I've had it with politics and political discussions. I can remember when the biggest faux pas in the world was to discuss politics, sex or religion during a social situation. It was taboo. Right up there with asking someone how much money they made.
Nowadays, people wear their politics on their sleeves (or t-shirts and bumper stickers). I'm okay with that. If you want to advertise for someone who doesn't pay you to wear their name around, then go nuts. But don't expect me to agree with you. At some point, you need to recognize that we'll have to agree to disagree.
You probably support some causes that I do not support. You may have some 'hot ticket' items that really make your blood pressure sky rocket. Your causes and issues are not my causes and issues. Clear?
This country embraces a secret ballot. That means if I don't ever want to announce my political affiliation, then I don't have to. I can vote in the privacy of my voting booth and never EVER catch hell for it. I don't have to tell you what I think or believe. I can keep it to myself.
The media has taken political debates and used them to pad all the 'slow news days'. Where no controversy exists, the talking heads on TV create one to sex up their programs. They hunt down the most vitriolic of the proponents of any bill or vote and film them incessantly. It covers all the news programs and talk shows until you can't help but be sucked into political discussions.
I have an opinion. I have a soapbox. Before I kick it out from under the table, you might want to consider the beast you are releasing.
If you don't ask me about it, I won't discuss politics. But if you insist on having the conversation, then don't be surprised if I disagree with you. Because I probably do. For completely different reasons than the news folks have debated. I'm not trying to be perverse. I'm trying to reason out and logic my way through complex political problems. And I'm probably not going to come to the same endpoint that you or the newscasters conclude.
I see things differently. I don't consider myself to be a particularly good critical thinker, but I will look at a problem from both sides before making my decision. If you really want to go there, we can talk. Otherwise, don't take it personally. I don't vote the way I do because I hate you, or want you to lose some benefit of the current legislation. I may even agree that the problem is big and needs fixing. But my opinion on the current legislation being debated may be that this law won't fix the problem. Or my disgust might stem from the costs involved, or the inability of the law to be enforced equally across this great nation. Lots of reasons.
I don't take my political stance from any of the news shows. I read. I listen. And I think for myself. So if you don't want to lose fifteen minutes listening to the diatribe, then don't ask me the question. Really.
--Sandee Wagner
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10 comments:
Preach on, Sistah! Amen.
Do NOT make me kick my soapbox out from under the desk. I am so done with people telling me I'm a demon just because I don't think this health care plan will solve the problems they think it will. spw
Seems like this particular issue pushes people to polar opposites and they can't hear the other side. The folks that say "it's a mess that is not going to solve our health care problems and will make a big expensive mess - no it's not better than nothing" can't hear from the "it may not be perfect but it finally addresses the uninsured and those with preexisting conditions and is therefore better than what we've got" folks. Even the way it was put together in congress has both sides claiming moral high ground.
Nancy,
That's what's making me crazy. Not that there are two sides to the issue, because there always are two sides. But mostly because it's turning into a big screaming catfight and all the participants are losing their credibility IMHO. spw
I hate talking politics or religion with friends. It's the fastest way to lose a friend. I refuse to talk about it. Most people no better than to ask me. I'm conservative. Nuff said.
Feel your pain, Sandee!
I hate talking politics or religion with friends. It's the fastest way to lose a friend. I refuse to talk about it. Most people no better than to ask me. I'm conservative. Nuff said.
Feel your pain, Sandee!
Did I just say "no your pain'? UGH. KNOW. Geez. Can you tell I'm cross eyed from editing today? lol
Ash,
I really never learn. I always think that people are going to be able to converse about topics without getting crazy. I am completely wrong. As I so often am. spw
Hey,
I've learned to make my relatives' head spin by not automatically agreeing with them on political points.
I know they're sorry now that they taught me to think for myself rather than take the popular line. I'm not conservative. I'm not liberal. I'm a thinking person. Period.
And get this . . . I'm going to hell for it. LOL!
Susan,
If disagreeing with my family's politics was cause for eternal damnation, I'd be in a heap of trouble. My latest is a sister who is threatening not to come to a family reunion because no one is listening (call this 'agreeing with') her on the health care debate. Really? You'd skip a reunion that only comes around once every 5 years? Crazy.
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