Oh, A Republican!?

A Republican? An unrepentant, defiant Republican? Not only will he vote for McCain in November, not only did he vote for Bush in 2000 and again in 2004, knowing what he knows now, he would do the same thing!

I mean, this floors me. I do not have a single Republican friend. I had one. I worked damn hard to be open-minded enough to have one, but I did have one. Of course, by 2004, she volunteered with me for Kerry and has since decided, as a Christian, that global warming is a bigger issue than abortion and is 100% for Obama. My other Republican friend was gay, and he died, so I'm not really sure, but I'm 98% sure he switched to the Dems by 2004.

I think of this as a moral failing. I actually call mosquitoes "Republicans," because they are blood-sucking parasites that spread disease, don't care how their behavior impacts others, as long as they get what they want, and the world would be better off without them. I know some people could argue this is a form of 'hate speech' and that I'm depersonalizing them the way the Nazis treated the Jews. But I think Bill Reilly's is an idiot, so I don't really care. The analogy works.

And yet, I have to say, the evening started off with me unsure and having trouble making eye contact and young, and wanting to please. And then politics came in. And I had no doubt, no difficulty making eye contact. We argued like hell. We were both witty, quick and sharp. And it was actually rather hot. And he enjoyed it as much as I did, although I think he liked definitely pushing my buttons. And he made it damn clear that he would support me 100% in my activism, even as he'd cancel my vote in November.

He thinks my ex abused me, and there is a little truth to that. Not a lot. I agreed to everything that happened. But much of what happened wasn't healthy for me. And it has left me scared and fearful when certain boundaries are pushed. I was surprised how quickly the Republican pushed some boundaries. And he wasn't great about it when he pushed them--left me to deal with that on my own, which I don't like.

The chasm between the two of me is SO great, I question whether anyone could actually appreciate both of me. And he SO enjoyed the smart, engaged, sharp, witty public woman, and he effortless called out the little girl. This man, this Republican, he seems to! When I told him (because it came up in conversation) that I would not have an abortion if we got pregnant, and he said "that means you could have 25% of my paycheck" and I said "that's why you have a right to know I've already made that choice for me--the law isn't fair to men in some ways, and if it is a dealbreaker for you I understand, but I'm not changing my mind on that; but I do believe in using 2 forms of birthcontrol" he asked "how the hell are you not married?" I can't tell you how many Democrats I've scared off with that statement. Actually I can. Three, I believe. It didn't scare him off. He appreciated the head's up. So who knows. But, he's a Republican!