The View from Behind Grannie's Rocking Chair

[TallahasseeGrannie]

Things have changed. Really, really changed. My father was a lifelong Republican, but he shed tears when Kennedy was killed and he wasn’t wild about Ronald Reagan. It wasn’t all or nothing back then. He played golf with the Democrat mayor of Tallahassee. He served communion at church to the Republican Governor. He liked and respected them both.

Today it isn’t just politics. You don’t just disagree with someone’s positions anymore. Those days are over. Today you go out into the world and immediately size up someone according to the way you predict they might have voted. Trophy wife? (i.e. attractive blonde with a tan and jewelry…nevermind she might be a doctor or attorney in her own right) Sneer at her. Probably a right winger. Pony tail? Birkenstocks? Freaking un-American moonbat. And depending on your own persuasion you are supposed to immediately despise them. Fuktards. Asshats. And if you can, get in a few digs so you can go back to your political message board and entertain everyone with how you “got the freeper” or “set the moonbat straight.”

If you are on the left, you celebrate diversity. If said diverse person, however, does not fit into your political box, you are within your rights to pull out the old chestnuts: Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, Uncle Tom, Big-lipped ass kisser. If the person’s only weak claim to diverse status is their gender, then they are whores, c*nts, and they spread their legs for “The Man.” Because diversity has to stay on the straight Democratic track in order to be valid. Racial profiling is taboo on the left. But if two Right Wing public figures are obese white men, then the personification of all things evil is pasty white skin and a big white butt. The left would never refer to an African American by any sort of epithet that included their color, but redneck the favored description for anyone from the much maligned “red states.” And it’s okay, because you know, it’s just a joke really.

On the right, however, it is not necessary to put that fine a point on it. Nuance is, after all, for the French and John Kerry. The usual racial epithets are still quite useful when describing the rabble in the Superdome, now known as Dante’s final level of Hell. And three centuries of unique culture that gave us our most unique American music can be glossed over with officious discussion of whether or not New Orleans is worth rebuilding.

But everyone loves gay folks. The left loves them so much that they find them hiding everywhere. Five minutes on a stage with a wife and kids in pastel colors, and gaydar beeps off the screen all over Leftland. But then, there’s nothing wrong with THAT, right?

And of course, the right love gay folks so much they want to enfold them into the loving congregation where they can spend the rest of their lives banging their heads against the brick walls of the church trying to get the “dirty” images out of their minds.

And the transgendered? Fair game, man, for all! Ann the Mann Coulter. Of course we hate her! She has an adam’s apple! Don’t stop just at criticizing her views, her delivery. Criticize her because she looks like a transvestite. Now that’s something everybody can agree on! It warms my heart when we find commonality.

Religion is unique. We have so much more in common than we admit. Everyone is a victim! The atheists are victimized by the believers who attempt to define them; the believers are victimized by the non-believers, some of whom use words like “religiously insane.” War on Christians, war on atheists. War. War. War.

On the right, it’s much more clear cut. If you don’t accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior, you are going to hell. And that’s worse than the Superdome. Maybe. On the left, it is a bit more subtle. I don’t believe you really are allowed to go to the dance (or the protest) with the cool kids if you profess a belief in anything you can’t classify, categorize, measure, and replicate. The left is, after all, the reality-based community. Except for that little astrology thing.

Now let’s move onto values. The right likes to talk about family values. This, we assume means no cross dressing, eating dinner at 6 and all abortions are murder and immoral except mine. Men whose wives work have little weenies, and women who want to work are lacking in natural maternal instinct and probably dykes like that Hilary Clinton. It doesn’t matter if you are on your third divorce and have a ten page rap sheet for spousal abuse, Jesus has forgiven you and so should we.

On the left we have liberal values. Women go out to work even if they would rather be home to raise the kids because after all, their mothers burned their bras to give them the opportunity and God damn it you are going to have it ALL!. Liberal values are all about the common good. Screw the family. The common good says strap your kids in a tin roller skate and take your chances missing high school boys in their souped-up 10-foot high pick-up trucks because to actually drive a large vehicle is just..well, not liberal. You had better not be seen in the WalMart parking lot, either, unless it is getting signatures for a petition. If you get three grand in student loans a year and 200 a month in food stamps, you should still pay 12 bucks for your coffee at the co-op, never mind the roach dirt and the fact that it is $6 at “The Wal.” The common good, Dude. The common good.

