Posted on 01/31/2005 8:41:03 AM PST by Gypssy
(Sorry for this long vanity post, my first)
Something struck me this weekend in the midst of the momentous Iraqi Elections that had never occurred to me before re: Liberal Democrats…..it must really be hard being a Liberal right now.
I love my son and his wife but…they are Liberals or at least are wannabee Liberals. In my heart I do not believe they are but want to be with the elite crowd of cool people, but nevertheless, they say they are Liberals.
First, let me say they are very young…just out of college. Secondly, both are above average intelligence in fact very high IQs. But in the game of life, they would ride the short bus.
My son (James) is very well read and very smart . I’d think this even if I weren’t his Mom. He is definitely someone you would want on the line if you were on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” or “Jeopardy”. He loves reading about any and everything, politics, history, science, football and Nintendo. He also appears to be a deep thinker.
Now, my daughter in law (Allie) is very sweet and appears to be mild mannered from what I can tell. I actually think she is not political but because she is married to my son, she must act like she is to get along with him. She wants to be political because it is cool and her husband and their friends are liberals. She is very much against abortion so it does take some doing for my son to convince that she can be anti abortion and still be liberal. But he pulled it off! He has convinced her that liberals love unborn babies too that is why they abort so many of them. But Allie is the type who really does want to be a Liberal because she really craves to fit in with her friends…and her husband.
Ok, on to the story……
Saturday night, they came to visit and I was happy to see them because they are working a lot lately and we hadn’t seen them in a while. It was a nice visit as usual and my son sighed that nothing exciting was going on in the world lately and he was bored and was looking forward to the Super bowl. Nothing going on in the News????
I was surprised because I was very aware of the Iraqi elections that would start that same night. I asked him if he was serious because something history changing was about to happen and the news was all a buzz all day talking about the elections. He said “oh yeah…….”. Oh yeah???? I couldn’t believe it!!! He really appeared to not see that of any significance. He is a political and history junkie, for God’s sake! I didn’t press the issue but looked at my husband and we did that eye sharing “aren’t they so naïve” look.
Because we argue so much about politics, I didn’t want to get into any discussion of politics. But I was also naïve because I didn’t see the Iraqi elections as political but historical. Brother, was I was wrong. I knew at that moment that it was to him and therefore must be to all liberals. I came to realize that everything is political to liberal democrats.
Another example, we cannot talk about sports unless it is political. My son pulled for the Boston Red Sox because they were from Boston, home of John F. Kerry. St. Louis Cardinals played them in the series and that is our home team and he pulled for the Sox!!!!! He had gone to several Cardinal games that same year and he was pulling for the Sox????
Upcoming Super Bowl: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots….there in lies a dilemma for my son. The Eagles Black Quarterback comment resulting in embarrassing Rush Limbaugh and caused him to loose his dream job as a commentator for ESPN and Patriots are from Boston, home of John F. Kerry. He is not sure which he should be for. We can’t discuss McNabb unless he brings up the drug addict Rush Limbaugh. Of course he does think the evil genius behind the New England Patriots, Bill Bellicheck is the Carl Rove of Football…..so you get my drift.
I could go on and on about any and everything that one can discuss in the way of small talk. As a result, it has made it very unpleasant for me to enjoy my son’s company anymore. Mostly, we are left with talking about my sister’s sad life on welfare or which season of the Sopranos is the best or arguing about whether David Carradine’s lisp in Kill Bill 2 distracted attention away from the fact that he was a villain. But even that sometimes results in a political view. Could Tony Soprano be Republican???
It occurred to me that everything is political now…even food. Red state people do not like Thai or Japanese cuisine or do they just like bologna and BBQ. He thinks I am an anomaly because I am red state and love all forms of ethnic food. In fact he thinks I am a Blue State person trying to act Red!
On to the point of my story…….
They came again to visit for a short while on Sunday and we had the news on (Fox News of course) and as it should be, everything was about the Iraqi Elections. Dancing Iraqis, Happy Iraqis….My son sat and watched it and said nothing. I looked at him and he looked sad and very humble which is not something he does well..humble. I looked at his face and it occurred to me that he was sad because he couldn’t be ecstatic about this historical event!
