So I haven't heard from my college roomate since a few years after we shared a room at our fraternity. He got in touch recently and led me to facebook. Now most of you who have read my rants of late know that the only two living beings on the planet who can reliably put up with me both have four legs and a tail. I don't suffer fools lightly, and with Fox News and the AM radio blaring in my face over the last ten years, it's hard not to assign all that vitrol to anyone who stands for the Republican party.
I was really grateful to have heard from my roomate; I thought there was at least tension since we last saw each other, and he was adamant that if there was, he took some of the credit and we really should see each other as good friends despite the twenty years gone by. It was a wonderful ray of light into my otherwise isolated world.
I signed up for a facebook page at his behest, and have been "friended" by about six people who I was never that close to but who I vaguely remember. And after searching their profiles, I seem to be the only Democrat amonst them.
Now for the real question....
If upon further inspection I found out that not only are they Republicans, that they are members and even founders of online communities with names like "NC for Marriage Amendment", how do I stomach the reality that I want to set the whole group on fire after just reading the first of their comments?
Do I really want to try to re-establish an online relationship with people who I'm not that close to knowing that I can't speak my mind about what's important to me without being accused of a long littany of allegations that would make Sarah Palin look like Mr Rogers? (let's look beyond the obvious problems with that comparison; I was relating to their opinions on how to get along with others)
And knowing that I have developed quite the sharp pitchfork and a brilliant flaming torch which I march with when talking about my vehement disgust with the Republican party, how the hell
...how in the hell...
do I just tuck that up under my hat and pretend that I don't care about any of those issues just so I can carry on a "how's the weather" chat?
I know the answer...pick your battles... yeah, sure.
I really don't want to get to know anyone who think's they are my long lost friend until I open my mouth and speak my mind only to hear them say, "oh, you're one of THOSE..."
I could do that if I were permitted to respond with "Well, you're one of THOSE OTHER" and follow it with the tirade I am now fluent in delivering. But you know then I will be the one who is being accused of being argumentative.
But how tragic is it that after establishing links with people after two decades that I'm so loaded for bear against what they stand for that I really don't want to know them?
NC in defense of marriage....how about "Americans in defense of other Americans even if we're not brainwashed copies of each other"
That's a group I'm hoping (but not expecting) to see in our future.