Thank you for taking the time to read and respond. I appreciate your reasoned approach to my story.

My intent however was not to inflame or provoke. Rather I wanted to begin a discussion about a number of topics discussed in my story — racism, freedom of expression, and others. No posturing or clickbait is inherent in my material as I see it.

As for the image used, it is of two men kneeling. One is pictured in the process of killing another human. The other is peacefully protesting. The reader is left to draw their own conclusions about how the story’s prose relates to the image.

Again, thank you for responding to me in the way that you did. Most of what I received was of a very different and far darker nature.