A while back, I got into an argument with a Republican. Bunch of my friends and I meet every Friday for "game night," which means we don't have previous plans for the beginning of the weekend, so we all huddle up in my friend Steven's attic and play video games. Sounds pretty nerdy, doesn't it. It first began about two years ago when, while getting plastered at my friend Desi's, we managed to hook up an Xbox and we played the glorious "Fusion Frenzy." Then, we noticed our friend Steven was really good at video games, so we wanted to test our might against him, only this time sober. Tah Da! Game night.
Let me not get off topic ever again. My political foe brought up the subject of George W. Bush: Why you like/dislike him? Another of my friends, he's not as die-hard Republican as the person I have been talking about, said he liked G.W.B. because he told it like it is; he cared for the American people and did not care what other people thought of him - this trait was commendable. Let's get some names going, shall we! The Republicans name is Molly. The not-so Republicans name is Shaun. Molly asked how I felt about George W. Bush because she knew I was Democrat, though she called me Liberal. I guess to some people, there is no middle-ground. To quote our president, "You are either with us or against us," and that is how the argument felt right off the bat. I said to everyone and the room that I wasn't a very political person, and then corrected Molly by saying I'm Democrat, not Liberal. She said, "Same difference." I then tried to quickly change the subject by saying, "I wouldn't mind seeing Rudy win it simply because he is a politician who would want to unite both parties for one objective, and could narrow the gap between the left and right wings." That did not do anything. So, again, forced to say what I thought of our current president, I tried taking the high-road by saying, "Our foreign policy is fucked, due to circumstances in Iraq, and just the overall attitude of our current leader. He thinks he's being cute, but that also shows his lack of integrity, and it's downright childish." Of course, I get berated by Molly, and I'm not going to go into detail - I felt very uncomfortable up in the attic at that point since I was being told how-it-is by a debater.
You try and forget those awkward moments when a friend of yours tries to sway your thinking, and/or demonstrates how they can prove a point to a subject your reluctant to talk about in the first place. The last thing you need is someone who won't listen to opposing issues. I listened to Molly's, and, however ignorant or biased they might have sounded to me, I still gave her the benefit-of-the-doubt, and tried my best not to press the issue, though clearly, the issue was pressed like a new pair of pants.
I thought of this moment in my life after watching a documentary yesterday on IFC called, "The F-word". On the day of the Republican National Convention, radio show host Joe Pace joins the rallies, protests, delegates and citizens of New York City. Broadcasting his last show live, on-the-air, he goes on a one march for free speech - thanks http://www.imdb.com/ for that awesome synopsis. While covering this event no news station would touch, the character of Joe witnesses our country at a socially grim, but politically uplifting time. One part of the film, a group of Republicans with signs in-hand, who went solely to state their own opinions just like the rest of the people, were vacated from the grounds of the protest rally, for their own safety. The left wing began hitting these innocent people, calling them names, trying to start fights with them...the rallies got out of control. Police were called in, people were getting arrested, pinned to the pavement, beaten or shoved by cops, and even gassed. In the middle of the chaos were anarchists, who could be pointed out by wearing red bandannas over their faces, and their hair pinned back, fighting against cops and the left wing alike, starting fires, turning over cars, throwing projectiles - it was enough to make me sick. The last thing you need is for a peaceful rally, full of people shouting and expressing their own grievances and differential and similar opinions, and have it broken up because a group of whiny little toddlers weren't satisfied, and had to throw a fit. It all made me think of childhood really.
Remember at day care (if you were ever subjected to it) when the toys were brought out, you went to get the best toy, which was always a toy car, action figure, or doll, and someone beat you to it. Then, instead of sharing, they hogged that toy the whole play-period, and when you went to ask nicely to play with the toy because you were just learning the values of sharing, that son of a bitch had to say, "It's MY toy!" If you were like me, you just went and told the guardian about it, and sought their advice on the situation. Usually, they would go talk to the kid and try to express to them the value of sharing. But sometimes, the guardian would say, "Pick a different toy for now..." You have the option of getting upset over such a trivial thing or agreeing to the circumstances, and picking out a new toy. Debates between Republicans and Democrats are just like that. Usually the Republican takes the stance of the child who plugs his/her ears and dances around, chanting that worst of annoying phrases, "Lah, lah, lah, lah-lah," while the Democrat just raises his/her voice, shouting out random things like, "What's your plan to get us out of Iraq? We need out of that area - it is crucial to get our men and women out of Iraq - thousands upon ten-thousands of people have died, and it's obviously not about protecting the country because they are fed up with our presence there and you are endangering the lives of Americans - why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why? - listen here, I'm an official person! I'm important! Why aren't you listening to me!? Stop plugging your ears, damn'it!!!" Then, the Liberal comes up behind the Republican and pulls his pants down, the Republican turns around, lifting their pants, yelling in a shaky, embarrassed voice, "That's not nice!" at the uncaring Liberal. The Democrat, in return, kneels down behind the Republicans legs, the Liberal pushes him over, and the Republican gets up, with tears in his eyes and runs sobbing like a baby, "They double-teamed me, it's just not fair!!!" The Democrat and Liberal both laugh in unison, sharing in the moment the satisfaction of nailing the Republican, then, the Liberal, like always, sucker-punches the Democrat, and while the man is on the ground, the Liberal says, "Here's where you are wrong, along with the Republican," criticizing him about conspiracies, the truth, and contradictions in the Republican and Democrat's past statements. The Liberal then picks the Democrat up by the balls, and with a finale so grand, my testicles shrink a little, the Liberal says, "And here's how I help solve the problem," and he walks off. The Democrat ices down his inflamed nugget-pouch, while the guardian of the kids, the media, comes up to consolidate, then passes judgment more on the Republican then anyone else. Of course, the Republican plays the victim so well...
It's refreshing to know that some people still care about politics, though the averaging number of votes during the election process have dramatically gone down in the passed 10 years. People can truly make a difference only if others are willing to listen. I think one big disadvantage is when, in terms of arguing, people worry more about winning the small battles, then achieving a much larger victory. If you are going to object to every little thing said, it ends with both parties squawking, and not getting a single damn thing done. Going back to childhood, "He's a poopie-head!" "You're a poopie-head...and you eat bugs!" "I do not!" Next time you are at the polls, think the usual, 'I'm voting for a candidate with morals, who is a strong, passionate leader,' but also look for maturity.
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