The political hot-word for the decade thus far has been "polarization" - Blahblah-radio's bread 'n butter. Folks exhibiting said polarized reactions - real
& feigned - are flavors for every month:
- Herr Falafeloofa (Bill O'Reilly) gives Al Qaeda go-ahead to blow-up the Coit Tower
- White Powder sent to Jon Stewart, Letterman, Pelosi, Schumer, and others
- All day/Everyday for the Savage Weiner
- All day/Everyday on Freerepublic.com
- Stybletroll using my demise as a nom de guerre
We hear this ad nauseum in the blatherworld, but what about our own? I grew up amongst conservative fundamentalists - my entire family included (yes, this explains a lot). I still have friends that are conservatives. It would never cross my mind to send them white powder, death threats, wish AIDS, or declare war on them. I really don't think it would cross their minds either. Sure, a few arguments are intermitedly launched - & some disparaging euphemisms exchanged. Yes, this does result in a few silent Thanksgivings - but that's it.
Bla'M himself said despite being diametrically opposed to the likes of Orbus, Lou Pate, & Kirby Wilber, that they're all "nice guys" (paraphrased - sweet Cthulu, I sure hope that wasn't off the record, Michael)
Of course on this polar end, we have the aberrant Mary Matalin & James Carville - working for their spouse's devil & married now for nearly 15 years. A more entertaining Meet the Press, you will never see.
So here's the crux. Between cross-political relationships & warfare, where do you fit in?
Where do your politics begin and your relationship(s) end?
(Where does "culture" stop & and " a war" start?)
Is politics a day-to-day full-contact sport,
or just a Star Wars vs. Star Trek fan-rivalry with different costumes?
Do you personally draw a line in the sand?
If so, where is that line? (issues vs. friends, dating, relationships, or marriages)
If someone crosses that line, what are the consequences?
I gave up trying to change anyone's mind a long time ago. I have seen friendships break up because neither side is willing to see the other's viewpoint. I stick by my beliefs, but pretty much its ok with me if not everyone agrees with me, on a personal level. On a national level, its not ok and I work to change it.
That said, Michelle Malkin is the Anti-Christ!!!
Posted by: sparky | December 06, 2006 at 10:16 AM
My dad is and my mother was a Democrat. My brothers and sister and their spouses are all D's. Two of my neices and their husbands are D's and my other two are R. My son is a flamming liberal D and my daughter ( she is the best) is an R in the Reagan tradition.
Good grief have we ever had some heated debate in our homes. But all that is just politics. We all come together as a loving family.
I know that my brother is a political idiot and he knows the same of me. I have no doubts about my fathers just not recognising that his party is not the same as the the Democrat party of Scoop Jackson. He must question every day where he went wrong with me.
At the end of the day it just does not matter. We are family.
As I have said here before, I like my parties lies more than th D's lies.
Promise to roll back the Bush tax cuts. Instead the first order of business is to roll back the alt min tax which will reduce taxes for 3.8 million Americans many of whom make six figure incomes. (I think that is a good thing and say that a our Christmas get together)
Not cutting off funds for the Iraq war. Not fully implimenting the recomendations of the bipartisan commission that examined the 9-11 attack. I think the first order of business of the D majority is to disarm me at the family get togethers. I am ok with that as well.
By the way Sparky, Malkin is no more the Anti-Christ than is Rosie ODonnell. She just sees things differantly and works her cute little ass off for what she believes. This country would be really boring if we all saw eye to eye.
Posted by: chucks | December 06, 2006 at 11:22 AM
Point taken, chucks, but WHY WHY WHY do you guys think Malkin is attractive. Her face is usually screwed up in a horrible sneer when she talks about people she disagrees with. What on God's Green Earth makes her attractive????
Posted by: sparky | December 06, 2006 at 02:28 PM
Daddy Bush was crying at Jeb's farewell speech, because he knew the wrong son had become president, and wrecked the smarter, articulate brother's chances for ever getting there. Jeb was always George and Barbara's choice for the presidency- they had watched in horror as Jeb flubbed his first gubernatorial election and ruined his timeline, while W slickly maneuvered himself into position by 2000 as an experienced big state Governor. Here was the boob of the family, with an embarrassing, several years old "bumpkin at the country fair" "Texas" accent usurping Jeb's rightful, dynastic place as the party's standbearer. George H.W. bit his lip and grinned as the bastardboy of his sons, the one who had gotten drunk at Kennebunkport and challenged him to a fistfight in the backyard, the inarticulate, belligerent dunce of his boys, miraculously wormed his way into the Presidency. And yesterday,with his politically deadended son Jeb at his side, all he could do was weep.
Posted by: Tommy008 | December 06, 2006 at 02:55 PM
"Malkin is no more the Anti-Christ than is Rosie ODonnell"
Both are annoying, but Anne "shemale" Coulter is the AC!!!
Posted by: Pilgrim | December 06, 2006 at 03:45 PM
Why wouldn't Jeb run in 2008?
He's far more competent that brother George. Tommy08 you obviously agree.
