I have warned my two kids that if they ever contemplated divorcing their spouse, I would keep the one they brought.
My son-in-law is a retired public schoolteacher with a Ph.D., a coach, and a former Georgia Teacher of the Year. He can build anything, including the house they have occupied for the past 35 years. He is kind, thoughtful, and smart as a whip.
My daughter-in-law is a nurse who spent most of her career in hospital nursing and retired as a hospice care nurse, one of the toughest jobs I can imagine. As I have stated on previous occasions, she is credited with having saved my life — that, according to the doctors — when she saw how pale I looked one evening and got me to an emergency clinic and then into the hospital. It was sepsis. She remains my go-to person regarding matters of my health.
It’s a shame I’m not running for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. I could talk about the real issues facing our nation without worrying about the next in-law harangue.
I’m afraid that’s not the case for Republican candidate Congressman Mike Collins, though. His son-in-law, David Alan Scheer II, has drawn national attention for social media posts that multiple news organizations have described as antisemitic and white nationalist. The controversy has repeatedly forced Collins to address his son-in-law’s online activity instead of focusing solely on his campaign issues.
Scheer is identified as a social media influencer, generally described as someone who uses trust and credibility online to shape attitudes, behaviors, and decisions.
According to recent reports, Scheer has more than 1.5 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Telegram and other platforms. His online activity has included Nazi imagery, antisemitic conspiracy theories and white nationalist content.
On his Telegram channel, Scheer wrote, “We’re going to retake America for Christian White men!”
I have a feeling God is going to zap whatever brains this guy may have when the time comes and will hopefully give the privilege of pulling the switch to Ray Charles Robinson of Albany, Georgia, and Moses.
In the meantime, I would suggest Scheer spend more time reading the Sermon on the Mount and less time on Telegram. He might learn what Christianity is really all about.
Scheer has called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “Satanic warmongering, Zionist piece of garbage” and, in 2025, displayed a German Nazi Party propaganda poster from the 1930s with the text, “I want to make babies, not die for Israel.” His social media activity has also included statements about Jews controlling American politics and references to Hitler.
As for women, Scheer has stated, “repeal the 19th amendment and a lot of issues will resolve themselves.” The 19th Amendment guarantees women the right to vote.
I’m going to assume the women in the Collins household have no problem with being thought of as unworthy to vote. The women in the Yarbrough household would punch his sexist lights out. That would resolve a lot of issues, too.
I don’t know Mike Collins. I did know his daddy, the late Congressman Mack Collins, quite well.
He was very helpful to us in the run-up to the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. And a good guy.
His son may be a good guy, too, but if he can’t manage his family, how can he manage the affairs of state?
Mike Collins either can’t or won’t get Scheer to shut his trap. How all of this can help his campaign is a mystery to me.
The issue has already disrupted one of Collins’ campaign events. On July 30, while appearing at Monroe County Hospital to discuss health care, reporters repeatedly asked Collins about Scheer’s posts and their relationship. Collins said the matter had been “fully addressed,” pivoted to criticism of Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff, and then ended the news conference.
You can bet it won’t be the last time this happens.
Watching this guy spew his verbal garbage on the internet reminds me to thank Ted and Jackie. You two may not be social influencers, but you are great in-laws who have never embarrassed the family or me.
Maybe I should have run for the Senate.
You can reach Dick Yarbrough at dick@dickyarbrough.com or at P.O. Box 725373, Atlanta, Georgia 31139.