But on the right, have at it. Party on, because Dad will be coming to pick us up soon and the last ones here can clean up the mess.

It is interesting that both the right and the left accuse each other of the same things. The right is terrified that the secular left will go totalitarian on them and make it illegal to worship their god. The left looks at every governmental action as the latest proof that fascism has arrived. The death camps are being built, readied for those who don’t use deodorant. Both sides accuse the other of regression. The right assumes that everyone left of center yearns for anarchy, revolution and communal living and co-ops instead of corps. The left believe that the right is trying to pull everything back to 1950 where women are barefoot, pregnant and down on the farm.

Both use hyperbole to demonize their nemeses. Clinton was a perverted sex addict who groped and murdered his way into the White House. Bush is not just a president we disagree with, he is the reincarnation of Hitler.

And both sides want to scare us. The right shouts Terror! Bird flu! While the left screams Climate Collapse and Death Camps!

It’s ugly out there. And confusing. I’m getting to where I can’t figure out where “we” leave off and “they” begin. We have a lot in common, on the left and the right. And unfortunately the one thing we seem to have the most of is hate.

[Strong Atheist]

1. Hang in there, T-Grannie!

Oh, BTW, I hope you have crotched yourself some flame-proof clothes to wear on that rocker. I think you may have poked some sacred cows here.:evilgrin:

:hug:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. Did you notice I'm BEHIND the rocker?

It's a special asbestos rocker.

[Strong Atheist]

10. Good, you might need it!

:hug:

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Thank the great uniter..George W. Bush; his brain, KKKarl Rove;

his puppeteers, Cheney and Rumsfeld; and all his waterboys in Congress and the media; and all the dimwits that fell for their bull- and put them into office.

[AuntiBush]

28. Exactly Right, BrklynLiberal.

You speak for me.

[BoneDaddy]

3. Hats off to you Granny!

First of all any granny that says fucktard is ok in my book.
Secondly you have hit the nail on the head. I am not sure where "we" begin and "they" end anymore, myself. I often walk out of here shaking my head at some of the incredible inconsistencies I see.

[mmonk]

4. All I know is our democracy is in deep trouble

in many ways. I also know people support those tearing it down. Divide it up however you want to, but I can't like those tearing it down. The divide cannot be met on common ground.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

5. An honest assessment

I wish it were not so, however.

[converted_democrat]

9. Good post! I agree.. n/t

[bain_sidhe]

7. HEY! No sanity allowed!

Where do you think you are? My folk's living room? (Dad's a pub, mom's a dem, and they seem to get along just fine.)

[Jigarotta]

8. what a great read. thanks.

and recommended.
I use those very rarely, btw.

;)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. I appreciate it.

Looks like I'm not going to get too badly skewered. It was an equal opportunity snark.

[Dr Fate]

12. They get upset when we tell the truth about them.

Almost as upset as we get when they lie about us.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

13. And your statement nails the whole problem right on the head.

I couldn't have given a better example if I'd tried!

[Dr Fate]

14. The only problem is those lying, thieving bastards in the White house.

Not the people who are unafraid to truthfully call them out.

Go ahead- put out an olive branch to the likes of Rove, Cheney & DeLay and see where it gets you.

Oh wait- we know where playing nice gets us- all we have to do is look at the last 3 election cycles.

Blaming Democrats for todays political culture is like blaming the jews for the holocaust.


You know, there IS a such thing as being over-objective.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

15. Yes, you can definitely

be so open-minded that your brain falls out.

But there is hate and greed and power-mongering on all sides. I don't intend to put out an olive branch. I disagree with them potically. Period.

I'm not sure where you get that I am blaming Democrats for today's political culture. I don't. We are all humans and we all make the beds we lie in...as a country, a culture.

[Dr Fate]

17. I stand by my post. They lie about Democrats daily.

Some Democrats attempt to tell the truth about them, daily.

Both sides get upset in the process.

The only problem I see is that MORE, not less Democrats should be telling the blunt, cold, hard truth about these bastards- and they should do so in an agressive manner.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

22. Yes, they tell lies

Lies are part and parcel of politics. People want power so they lie. They want to hold power so they lie. They lie to cover their asses and they lie to solidify dissent and they lie just for the hell of it.

And I disagree with their politics. Always have.

I think we are talking two different things here.