Posted by: Jeb2008 | December 06, 2006 at 04:15 PM
My ex sneered at everybody anytime. I just like her (Malkins) tiny rack. But shit, even homely fat women and men find mates. Proof is that I found somebody to love who loves me.
The D's have Moore and Soros, We have Coulter and Malkin. Most of us fall somewhere far from those extremes but still lean right or left.
Posted by: chucks | December 06, 2006 at 04:57 PM
Jeb won't run because W has absolutely made the Bush name persona non grata with the Republican Party. That's why you never hear Jeb's name mentioned anymore, and you stopped hearing it some time ago when W's presidency began to explode.
Posted by: Tommy008 | December 06, 2006 at 06:32 PM
That's how Michael described her, too: not even jiggly,just jiggy. Something weird about that . . . or maybe marriage at thirteen really is the way nature intended it. Childbirth at fifteen, as old woman at twenty-five and dead at thirty.
Have we perverted nature, Chucks?
Posted by: joanie | December 06, 2006 at 07:23 PM
How dare you compare Star Trek to Star Wars. Everyone knows Star Wars fans are freaks!
Posted by: Star Trek Nerd | December 06, 2006 at 08:34 PM
Another provocative piece, Nate....(hey, Bla'M, if you get stucki in Los Piramidos for another week....you've got some fabulous writers here!) For those, like me, who are pagan wannanbes and sci-fi naifs, Cthulhu is an H.P. Lovecraft god-person...I got that info directly from The Source.
Ditto, 'grim...I was just gonna excoriate Sparks....call her names and Repug her. (BTW, Sparks, remember your comment on HA about conservatives' spelling? Check Chux.)
I guess your point, Nate, was not trying to change other peoples' minds, but tolerating those of different ones, I think the polarization makes forgiveness more difficult and more necessary. Does love conquer all? As the hatred intensifies, the love diminishes, so it seems....I'm happy to share a bathroom with Repugs, but a bed???
Posted by: Fremont | December 06, 2006 at 08:43 PM
Yeah great. I'm so proud I spurred-on a discussion about 2 people I can't stand - O'Donnell & Malkin.
Bathroom, yes. Bed, possibly. But probably only on a short-term basis.
Catholic School girls anyone? yowza!
Note: What was Malkin thinking when she took her Webpage photo. It looks like she's making a fart noise
Posted by: mercifurious | December 06, 2006 at 10:55 PM
Daddy knew "because he knew the wrong son had become president, and wrecked the smarter, articulate brother's chances for ever getting there.
Too bad the rest of the Republicans didn't know. . . so chucks, proud to be an R are ya?
A Reagan R . . . deregulate, de-institutionalize, de-tax and then retax, couldn't recollect October surprise and Iran-contra slipped his mind as well; thought North was just on vacation in Central America . . . chucks, you just one big huggable teddy.
BTW, Michael Kinsley has an interesting article in Slate on the Bush twins and Bush's rhetoric on the war.
And anybody who think Moore is the polar opposite to Coulter has to put up some proof. God help me, I don't get that one. Who was on his hit list?
Posted by: joanie | December 06, 2006 at 11:37 PM
Hey, Merci', you left the italics on - t'wasn't me cause I back-buttoned to my post and I used the turn-off keys after your quote.
You gonna get in trouble!
You gonna get in trouble!
You gonna get in trouble! :)
Posted by: joanie | December 06, 2006 at 11:44 PM
And one more thing . . . anyone see the Wall Street Journal article on chucks pride and joy, the outgoing Republicans "...Like a retreating army, Republicans are tearing up railroad track and planting legislative land mines to make it harder for Democrats to govern when they take power in Congress next month."
Don't they just make you weep with pride, chucks?
Posted by: joanie | December 06, 2006 at 11:52 PM
Hey, Merci', you left the italics on - t'wasn't me cause I back-buttoned to my post and I used the turn-off keys after your quote.
Uh oh, Did I do that?
How do I change it back?
Posted by: mercifurious | December 07, 2006 at 12:04 AM
It's a moot point because they're gone. Good job, Merci!
Posted by: joanie | December 07, 2006 at 12:14 AM
By the way folks: for some intense shits 'n giggles, I would suggest heading over to this freeper thread:
LIVE THREAD; Iraq Study Group Releases Report
(AKA, If Freepers ran the helm)
I'm on page 2 & laughing near Borat levels. I said near.
My favorite post so far:
posted on 12/06/2006 8:13:16 AM PST by BenLurkin
We should be invading Syria and Iran -- that is how to win the Iraq campaign.
GENIUS!
Linking to above thread - would anyone here date, bed with, cohabit, or marry a FREEPER?
Posted by: mercifurious | December 07, 2006 at 12:17 AM
Ding Dong Hooty hOO ! Styblehead still gone !!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was not just bad radio it was just wrong ! stay away from the Styblehead cool aid !
Posted by: Brian in Lacey | December 07, 2006 at 06:39 AM
airline and telephone deregulation, at least, seem to have been good things.
Posted by: lukobe | December 07, 2006 at 09:56 AM
OK who has their finger on the ITALICS button????
