views to the point where my time line is almost exclusively political. In the past six years I’ve amassed over 13,000 followers and I have refused to follow-back, and I’ve even blocked follow attempts from “Right Wing Nut Jobs” who I really didn’t want to be bothered with. So I could only assume the bulk of my follows were of those who agreed with my politics, my sense of humor and my snark.

In the past six years I do not believe anything in my stated political views have changed:

My support for President Obama remains the same.

My distaste for the Republican Party and especially the Tea Party remains the same.

My support for equal rights for all regardless of race, gender, religion, background, sexual orientation remains the same.

My support for Justice Reform remains the same.

My support for the 99% over the 1% remains the same.

My support for overturning Citizens United remains the same.

My support for voting rights remains the same.

My distaste for Conservative Governors and Conservative State Legislatures imposing their own religious views on others remains the same.

My support for Pro-Choice remains the same.

My support for Gunsense clearly remains the same.

My support for compromise in the legislatures and executive branch remains the same.

My support for universal healthcare remains the same.

My support for the Progressive Cause remains the same.

My support for this country is unwavering.

However; in recent months, many who have followed me have since unfollowed or even blocked me. Periodically I will go through my follows line by line. I know they have programming for this but I’m old school and I like to look at the bios of those who follow me. Often seeing the name and bio reminds me of previous exchanges, support we gave each other, joining up to harass trolls, joking back and forth. It’s just one of the more mundane things I do. However in doing so, I see that many have unfollowed. The common denominator of those who have done so? Their support for Bernie Sanders often with the hashtag #BernieOrBust in their updated bios.

My views are the same; however, I look to who best has the ability to fulfill what I support in government. That person is Hillary Clinton, not Bernie Sanders. Bernie says all the things I agree with, but he has yet to release a viable plan for not only how he will deliver, but how he will work through a Congress not likely willing to move as quickly as he demands. Clinton on the other hand recognizes that change requires time, patience and compromise. Bernie openly rejects these concepts.

Those oppose to Hillary often do so citing innuendo and demonstrably false claims about her history and character. I find that to be expected from the Republicans and conservatives, but not Democrats and progressives. To find someone guilty with no evidence beyond innuendo, memes, rumors and false stories is the antithesis of being progressive.

So when I see the attacks on Hillary, I respond and I affirm my support for her. Again, my political views haven’t changed nor do I suspect the political views of my former followers, but the one issue where we can’t agree, who’s best to lead this nation, is enough to ignore years of enjoying each other on twitter going after the real enemy of what we all believe in, the Republican Party.

They say this election cycle between Clinton and Sanders isn’t as bad as it was in 2008. I wouldn’t know not being on Twitter back then (was there Twitter back then?) However, if the left is going to stand firm from those on the right it is incumbent upon us to work together for what we all believe in to push the agenda forward. Dividing ourselves over who’s best qualified to lead the change is counterproductive.

Oh, you’re all welcomed to follow back