I love my family, really I do. I think they're great people. But there's nothing like the holidays to highlight the fact that I am THE only democrat in a sea of republicans. I spent a week in Arizona to visit my father and my brother was there and they teased me endlessly about my liberal -leaning tendancies. The references to clubbing baby seals abounded. honestly I don't think they really know what a liberal is outside of "treehugger". I won't even mention here the outrage I got from them about objecting to drilling in ANWR. that's another diary for another day.
But when we were at the airport yesterday I was shocked at some of the things that came out of my brother's mouth.
More after the flip:
We discussed a story we read in a local newspaper (found
here about a man that drove his car into a home depot in Phoenix the other day. The newspaper story had more detailed info than I have been able to find on the net and read like a man who was a disgruntled employee who hadn't slept in 3 days and lost it. However as we sat at the airport starbucks we discussed whether this would be classified as a "terrorist" act. I argued against it and everyone else argued for it with my step-mother having the most interesting argument. She indicated that if it was classified as a terrorist act, Home Depot would be able to apply for federal assistance in repairing the damage and (her words not mine) it's all about the money to them. I then argued that if they did classify it as a terrorist act this person could be tossed in jail, denied access to a lawyer and left to rot without actually pressing charges. My brother actually argued that if that is what happens the guy deserves it. I was so shocked my jaw dropped.
We had decided the newspaper article mentioned the person was a naturalized citizen (whether it did or not I couldn't say) and I told him regardless of what crime a person commits through they should be put through the system and not held in limbo. "So what? so he can get out in a few years and commit more crimes?" he said. I argued that just because he commited this one crime doesn't make him a hardened criminal and heaven forbid he ever finds himself on the wrong side of the law.
The whole thing was surreal and distrubing to me. I eventually threw up my hands and said "I realize I'm the only democrat in this family, but if the government declares we need to wear armbands, I'd really appreaciate it if SOMEONE around here stands up for me." To add to the shock my brother had to be told by my father what that "meant".
The whole experience left me dismayed. Will I really have to go to the gulag to convince my family that maybe it could happen to them someday? Right now it's just brown people and "they deserve it".
I shape my political views on 2 principles. "There but for the grace of God go I" and "The road to hell is paved with good intentions."
Anyone else have any fun holiday stories with republicans?