[MissMarple]

16. How do we regain a semblance of civility? It has to happen.

And I guess claiming "they started it first" doesn't quite cut it. We can fight the Coulters, the Limbaughs, the O'Reilleys without losing our integrity. Snarky rejoinders will not win the day. Keith Olbermann does it with truth, accuracy, and humor. Speaking the truth, refusing to let their falsehoods, misdirections, and strawwman rationales go with out dununciation can be done in a civil yet forceful way. John Conyers is pretty good at that.

We need much more practice...all of us. Starting today.

Thanks for such an eloquent, cogent post.

[Dr Fate]

18. All we have to do is tell the truth about them and call them on their lies

It's not rocket science, but some DEM "strategists" seem to think it is.

For every lie they tell about us, we make a truthful statement about them.

example:

GOP lie:
"John Kerry is a flip-flopper"

DEM truthful response: "George Bush is a liar- he did not mis-speak either, he lied, on purpose."

Repubs will learn to play civil after we punch them in the throat a few times.

[MissMarple]

19. A figurative punch, I trust.

;)

I agree with your above point about the Republicans being outraged when light is shone on their quite real misdeeds and undemocratic intentions. One of tom Delay's minions was reported as being genuinely vicious about a press article that was true albeit detrimental to Delay. I think some of them are so out of touch with reality as to appear delusional. Being strongly assertive is often quite effective, especially in politics. I'd say "let's go kick their butts" and mean it figuratively, I think many in the GOP mean it literally.

[Sapere aude]

20. The problem is that we have more truth in what we say.

I read a lot of editorials that paint both sides as equal liars or equally as bad. The problem I see with that is that the Dems are not in power. We may want to screw things up by making this a socialist country but the right IS, THIS VERY MINUTE, turning this into a fascist country and the right is, this very minute, screwing up the country.

So in my opinion, we are not equally as bad as the right and we are not equally the liars the right is.

I think that those who want to say the left is as bad as the right are scapegoating the left.


http://www.scapegoat.demon.co.uk/
"Scapegoating is a hostile social - psychological discrediting routine by which people move blame and responsibility away from themselves and toward a target person or group. It is also a practice by which angry feelings and feelings of hostility may be projected, via inappropriate accusation, toward others. The target feels wrongly persecuted and receives misplaced vilification, blame and criticism; he is likely to suffer rejection from those who the perpetrator seeks to influence. Scapegoating has a wide range of focus: from "approved" enemies of very large groups of people down to the scapegoating of individuals by other individuals. Distortion is always a feature."

[Dr Fate]

21. I agree. I think the OP is being overly objective.

No offense, TG- but that is my opinion.

The "big lie" in the media right now is that "both sides are at fault"- which seems to be the main thrust of the OP.

I agree with your post- insisting that DEMS share the blame in this is like saying that MLK was no better than the Klan.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

26. No offense, DF

obviously I believe "we" have better ideas than they do. Which is why "we" need to refrain from bigotry, be flexible in our dealings with one another (as regards things like liberal values, etc.) When I hear a Dem call C. Rice a c*nt it makes me sick. When we have our noses in the air because somebody shops at WalMart... or drives a big car for whatever reasons... or smokes....or eats meat....or goes to church.... And when people here spend so much emotional energy sniping at one another it distresses me.

I think mostly because it hasn't always been this way. I want the days of at least publically referring to the loyal opposition and remembering our commonalities, rather than slinging shit willy nilly.

But that's just me and I'm getting kind of old. This country has been good to me, through thick and through very thin. I just hope we make it.

But thanks for taking the time to read and really comment on my rantings.

[Dr Fate]

32. Okay- then the problem is how to we get back to those days...

To me, the only way we will get the GOP to agree to being as civil as we would like everyone to be is to humble them and cut them down a few nothces.

I dont see it getting to the point where we can "play nice" until we do this

I agree with you that we dont do this by repeating stereotypes and generalities- we do it by telling the blunt, cold hard truth about them.

Example-When they lie, you call them "liars"- When they comit a crime- you refer to the act as "criminal" and "impeachable"-that is not slinging mud, that is telling the truth.

The problem with Democrats is that they are too frightened to tell the truth.