He loves history and he was missing out of the most significant event of his young life. He was sad that he couldn’t talk about it, discuss it and be happy about it or argue about it. It really made me sad for him until my husband started hailing the bravery of the Iraqis and my son spoke up ….. well no Sunni’s voted, so there will be a civil war. It’s no big threat to for them to go vote in Shiite areas. My husband politely told him that Sunni’s did vote even though a small percentage but higher than expected.
That let me know that he had been paying attention to it and even finding problems with it like a good Liberal. I couldn’t help but notice the look on his young, naïve and sad face as he watched the Iraqis celebrating before his eyes…holding up that purple finger. Allie asked him, why are their fingers purple, which immediately let me know that she had no clue or knowledge of anything about the election but she knew that Teresa Kerry could speak 5 languages. I was really sad for him…as I have said because this would normally be something that he would be talking about and debating. But he had to act as though it were not significant. How sad……….
But now, I have a new understanding of the Liberal mind. They know it is historical, they know they should be celebrating something historical, but their bitterness over George W Bush winning his second term cannot allow them to see clearly. I am not as frustrated with them as I once was but actually feel sorry for them now.
But, I am disgusted with their politicians. They are supposed to be leaders and represent the people. It is clear that they do neither.
You would think they would have learned their lesson after the Berlin Wall came down. The left is now on their third crack at the apple.
There are some people on the right, Brooks, Buchanan, Will et al who should be ashamed of themselves as well.
Gently mention this to your son, and suggest that if you have to be sad watching a whole country achieve freedom, maybe you are on the wrong side of the political fence.
Either that remark is intentionally sarcastic, or it completely doesn't add up.
I thought it was obvious that it was sarcasim.
"Everything is political."
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin
Liberals have taken Lenin's assertion to heart. On the left, the individual's identity is defined by his politics.
On the right, our identity comes from our family, our religious beliefs and our works. Politics is well down the priority list.
This distinction is the reason why the left is more given to political activism. Politics defines who they are -- not what they believe.
My condolences about your son. But, given his breeding and his intelligence, I'll wager "it's just a phase" -- and he'll grow out of it.
That first photo is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing it.
Gypssy, I think your son will grow out of it. How can anyone who loves history stay liberal? And with his wife being pro-life, well...
I changed, I think he will also. But I understand its hard for you. I feel sad for the liberals also. I am so proud of our military, the Iraqis and president Bush for making all this able to happen, and its a shame they have to walk around mopey all the time, and let their hatred pave over any good feelings!
When I reflect on some, let's be honest here, most of the opinions, statements, passionately held beliefs, of my college days in the 1960's, I blush the color of a ripe eggplant and want to hop into a time machine, go back to "then" and put a large piece of duct tape over my mouth. What can I say now except "life goes on and things change." What I am most grateful for are the conservative and rational adults who tolerated my adolescent "bullsh*t" and taught me by precept and example. The leftwing, liberal "gurus" at whose feet I so eagerly sat have been revealed by time and history as opportunistic ego-trippers, charlatans and frauds.
You could say today that both parties have now accepted "big" government to one degree or the other and are now fighting over other issues.
wow, very well put...
Hey, don't be shy about it! This Marine was choked up with tears several times yesterday - in awe of the bravery and hope of those Iraqi's who voted.
People were saying similar things about the post-Watergate Republican Party, circa 1976. How quickly things changed. Never underestimate your opposition!
True. But look at the political parties that have in fact disappeared: Federalists, Whigs, Know-Nothings, Populists. Two of these were national leaders that elected presidents. So I think that the likelihood of them disappearing is at least as high as them remaining. Besides, we recovered because we are right!
For the Rats to survive, they need someone from way outside the system, and not to the left of it, that can pull the party away from the Kerrys, Deans, Clintons and Pelosis. I don't see it happening.
Liberalism is a brain disorder. Something is missing for normal brain function. Many can walk, talk, but cannot chew gum at the same time.
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