Posted by: sparky | December 07, 2006 at 10:15 AM
Okay, MF, I freeper-linked! Fuck forgiveness....THEY ARE DETESTABLE AND I CAN'T TOLERATE 'EM!
Posted by: FREMONT | December 07, 2006 at 01:47 PM
I just hit on ALL your links in the above post, Nate! Jeez, D'ryl, you've got (merci)furious competition for LINKHEAD OF THE YEAR! Youse guys are geniuses...
Posted by: FREMONT | December 07, 2006 at 05:09 PM
Well, one more thing (I think):
Listening to Conason and Franken sort of buying into this Iraq report just sickens me. If anyone listened to Amy Goodman on Democracy Now, they would have heard that the report recommends privatizing oil. Gee, is anybody surprised? The oil should be controlled by the central government (at the approval of the US) and should be available to multinationial oil companies. Just wonder who they have in mind . . .
Also, the group insists that the recommendations of the report be taken as a whole package and not cherry picked. Again, I wonder why . . .
I haven't seen this little gem in the news yet. Has anybody else?
Gee chucks, think I'm polarizing do ya? Wonder at the difference between polarizing and passionately informed?
Posted by: joanie | December 07, 2006 at 09:15 PM
I'm watching a documentary titled "And then, they came for me..." about the re-emergence of intolerance in Germany. My last comments about @@#$ forgiveness were unnecessary, even in jest...intolerance is a HUGE problem, and I apologize...
Posted by: FREMONT | December 07, 2006 at 09:22 PM
Somebody wound up George today and he's been talking non-stop. This press conference is a joke. Poor Blair . . . how does he keep a straight face?
Poor Blair. His legacy is a shot as is Bush's . . . they should both retire quietly to the country and shoot quail together.
I am intolerant of stupidity in presidents.
Posted by: joanie | December 07, 2006 at 10:39 PM
Did you hear D's little temper tantrum with the "cheeky" British reporter today at the press conference? The reporter basically implied that Bush'es use of the term "unsettling" in describing te current madhouse in Iraq was a euphemism and asked him how he would respond to many of us who still believe he's in denial about the state of Irag? W was short with fellow and snapped-"IRAQ IS BAD. DOES THAT HELP?" like the spoiled, illtempered fellow he is.
Posted by: Tommy008 | December 07, 2006 at 10:53 PM
sorry, W's little temper tantrum, not D's.
Posted by: Tommy008 | December 07, 2006 at 10:54 PM
Don't suppose that little tidbit will hit the news? I didn't catch it but I am a casual listener because his ability to articulate anything is unbearable. I'll look for it if I watch a repeat. I love the Brits!
Posted by: joanie | December 07, 2006 at 11:11 PM
Where do we draw lines in the sand in relationships?
My girlfriend's sister is dating a Bush supporter. Eventhough he is a nice man outside of that, I refuse to have much to do with them outside of xmas and thankgiving dinners and birthday celebrations for the sister's kids. Anything else in my mind would amount to a ratification of his world view and I can't bring myself do that considering how destructive Bush has been the last 6 years.
I know that sounds partisan as all getout, but that's how I'm feeling.
Furthermore, the girlfriend's sister and the boyfriend like c&w and pop music and we like alternative rock.
Posted by: neo-realist | December 07, 2006 at 11:16 PM
A Bush supporter is one of thirty percent of the population. What's with your girlfriend's sister? How can she tolerate such a person? Is she very, very young and really, really needy?
She'll be sorry . . .
Posted by: joanie | December 07, 2006 at 11:23 PM
Blair and Bushler are both hoping to keep the oil reserves, they are like the gambler at the slot table who threw his last $1000 dollars down.
Posted by: coiler | December 08, 2006 at 09:22 AM
That's the stuff MF was looking for...some of my closest friends won't speak to their closest friends because they're Repugs. I refused to have anything to do with my cousin because he volunteered for the army DURING Viet Nam (I have personally excused those who joined ca. 1965 because the US had "advisors", not troops, in VN...wow! I have excused them...) I regret that decision...it was cold and arrogant. My cousin was merely misguided, and exposure to my peacenik-flower-child-oh-so-politically-hip-crowd was what his unexpanded consciousness needed. I once fell madly in love with someone who told me part way through the madness that he had been in the US Army for YEARS...as A RECRUITER! I told him I would have spit on him when he enlisted...but, that was ancient history and of course, love conquers all. I would spit on him now, (for many reasons....)! I think the line is drawn when politics comes home, and when the driving passions of two people are sending them in opposing directions. That geometric point where their paths cross...that brief moment, can be an encounter of love or hate. Those of us who are not in Iraq have time to think about it..."Little boy lost, takes himself so ser-i-ous-ly" Name that tune, Joans...
Posted by: FREMONT | December 08, 2006 at 09:42 AM
People still call it C&W? :)
Posted by: lukobe | December 08, 2006 at 12:20 PM
What is it properly called, Lu'be?
Posted by: FREMONT | December 08, 2006 at 12:50 PM
Oh, I just never hear anyone keep the "western" bit in there anymore.
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