I also think you are confusing DUers with elected DEMS- no elected DEMs call Condi un-called for names or make fun of red necks, etc.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

24. It's a fine point

but what I am trying to say is that on paper, I like Democratic ideals. I vote Dem, I contribute. But in real life, I am disappointed with how much current Dems resemble the other side with broadbrushing, bigotry, etc. And I'm just not ready to call 50% of the American poplulation all liars and fascists. I'm not talking just the people in power. I'm talking the population. The people next to you at the doctor's office. Hell, the doctor, himself! (Mine is very conservative) Sure I think we need to vote the bastards out. But I decry the level of hate I see on both sides.

[Sapere aude]

30. I don't like the hate either but I think it started with conservative talk

radio during the Clinton administration. The devision of the country was done on purpose by the neocons in order to get votes from as many people as possible. The dehumanizing of liberals is the best case I can find. We did not start this but, yes many of us take part in it.

Personally I think it is a waste of my time here on earth to dwell in negativity but I must confess I do it to.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

37. Agreed on both points

yes, they did it first.

[tjwash]

23. Sorry, but...

...I don't know if you have noticed, but we Democrats happen to be the minority in all three branches of what is supposed to be a government by the people, of the people, and for the people. What is extremely disturbing to the lot of us here, is this case of unchecked power and corruption, and has absolutely nothing to do with two differing ideological groups of people sticking out their tongues out, and calling each other bad names. I wish it was that simple.

We happen to be 8 trillion in debt, we are selling off parts of that very debt to China, all the while the Republican "base" of haves and have-mores are gouging us unmercifully at the gas pump, while they give themselves 400 million dollar retirement packages, as they ship out their call centers to overseas sweat shops.

Oh, you get sick and land in the hospital, and your insurance doesn't cover 20000 dollars of the bill? Too bad you can't file bankruptcy anymore, because the second largest GOP contributers were credit card companies that made sure that "bankruptcy reform" got pushed through.

One thing of yours I do agree with, "It’s ugly out there. And confusing."

Your right, and it's god damn scary as well. The bastards have absolutely no checks or balances right now. They have brazenly lied us into an illegal war that has killed thousands, and since that does not make them feel good enough about themselves and because it's just not enough for them to feel like real men, they want to go NUCLEAR now on an entirely different country now.

And you are confused to the WHY we are acting like we are acting?

[TallahasseeGrannie]

25. I agree about the GOP controlling all the branches

of the government. Not good. I agree with all you state. Things are bad. But they have been worse or as bad. We've had wars in this country, civil wars, civil unrest, a president resigning, assassinations, etc. I think we are losing our perspective and that is never good. I keep looking for wisdom somewhere...any I'm not finding it.

[immoderate]

27. Grannie, I have to go with Dr Fate on this.

And please know that I always value your input on this board. I also generally decry uncivility, and there I agree with you that both sides sound uncivil. But the reasons are different. As Dr Fate states, they are lying about us; we are telling the truth about them.

If they are saying that we want to be totalitarian and prevent them from worshiping as they choose, that is a lie. You know that the atheists around here generally don't care if people don't share their (absence of) beliefs. If we say that Bush is becoming fascist, that may be harsh, but it's the truth. I challenge you to find a definition of fascist that does not describe George Bush.

I would say let's be nice, but they've shown they have a take-no-prisoners attitude. When they say that those who want peace are wimpy, unpatriotic, seditious traitors, they don't post the sarcasm smilie. They are killers. We are not.

--IMM

[AuntiBush]

29. Bingo. IMM

Yup. To a tee!

:thumbsup: Sadly, you're absolutely correct.

[MissMarple]

31. I think Grannie doesn't mean don't call them fascists.

Just do it with out being crude about it. Don't use dirty, underhanded lies and innuendo. Being forceful, direct, and assertive doesn't mean being immature and foul mouthed. That was what I understood as her overall point. And, it's a good point.

[Dr Fate]

33. The problem is that we dont tell enough TRUTH about them.

The problem is not that we are lying about them (we are not)- the problem as I see it is we dont tell the blunt TRUTH about them enough.

Example- when they lie on purpose, instead of telling the truth about them, we concede that they merely "mis-spoke." Or, we dont even say anything at all.

This as opposed to telling the truth- that they "lied on purpose."

[Sapere aude]

34. Take the Abramoff scandal for an example. The right is caught red handed

and the news story is that Dems took money from him also. It was a lie but I have not heard it recanted by the media. Only by Dr Dean on Tweety's show one night.

Take the swift boat liars. That lie about Kerry will cost everyone in this country misery for years to come. It was never recanted nor did Kerry fight back.

The lies that took us to war in Iraq and the lies that are taking us to the brink of nuclear war again. They are not being challenged enough.

