To Jeff Sessions, With Love

Dear Mr. Sessions,

I was born and raised in the great state of Alabama and most of my, if not all of my life you have been a senator or political figure in the state. I grew up on a farm in rural north Alabama, going to a small school with only roughly 68 people in my graduating class. I obeyed the states laws and I attempted to bet he best citizen I could be.

Then I took an amazingly informative trip to Washington D.C. called "Close-Up" when I was 17 and got the opportunity to meet my representatives. During this wonderfully eye-opening experience I learned about the differences between Democrats and Republicans, the variations in our states, and how the extraordinary American political system works. In that time I was able to have an interaction with you. I was still in the closet and was already viewed during the trip to be the "lone-wolf", so much so that no one would be my roommate and I was put into a room with another gay male from Missouri who's classmates also disowned him. I quickly realized after interacting with you and seeing how I was treated that I was not equal in you, or my classmates eyes. Just as I was tucked away in the back of our group photos so I could hardly be found, I realized that was where my classmates preferred me. It was were my fellow Alabama citizens preferred me. I was feared, mistreated, and belittled.

That was the day I bought my Obama for president shirt.

From then going forward I began to gather knowledge and delve into politics. My interest in a free and equal nation for all continued to grow. I was in shock and disbelief by how I could tell in such a short interaction that you absolutely had no interest in anything I had to say. At 18 I took another school trip to California. That was the day I quit being just "the gay kid". Even though the other three kids on this trip also disowned me for the most part, including my "best friend", I got to experience the city in a whole new light. I had more freedom and I can honestly say it was the first time in my life I finally felt like everyone else.

At that time I realized I had to escape from you, Senator Sessions.

I had to escape from the mistreatment, the rude looks, the "bless your hearts", the "I had an uncle like you", and all the other stereotypical treatments people like you place upon people like myself.

Granted, it was not just you. Judge Roy Moore, Governor Bentley, and many others in our state are a fair representation of the hate your citizens can hold, only because you do not use your power to push for equality and acceptance for ALL OF YOUR CITIZENS.

Needless to say, it took me years but I finally relocated to Los Angeles and was finally happy with my life. I had escaped being the black sheep in a crowd of white sheep and began to be just one of the flock. When the election came this year I, like most of the American population, assumed and voted for Hillary Clinton. I wanted to keep my freedoms and be able to continue my Medical Marijuana use for my issues with sleep and bipolar disorder. I wanted a level-headed leader that understood that we all may be a little different, but regardlesss of religion, ethnicity, country of origin, sexuality, gender, and disability thatwe are all EQUAL. Every one of us deserves the same rights as United States citizens. I have never been so destroyed as the day we lost that election, granted I moved on and pushed for what I believe in.

Then the day came that you were selected for attorney general.

I was in utter shock someone with such a history and distaste for science could be selected to be our head of the law of the land. I contacted everyone I could to try and make my voice heard but unfortunately I failed. So now I'm coming to you as a citizen of the country you were placed in office to protect. No I do not support you, but you have the opportunity to earn my support. I ask of you to please take a step back and consider that a majority of the nations people are not aligned with your beliefs and you still must defend us all. Not prosecute us and place us in prisons so that money can be made off of our imprisonment. You should protect us from racists, misogynistic, homophobic, and criminal activity, but in a way that appeases the nation as a whole and keeps us safe still.

To explain my defense of medical marijuana since I know you are a strong opposer I'd like to state that I tried prescription medication for multiple years, to no avail. They caused massive weight gain, depression, mood swings, and then finally a zombie-like state of life.

That was not the life I wanted.So moving forward I have now lost 140lbs and I still use my medical marijuana to turn my days around on a bad day. I have NO health issues otherwise and I do not do any drugs. I am not a drug addict anymore than when I was on lithium for my issues, yet I'm much happier and safer than I was with the options provided by the pharmaceutical industry.

Please listen to my pleas and feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. I promise you I am wishing you the best in asking you to just please consider my rights, needs, and the life I live. I am not your enemy, regardless of how you see it, I am attempting to be your friend.

I would forgive all the mistreatment I received during my 23 years in the Deep South if just one man like yourself would stand up for me. Because frankly, it's never happened.

You have so much relying on your currently and I know that you may never read this but in my hopes you do, please remember I'm one of at least 65 million people with views similar to mine and we are not going anywhere.

I wish you nothing but happiness and good health. I hope this letter speaks to you and you can understand or relate to my fear of you. I ran 3000 miles to escape you, but you still came back to haunt me. Please do not haunt me, just help me as your job descriptions requires.

Your Friend,

Drew