I've made a commitment to myself

[lynettebro440]

I had an experience a few days ago that has me wondering what is happening to me as a person.

I have known a girl for about 2 years now, we started our jobs together and were in the same training. Through the years we became buds, been to her house, you know partied and were cool. Now I'm 50 and she's maybe 27.

Talking to her the other day, after the market tanked, I was joking with her and saying that my new phrase to say is giving republicans two choices, you're either an idiot or a racist. She looked me square in the eye and said "I'm a republican and I'm neither". Needless to say I busted out laughing, I mean laughing a true belly laugh and I said back, well you have to be one of them.....I got up from my chair laughing and went to break.

From that day, and I haven't spoken to her again yet, my opinion of this person has lowered 50%. I now know what being a racist person must feel like. I grew up in the 60's when seeing white's only in a window was normal. I grew up with a horribly racist father and family. I knew when I became a young adult that I wasn't like that, that treating people differently because they were different was not right. I grew up with that strong belief and taught my children the same. But for the first time in my life, I am not able to forgive republicans for who they are and what they have done.

The other friend I have at work who is also 27 said you have to let it go. She's right, but for the first time in my life, I can't let this go. There is a bitterness in my heart that just grows everyday for what these people did to my country. I can remember having very heated arguments with my republican young boss in 2000 that Bush was the absolute worse thing we could do to our country. All the bullshit they spewed was wrong and everything I said that he would do did happen.

Then in 2004 I was stuck in an office with 5 republicans, I was the only democrat. I was put down, told I was unpatriotic, a hippy, a rebel. For months I was told how wrong I was and on the day after the election, I had to live with their gloating how great and smart they were (by the way, that office ended up going belly up). But now, 8 years later I find myself unwilling to put up with any of their stupidity and I rank my feelings for them by who they are believing in.

Now to an outside person that seems pretty cruel. But I have found myself not caring, or really wanting to help it. I walk through downtown coming and going from work, and I look at people and wonder if they are smart or stupid. I find myself judging them, and wondering what would come out of their mouths if they did speak. I watch people at work saying "I love Palin" and if it's within my ear shot I speak my opinion. So I have made a decision for myself. I will allow my self to be a republican bigot, I will not put myself down for stating the truth louder then these idiots have in the last 8 years. I will not back down, will not care what anyone thinks of me, and I will support my beliefs because I believe it, with ALL my heart.

My goal a few months back was to turn TWO people from red to blue. A few weeks ago I was able to turn my sons friend to vote for obama (made him almost cry but didn't back down till the truth finally seeped through) so my second person is the girl at work. I have exactly 40 some days left to get her to see the light. The difference is, my relationship with her has changed because of her voting decision. It really has come down to that in this nation, I have become a true republican bigot and am proud of it.

Thanks for listening:)

[texastoast]

1. good for you

i have the tendency to invoke jesus' name a lot. shuts them right up.

have your facts ready. that's another thing that shuts them up. if they are truly thinking people, they can be swayed, but most of them suffer deep denial and do not want to be inconvenienced with taking their own responsibility for the handbasket our country is in.

many of them long for the 50s when white folks were supreme, picket fences abounded, and race was 'just not an issue.'

good luck

[gateley]

2. I totally understand.

I find myself being so angry with people who have blinders on and are unable to see that the problems they're experiencing now are a result of the very leadership they continue to support. It seems as though it's better for them to be right and stick to their beliefs, than to admit being mistaken -- or even acknowledging that maybe things have changed and deserve another look. I've lost respect for those I know who are like that. They're still good people, but that lack of intelligence or any whisper of pragmatism just makes me write them off.

What disturbs me about my reaction, is that I find myself almost hating these people, and actually hoping that they will suffer. That's not who I thought I was.

[lynettebro440]

6. Gateley I know exactly what you mean

I spent my whole life trying not to hate the people that have spite me. But this anger is almost uncontrollable and not like anything I have ever felt before. Glad to know I'm not alone. :)

[elocs]

3. One of my best friends bleeds Republican and he is like a father to me.

He is neither a racist or an idiot. My relationship with him is not based upon his having to share my political viewpoint and we each respect each other's positions. I disagree with most of the Republican point of view, but I am not now, nor will I ever be a Republican bigot. People of many differences must live and work together and there is no room for bigotry, especially for those who should know better.

[Matariki]

7. Great post elocs. Well put.

[Matariki]

4. Is she voting for Obama or McCain? Did you ask her that?

Many of my family members are republicans and they're not idiots or racists either. On the other hand they know Bush is an idiot and voted Kerry in the last election and will vote Obama in this one.

They consider themselves moderate, fiscally conservative republicans and aren't willing to let go of that. You and I both know that's a myth - but insulting people or cutting them out of your life doesn't change them.

Truthfully, I don't think a ONE party system, even if it's the Democratic party, would serve this nation very well. I'd prefer it if moderate republicans reformed their party and took it back from the criminals and fundies. Because you have to realize that if we attain a one party system those criminals are only going to call themselves Democrats and take over our party.

[lynettebro440]

13. I haven't asked her yet

I wasn't prepared for what I was going to say, so I didn't say anything

[Matariki]

16. Well no offence, but you really ought to rethink how you treated your friend.

If she was ever really your friend you should be able to be respectful of each other's differences and ideas. Over time, if you were able to treat her respectfully, you may have had a positive influence on her ideas.

Unless she's specifically said racist or ignorant things, it doesn't seem you've treated your friend very well. I don't think it's something to be especially proud of, but to each his own I guess.

[Warpy]

5. Well, she's 27

and probably inherited her politics from Reaganite parents. Chances are very good that she really hasn't thought deeply about much of it and just accepts it as part of the furniture in her life.

Laughing at her was probably the best thing you could have done.

Just try to remember that she's not evil, just clueless.

[lynettebro440]

9. That's true and the laughter was just reactionary

I'm glad I wasn't drinking anything because I guarantee you she would have gotten sprayed on. I laugh everytime I walk by her now (chuckling more to myself). She just really caught me off guard.

[lonestarnot]

8. No you can't let it go! You can NEVER let it go!

:hug: :hi:

[anarch]

10. my key words for these people are Ignorance and Racism

So, maybe your coworker is not an idiot, or even particularly racist, but just an ignorant moron. There's a slight difference.

I've been puzzled by this myself in recent years...people who seem othwerwise able to think coherently, and even seem capable of intelligent discourse, still vote Republican. Because they've always voted that way, in some cases, and in others because they honestly proclaim that they believe in the whole small government/free market ideals (hah! the irony...) and evidently just don't pay attention. I call it ignorance instead of idiocy.

[lynettebro440]

11. I'll try those two words

your either ignorant or a racist. I have to ask, because in my mind unless your extremely wealthy, that makes you the other two, and I'm not letting them walk away without figuring out which one they really are.

[madmax]

12. Going thru something similar

and I feel the same way you do.

I've known this girl and her family for 20 years. We haven't been very close over the years because she moved from NJ to NC. Last year I moved to NC so we've been getting together and being really close this past year. She's a repug but, I've not pressed her until now - during this election.

She has pissed me off to no end and she's a typical repug idiot that votes against their own best interests (she's not well off and has some financial problems).

I've decided that I can't tolerate her stupidy with a smile. If it comes down to losing her friendship so be it. I've had it!!

[vanlassie]

14. If you can find your compassion it will help.

She is young. How did it feel to her, to be confronted by your strong, and rejecting statement? Can you learn from someone who presents their side the way you do? What if Obama took this stance?

I am not saying these things to insult or point fingers....I have the exact same struggle too, and I have to remember that I am more influential than I think....especially for younger women...at 56 they look up to me and they are simultaneously frightened by my power. They need my wisdom, but they can only handle it in small doses at a time.

Warmly,
vanlassie

[MadrasT]

15. Thank you for writing your story

I am in the same boat. And it scares me. I used to look at countries who were in the middle of civil wars, and wonder, "Why can't they just coexist? So they have different opinions about some things. But how hard could it be to just "live and let live"?

And now I find myself having a visceral reaction to seeing a McCain yard sign. And thinking the same thing. HOW STUPID CAN THEY POSSIBLY BE? I found myself glaring at a woman who had a "Palin Power" bumper sticker.

They are so fundamentally different from me, and their core value of beliefs are so opposed... I don't want to have anything to do with them. And I dislike them immediately. And I want them OUT OF MY COUNTRY, all of them, they've destroyed everything I hold near and dear. I want my Constitution back. And those motherfuckers destroyed it.

Yep. I'm prejudiced. Against Republicans. I've never been prejudiced before in my life. It's so foreign to me I don't know how to deal with it. :hide:

My mother and I were talking about the old voting booths with levers, where you could pull on lever to just vote the entire Democratic ticket. And how we never did that, because even though we voted for all the Democrats, it was more fun to flip the little levers one at a time.

I told her, just this morning, that this year, if we had those old voting machines, I would relish pulling the giant "blue" lever. One glorious, definitive "FUCK YOU" to the entire Republican party.

[lynettebro440]

18. LOL thank for letting me know I'm not alone

and I'm like you, this feeling is foreign, but it's not something that is just going to go away. I truly also want these people out of my country, because if they own it I'm taking my ass to some other country. I can't do this for another four years.

[monktonman]

17. Dude, I'm totally with you on this.

I go even further though.
I tell my co-workers (I work in a union shop) that after all
they have seen over the last eight years, and after knowing
full well that republicans want to destroy our union and take
away our benefits and probably our jobs as well, you still decide
to vote for McCain, your telling me you dont give a damn for
the welfare of me or my family and you hate America.
Therefor you become my enemy and I will fight you any way I can.


I know it sounds a bit harsh and overblown but I've completely had
it with these people. I wish I didnt feel this way but I'm tired
of fighting with my feelings just trying to be a good guy. Eight
years of this crap have finally worn me down and I can only see
the world in black and white. I'm a bit ashamed to admit this because
it makes me just like them.

[lynettebro440]

20. I like your approach monktonman

By voting for them you aren't caring about my. Why should I care about them then. Thanks.

[flvegan]

19. Some "republicans" are really just woefully uninformed, I think.

Seriously, for some folks politics is just voting for the person they see in the ads or along some party line. They have no passion for politics or the knowledge to make an informed decision.

I have a couple friends that are like that. They see the ads and hear the soundbytes on Fox. I talk with them, reason with them, try to educate them. It's a slow process, but it's worth it. What's really nice, is when you can enlighten them enough that they then, in turn, become a true lefty Dem and start the same process with folks they know.