Yes we trash some on the right but it doesn't stop the wrong that is going on.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

44. Did you read Will Pitt's post this AM?

I don't have the link, but it was very encouraging. I think they are going under and I hope we find the wisdom to be flexible in our thinking with one another under our big tent and are ready to pick up the pieces.

[Sapere aude]

50. Yes I read it. He seemed to want to tell everyone to vote for the Dem

candidate even if you don't agree with them so that the House is ours and we have the committees to bring down this administration.

I have always believed that when and only when people hurt enough will they ask for a change. That time maybe has come. I wonder what the repubs can do between now and November to pull it out. I wonder if they will commit fraud and win. I wonder how on earth these neocons could ever be willing to give up power. They seem to be like Hitler believing in their own 1000 year Reich.

I wonder if the people will be able to change things. I wonder if those in power have some way of remaining in power even though the will of the people is that they be thrown out. How can they say that we will be in Iraq for 10 more years or something if the next administration doesn't go along with it?

What does this administration know that we don't? What have they got up their sleeve? I will not get my hopes up that we will take over the House. I will wait to see if it happens. I'll will be damn happy if we do. But like Will said, we have gotten our hopes up before and had them dashed.

[MissMarple]

36. I agree with you. Just pointing out their lies is not enough.

Liberals need to start painting the American people an unambiguous picture and quit overestimating the good sense of many of America's voting population.

All this nonsense about the word "liberal" should have been shut down years ago. They have dragged it through the mud and the Constitution and the founding fathers along with it.

But being snarky and indulging in oneupmanship with the ignorant, the deluded, the confused, and the misinformed doesn't take us very far. They just dig in their heels, more often than not. And we stay divided.

[Dr Fate]

38. It's a start. I feel we have not even started.

We still seem to be waiting for them to "fall on their swords" or something.

I would prefer we go ahead and stab them rather than sitting around and waiting for them to fall.

No offense, but the touchy feely stuff does not work- just look at who was the most agressive in the last 3 election cycles- it was the winners- the GOP.

All I'm saying is we should be as agressive as they are, except we can tell the TRUTH when we do it.

I reject any notion that DEMs are being too agressive or not nice enough- the opposite is why we lost the last 3 election cycles.

Nice guys finish last, but good guys with truth backing them up finish first.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

47. But Dr. Fate

can you see the difference between telling the truth aggressively and calling black conservatives Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima? And saying that C. Rice spreads her legs for her boss? That's the trash I'm talking about. I thought WE were above that.

But I also agree we are not aggressive ENOUGH on the Hill. And Kerry was not aggressive enough in the election.

But there's a big difference between honest, plain truth and trash talking.

[Dr Fate]

51. But no elected Democrats do that- only frustrated DUers....

...and if those frustrated DUers actually saw Democrats being blunt, agressive but truthful, I doubt many of them would still feel the need to resort to those desperate, dishonest tactics.

I agree with you to an extent- I'm just saying we tell the truth instead of doing what they do- I think we agree more than not.

And the Mint Julep sounds swell- LOL!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

42. I like the truth

I don't like the whole "more liberal than thou" stuff. It divides us.

And here's a big admission. I'm not a DLC supporter. So I'm not all that mealy mouthed. I was gung ho Gore, and gung-ho Dean.

You go after their lies, okay? Just do it straight forward, no innuendo...facts and blunt.

I'll keep passing out tea and cookies. It's what I do.

[Dr Fate]

46. I agree with all of that- may I have some of those cookies? n/t

n/t

[TallahasseeGrannie]

48. Absolutely

And I think perhaps a mint julep might be nice, too.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

40. You are more direct and eloquent

than I. Thank you. That is what I mean.

[immoderate]

54. I agree with that too.

Like I said, we should be civil, and like you said, we should be forceful.

--IMM

[TallahasseeGrannie]

39. Yes, we are probably

"outclassed." They are killers. So we have to hang together better than we are.

I am not really a student of history so I'm not all that familiar with what fascism is or is not, and I'll take the better minds' opinions here, but I have to draw the line at Hitler. That's the hyperbole that floors me because to me, it cheapens our argument.

I think I must have been inartful in my wording because evidently I left the impression that I think the other side are 100 percent fine upstanding folks. I don't. I think the admin is a bunch of stinkers and dangerous. I think the smarmy fundamentalists who have mistakenly come to their side are lacking in intelligence and are hypocritical and deserve our criticism. But I think that 50% of the country all can't be slime. And I hate what we do to EACH OTHER here on DU.

