Letter: Practice John Wayne’s kind of good manners

Published 10:04 am Monday, December 22, 2025

“I won’t be wronged. I won’t be insulted. I won’t be laid a-hand on. I don’t do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.” — John Wayne “The Shootist”

Jeanie Beeman, an elderly woman, was working last week at a Target store in Chico, California, when Michelea Ponce, an irate activist, came up and harassed her just for the attire she was wearing. It was a Charlie Kirk shirt that Ms. Ponce found offensive.

Beeman de-escalated the situation by being an excellent employee, and better human being, by simply saying, “I’m sorry but I’m not going to engage in an argument with you. Have a nice day.”

Why anyone would want to harass someone in this manner? Ponce made it a point to intimidate this lady, throw f-bombs at her and call her a “racist” while videoing the event so she could post it on social media. All this at Christmas time, where there’s supposed to be peace on earth and all that.

At 72 years old, Ms. Beeman was not deserving of such an attack for just wearing a “Freedom” shirt. This is a situation where someone’s political leaning turned into a possible hate crime, and obvious example of elder abuse.

In the end, Beeman had the last word and eased tension on both sides by saying, “She wronged me, but I don’t want to wrong her … because it’s not going to make it right.” John Wayne would call Jeanie Beeman some kind of lady.

MATT JANES

Jeffers Gardens