OK, I'm a Democrat but I actually have voted for a few Republicans in my day. Senator John Warner of Virginia I liked, and I'm certain that there was somebody else sometime. But now I think I've become a yellow-dog Democrat. I can find no common ground with any of the Republicans because they have become not just mis-guided but are actually evil.
I have a few friends who are Republicans. We don't discuss politics and never have and they would do anything for me, but now I wonder do they condemn my lesbian daughter? Are they uncomfortable around my African-Amercian best friend? Do they shop at the more expensive grocery store because they really like spending more money than necessary for food or because they are afraid to go to our local stores which are full of immigrants from South America and Africa? I find that I am now looking at these friends differently than I did in the past. I look at them and I no longer see friends, I see bigots. But really, these are nice people who go on mission trips, who volunteer their time, who would never say anything bad about a specific person because of their color, or origins, or their sexual orientation but who feel perfectly justified condemning groups of people. But am I guilty of the same thing? I like my friends but I deplore the Republicans. And if they support Romney/Ryan aren't they supporting bigotry against the people who need our help - the elderly, the poor, the disabled, the struggling, the people of color? And how can I be friends with a bigot?
3 comments:
I think a lot of people grew up never expecting to have to come to terms with a pluralistic society. I am still amazed that Romney would choose another guy like himself to run with, as if that were the only option. The Republican Convention was a sea of whiteness.
I guess they just don't get around much. It's an easy decision to vote for the Democrats as the "big tent" party.
Being friends with bigots is an easy NO for me. More of a challenge being around those who "seem" to have what I consider values consistent with life in urban America. I get it with people who live in rural areas and are completely out of touch with diversity.
Totally unrelated here is link to a slouchy knit hat by a designer we met in Portland. She is now connected with my former, beloved knit shop, Knitty City. Ron may never find the pattern you liked on one of my posts! http://www.flickr.com/photos/7884520@N08/4530296450/
@Naomi - My conumdrum is that there is nothing these people do to indicate that they are bigots except that they vote Republican. They would all say "I'm doing it for the economy", or "I'm politically conservative." They would never say anything that would be offensive. BUT.... my problem is that voting Republican has now become, to me, synonymous with being a bigot because of the effect of the Republican policies. If I could hear them say something that was clear that they were bigots it would give me a clear decision on what to do because I hat to end a friendship because they are the wrong political party. I feel like that makes me intolerant.
And the hat! I've made that slouchy hat a couple of times and it is Genevieve's favorite hat. What an amazing coincidence.
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