"To be a Republican" Great LTTE in Salt Lake Tribune

[KitSileya]

A wonderful public forum letter by Laurene Leader in the SLT:

To Be A Republican
"It is hard to be a Republican. You have to be able to say that:
* You are pro-life and pro-war.
* You are such a strong supporter of family values that a politician who patronizes hookers has to resign, but the ones that want sex with minors and other men should be allowed to stay in office. http://www.sltrib.com/Opinion/ci_8964565">The rest"

I don't know how much I can copy - it's short and to the point, and the author definitely deserves kudos!

[bunkerbuster1]

1. "a politician who patronizes hookers has to resign"?

uh, Vitter? Did we forget him?

[KitSileya]

2. No, I don't think we did,

but Vitter, Foley, Craig et al had a lot GOP claiming they should be allowed to stay - as long as they're repukes, it's ok, but Dems must be thrown out of office at mere allegations of impropriety.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

13. Spitzer had to resign because of the immense hypocrisy

of his anti-prostitution professional life and pro-prostitution private life. Can't you see that?

[KitSileya]

14. Oh, absolutely. I see that.

It's sooo irritating when people on our side, who know that they'll face 100 times more scrutiny, pressure, distortions, and 'mountain out of molehill' reporting, still go out and do stupid things like Spitzer did. They know it'll hurt our side and our cause so much more than a repuke doing it would hurt their cause, but still they do it. And I think that unfairness is what Ms. Leader was trying to express - a misstep by a Democrat causes more articles, accusations, and being tarred with the same brush than when they misstep (or even deliberately step) on the other side.

[SpiralHawk]

5. Vitter is excused under the Republicon Diaper Sex Kink Exclusionary Clause

Get a family values clue.

[Ishoutandscream2]

3. Try to tell folks here. There are good people in Red Hell

We may be a small lot, but we fight. And fight hard. And then we have to put up with a lot of their shit; ie nails in tires, hate mail, and one person here had death threats.

If you're a blue stater, you have no idea how nice you have it. We're the ones in the trenches, fighting insanity daily.

[CTyankee]

4. I got hate mail right here in bluest New Haven, CT, when I wrote a LTTE

factually calling out REpukes claims that the great CLinton economy was because of the Republican Congress at the time. Mine was a very straightforward listing of the facts. Yet I got a "note" sent to my home in scraggly writing, basically saying I was having sex with Bill Clinton! Naturally, it wasn't signed...

[Ishoutandscream2]

6. Yes, no guts

Nails in my tires in 2004 because I had (gasp!) a Kerry/Edwards sticker. 1 nail placed under each rear tire. Even my mechanic who found them said I was sabatoged.

One DUer here said he got death threats leading up to the war. When I was saying the same things, luckily I was just called a traitor and laughed at.

[CTyankee]

10. My most satisfying experience was recounting this story to my next door neighbor

who is a registered Republican (even tho he calls himself an Independent). This guy regularly complains about our mayor and his administration (Dem) in his own LTTEs. He knows I am a liberal because I had a Ned Lamont lawn sign and bumper sticker for our very long primary and general seasons here in 06. So when I told him about getting hate mail for my letter, and especially the part about sex with Bill Clinton, he looked genuinely shocked. I hope I gave him something to think about...

My heart goes out to you. My experience was nothing compared to what happened to you. I wish you well in November...

[Ishoutandscream2]

11. It's good to see some opposition where you are can be sane

And you're home state is so beautiful, and well, so educated. How I envy you. If I didn't have so many obligations down here, I would move.

Don't get me wrong, there are many things I like about my home state. But these last seven years have really pushed me over the edge. One person told me a few years ago to "move to Massachusetts." I replied, "How I wish." They actually think that's an insult!

[CTyankee]

15. Since I was born and raised in Dallas, I can relate to what you are saying.

When I went away to college I never moved back there to live. I've lived in New York, Northern VA and CT ever since.

I loved moving to CT from the D.C. area. I'd hated VA ever since it was instrumental in killing the ERA's chance of passage. I never wanted to live in a non-ERA again.

I don't miss Texas. My relatives have been generally unhappy about my leaving (you know how they are there about that!) but that's just too bad.

It's nice in New Haven. There are many cultural offerings, and interesting and smart people. We don't live too far from the Yale Bowl where we go to Ivy League football games in the fall. I'm between New York and Boston (where I go regularly to see my granddaughters). And it's a nice environment politically as you note!

[CrispyQ]

12. So sorry to hear that.

They are so patriotic, aren't they? Freedom of speech as long as you only speak what they agree with. :eyes:

I live in a blue pocket of a purple state & the worst I had was someone put a huge booger on the Kerry side of this bumper sticker:



Honestly, how could anyone look at that sticker & think the asshole on the right is who you want to lead the country? I could almost feel sorry for them if they weren't such mean hateful fucks.

[KitSileya]

7. Yup, it's all part of being pro-life...

sending death threats when you disagree with someone. Typically repuke.

That said, reading thru the comments to the letter, there's mostly positive responses, and those who disagree are quickly put in their place with humorous rebuttals.

[KitSileya]

8. I guess we do fall into the traps of stereotyping.

Especially now with the FLDS debacle, where it is obvious that Arizona and Utah authorities haven't done their duties, it's easy to discard the entire state in one fell swoop as fundie repukes or corrupt repuke officials. We should give you more support, and certainly be more grateful for what you do.

So thanks for all the good work!

[Ishoutandscream2]

9. Thank you, Kit, it's just so insane here sometimes

I actually saw a "Collin County Democrat" bumpersticker on a car yesterday, and almost fainted.

I remember in 02, 03, 04, 05 all us Democrats almost had a secret code. I would spout something, and I'd catch hell. But then one person would quietly come to me, and whisper, "you're right."

Imagine having to do that! But now people down here on the left are becoming more vocal and speaking out against this administration. And the Repukes here aren't walking around with their heads held high like they used to. Now they make excuses for voting for Bush. And get this, they hate McCain. So it should be very interesting down here when November comes.