I had a telephone debate recently...
..with a friend that I was unaware about their politics. It started innocently enough. She had mentioned that George Bush had campaigned nearby. I jokingly asked if she had been put in a free speech zone, well that started it. She was a Bush supporter and you can bet the conversation turned this way and that, Iraq was a subject.
What I notice of most Bush supporters is that when you get a good anti-Bush subject going rather than admit that you're right, they will do a turnaround on you. "But Kerry...." and start in on John Kerry rather than concede that your point was correct. Even worse they will give you a "But, Clinton...." and try and go back and rehash ancient history.
Since I'm not a Democrat I have a big advantage in these debates. When the "But Clinton..." sentence begins, I admit to interrupting, but I say clearly, "I'm not a Clinton lover, besides why are you bringing up him, he's been out of office for four years and can never come back, now let's get back to the guy in office."
Or if I hear "What about Kerry..." I again get to say, "I'm no Kerry fan either, I doubt I'll vote for him. This election is about whether we still want Bush to lead the nation, now back to Bush...."
Sometimes they want to say, "but the left wing Democrats", or "you're a Democrat" I have an answer to that as well. "I'm not a Democrat, that party is not left wing. I'm beyond left wing and trust me the Democrats are much farther right than I. Both parties are just corporate parties controlled by the rich and I'm not rich, are you?"
You would be surprised how many "Republicans" or Bush supporters become more than a little confused by my answers. The media has really indoctrinated them into believing that Democrats are liberals. Then they get someone like me who tells it like it is. They think just because I oppose Bush, that I'm a Kerry Democrat and they think Kerry and his party are liberals.
Nope, I'm a progressive, a populist, maybe a neo-anarchist, I don't really care to try to pinpoint my ideology down. All I know for sure is that as the two major parties keep moving right, I keep sliding to the left. In the current corporate duopoly, I absolutely can't take their side. I think I know what I am. I'm the David opposed to the two Goliath Parties.
What I notice of most Bush supporters is that when you get a good anti-Bush subject going rather than admit that you're right, they will do a turnaround on you. "But Kerry...." and start in on John Kerry rather than concede that your point was correct. Even worse they will give you a "But, Clinton...." and try and go back and rehash ancient history.
Since I'm not a Democrat I have a big advantage in these debates. When the "But Clinton..." sentence begins, I admit to interrupting, but I say clearly, "I'm not a Clinton lover, besides why are you bringing up him, he's been out of office for four years and can never come back, now let's get back to the guy in office."
Or if I hear "What about Kerry..." I again get to say, "I'm no Kerry fan either, I doubt I'll vote for him. This election is about whether we still want Bush to lead the nation, now back to Bush...."
Sometimes they want to say, "but the left wing Democrats", or "you're a Democrat" I have an answer to that as well. "I'm not a Democrat, that party is not left wing. I'm beyond left wing and trust me the Democrats are much farther right than I. Both parties are just corporate parties controlled by the rich and I'm not rich, are you?"
You would be surprised how many "Republicans" or Bush supporters become more than a little confused by my answers. The media has really indoctrinated them into believing that Democrats are liberals. Then they get someone like me who tells it like it is. They think just because I oppose Bush, that I'm a Kerry Democrat and they think Kerry and his party are liberals.
Nope, I'm a progressive, a populist, maybe a neo-anarchist, I don't really care to try to pinpoint my ideology down. All I know for sure is that as the two major parties keep moving right, I keep sliding to the left. In the current corporate duopoly, I absolutely can't take their side. I think I know what I am. I'm the David opposed to the two Goliath Parties.
posted by jon at 4:33 AM
2 Comments:
I like to think that Bush supporters are just not very bright, but I am probably wrong (in certain cases, certainly not all cases).
>>
Nope, I'm a progressive, a populist, maybe a neo-anarchist, I don't really care to try to pinpoint my ideology down. All I know for sure is that as the two major parties keep moving right, I keep sliding to the left.
>>
I feel exactly the same way...
Tougher for me is the fact that I am a very fervent christian. Christians at large are portrayed by the media as ONLY being for W.
Yet this misinformation is amazing. Even the Pope speaks out against our policies, and he's pretty conservative church-wise (<-thats not a word). There is active debate about our war like nature in the seminaries around this country.
Anyway, its like fighting the Tide. its tiring, but what the hell are you supposed to do? Give up.
I am voting for Kerry. Not because I like him, not because he represents any real change. But the people of the world deserve not to be invaded.
"Don't Tread on me"
Brad
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