OK so this is my 1st diary. Just my crazy ramblings for y'all to enjoy
"Are they still talkin' 'bout that?" A direct quote from my mother on one of the saddest, grimmest days in my life - 9/11. Yes, I'm not fooling you, she said that. As my husband and I sat in my parents house watching the news... still in shock after what had happened that day, my mother walks into the room and says this. My husband looks at me and asks,"Is she kidding?" My only response to this was "NO." Looking back at my life, it's a wonder I actually care about voting or making a difference at all. Now, don't get me wrong- my parents loved me; took care of me... but they grew up as the oldest child in their families where their responsibility wasn't solving the worlds' problems, but taking care of their family. My mom I am sure has never voted in her life, she never registered. I say she never has because when I would ask her about it she would just laugh and tell me that it was just a bunch of nonsense. Sometimes I wish I could have her take on life... she lets things go that most of us find important. If it doesn't effect her directly she just doesn't care. My dad on the other hand loves his politics; he's a strict party Republican. Loves it... breathes it... If he could smell it he would (insert your own joke here). I guess that's why I followed in his footsteps... or, I guess I should say he led me to the way I registered to vote... and here it is.
I'm a registered Republican... should I be proud of that or should I run and hide? I ask myself why I registered with a party that I have never agreed with in the first place. The answer is, well, I'm a good ol' country girl who just had to please her good ol' country Daddy. I remember when I first started voting he would ask me,"You voted right, didn't ya?" I would always smile and say, "Sure did." Now I find after years of hiding my true self, the only easy way to put it is "I'M NOT A REPUBLICAN!" There, I said it and I feel great.
I should feel great, but of course the disappointed looks on my dad and brother's faces when they realized I had moved to the dark side was heartbreaking; well, maybe for them. Little did they know I was on the dark side from the beginning. I still find myself trying to please my dad by agreeing with him and most of my family just to keep from rocking the boat too hard; they're died-in-the-wool an immoveable (although I have a faint glimmer of hope for my sister-in-law). But, working in a pharmacy and seeing the corruption that goes on... from the Big Pharma side and the government side, I can't hide my feelings anymore. Sorry, Dad, but I can't smile and agree ol' George Bush was the best thing since sliced bread anymore.
My first 'revolt,' as my Dad put it, was when he saw me reading Ross Perot's book. I still remember him shaking his head with the 'Where did I go wrong with this child?' look in his eyes. That was also the first time I started to come clean a little with my dad. I told him I voted for Perot that year, and was met with a head shake and silence. After that, I pretty much kept my voting a secret. I'd just nodded and smile when asked if I voted my straight Republican Ticket.
To this day, my Dad doesn't know I voted for Al Gore, but he does know I voted for Obama. I couldn't hide that fact when he saw the Obama magnet on my car. Again, I was met with head shakes this time not only from him but my brother and sister-in-law too. I feel I should explain they've all guzzled the sweet, sweet Kool Aid of the Republican party, Faux News, and any number of the clowns on radio. All I hear is now this country hasn't been the same since George Bush. I agree with that sentence, but certainly not for the same reasons they give. They mean how wonderful he made things, how he protected us and made us feel good about Murrika. Of course, that's the Kool Aid talking. I see how this country was before he took office, at relative peace, heading towards fiscal responsibility with a budget surplus, a relatively good road to be on, it seemed. Now look at us. What amazes me is that people can blame one man for all the countries problems... unfortunately, the wrong man is getting the blame.
I remember hearing once when I was little about the evil Democrats. I think maybe that played a part in my registering at 18 as a Republican. I'm a Christian and I can't be a part of those evil Democrats if I wanna go to Heaven. Well, that was a long time ago and the bloom has worn off the rose... but in my case, it was never on the rose. You see, I discovered something; Jesus isn't a Republican or a Democrat... Jesus is just Jesus and He loves me no matter what party I belong too. So now the big question remains... which am I... a Republican or a Democrat? After years of thinking about this my answer is simple... I'm still thinking about it. I do know I'm an American who just votes for the person that I believe will do the best job for this country. Thanks for reading my crazy ramblings.