But you know what? I have to be honest here. I could flat out be wrong. I am a rather mellow person. I'm the kind that finds something to like in everyone. Even the meanest little shithead in my classes I find something to like, so perhaps this is just me. I don't know if it is a curse or a gift, really.

My family all make fun of me and call me The Saint. I hate that.

[Dr Fate]

45. I think we often confuse being good guys with being nice guys.

Nice guys finish last, but the good & righteous will be first one day.

Example:

Nice Guy who finishes last: "Oh my- they mis-spoke again-oh dear me- I'm trying to work with you guys-please stop being mean..."

Good Guy: "You are lying on purpose-again. I cant work with you until you atone for your crimes that are destroying my country. I'm going to tell the truth about you whether you like it or not..."

[TallahasseeGrannie]

49. Total agreement

[Dr Fate]

52. We seem to agree more than not- I'm glad about that. n/t

n/t

[immoderate]

57. That's the T-Grannie I know.

I think I may not have fully understood your point in the OP, and if so my apologies.

I have generally avoided comparing Bush to Hitler, but that's because I figure most folks have not read Shirer's "The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich." Those who have read it will tell you it's hard not to compare Bush to Hitler. Fascist is a bit milder, but still many consider it a pejorative rather than a description of an economic/political system that Bush apparently favors. I copied a definition out of my digital Mirriam-Webster:

fascism
1 often capitalized : a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition
2 : a tendency toward or actual exercise of strong autocratic or dictatorial control

So it's not even hyperbole to call Bush a fascist. I don't do it in places where I don't think people really get the meaning, or where I don't have a chance to define it for them. That is, I'll avoid it if people will think I'm just hurling epithets rather than being accurately descriptive.

I LOL when you describe the little "shitheads" in your class. I taught middle school too, so I just tuned right in to that. When I would regale my friends with my war stories, I would remind them, "Remember, these are kids, they're allowed to be crazy. It's the adults there, though..."

I see your point and also agree with what MissMarple said above: we should be civil, but forceful.

--IMM

[havocmom]

35. You can bring yer rocker to my porch any ol time. We can visit.

Hell, maybe we will start a trend of sitting out front where we can actually talk with our neighbors and keep an eye out for all the kids, whether they are ours or not.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

41. So nicely said. It's a pleasure to recommend (& suggest others do as well)

Kick!

At times, it's hard to accept the truth.

But it's good to know it's still out there. I have three rockers on my porch, Your welcome to one at any time!

:toast:

[TallahasseeGrannie]

43. Tom

I would love to come out from behind my rocker and spend some time on the porch with you.

Thanks. The words are from my heart.

[MissMarple]

53. Hey, you steel magnolia!

:hug:

[femmedem]

55. Thanks, Grannie! I've been thinking much the same,

especially when I read posts about neighborhood Republicans being disillusioned with Bush. Oh, do we ever rag on them for being so late to the (Democratic)party!

But I believe that many, many people who voted for Bush are reasonable people, not bigoted/greedy/shit-for-brain morans. They were misinformed. They thought that if they read the paper every day, and maybe watched the evening news, they'd know what's going on.

Didn't we all used to believe the lies the government and the media and the history books fed us? Wasn't it awfully painful when we began to learn the truth? Didn't it turn our worlds upside down when we realized the suffering our mighty country imposes around the world, and upon the least powerful within our own borders?

It took me a while to believe it. I believed it a little at a time, in increments. So let's show the converts some love. Even if they're few years--or a few lifetimes--from converting.

[gristy]

56. Democratic mayor

He played golf with the Democrat mayor of Tallahassee.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

59. how terribly grammatically inappropriate of me!

Thanks for the correction; of course you are right.

[hunter]

58. Start a Journal and Post this, TallahasseeGrannie!

I miss the center too, but it's as rotten as the extremes.

Time to rebuild.

[jackster]

60. Hey Grannie....

you make this native Taylor Countian proud!

We are not going to succeed as a nation so divided

but is it too late?

Thanks for reminding me that I might be part of the problem.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

61. I point fingers

but the biggest ones I should point at myself. I have been guilty of virtually every thing I mentioned.

T-Grannie

[woo me with science]

62. I love this post.

I wish you were my grannie. :hi: