People can be good and yet do and say some awful stupid and weird things. I have known many people that show a soft and warm side, yet be as fundamentally and morally opposite to my core beliefs as day is to night. I used to argue environmental issues with a older gentleman while I worked the counter of my restaurant. I would always pour him a free cup of coffee while trying to argue the existence of global warming. I respected his right of mind, and loved it when he introduced me to his grandchildren, as they were my children's age. He really was a political bastard, arguing for torture and loved his Bush, but also loved to try out his skills with me every morning while I set up shop. He was gracious and polite, as I was and we kudoed each other on well constructed points, as hard as that was at times. He died last year, and I visited his family at his funeral home. We had a warm talk and his family told me how much my talks had meant to him, he called me his renegade buddy. Apparently our talks are what energized him in the mornings.
But reading some diaries here yesterday, maybe he was evil. Or so I have been led to believe after reading some diaries about Bob Novak. Let me explain.
I'm sure my friend the rethuglican and Bob Novak have (had) many similar political beliefs, too numerous to mention. While I am sure I could not become a bosom buddy of Bob Novak's, I'm sure he would have been welcome to a free cup of coffee at my restaurant as my older friend was. You see, my older friend had a DUI conviction several years back and that actually was our first talking point. I was arguing about the arbitrary nature of penalities and he was staunchly defending the system, even though it came down hard on himself. He was a man of honor, integrity, and a misplaced loyalty in those who had systematically usurped his beliefs with emotional plays from the right wing neo-cons, like Novak. Maybe Novak is evil, or maybe just a boorish lout with no honor. But I am sure of this. My friend in the restaurant and his DUI had nothing to do with his political beliefs, just as I am sure that Bob Novaks' hit and run reflects nothing of his. So I am vastly disappointed with the outpouring of glee at Novak's disconnected incident. I am disappointed with kossacks who cannot see that the same disconnect I saw with Ted Kennedy and the Chappaquidick affair and do not allow the same for any person. And no one loves Ted Kennedy more than I do. And I'm glad that the vast majority of people did not tar him with that as a standard of evil. It was not relevant.
My question to all Kossacks; Can you push a free cup of coffee over to anyone in this world? I know I can. And I can vehemently disagree with them, and shake their hand afterwards too. We are not blue states, we are not red states, but......