The Angry Right
GWB, during his little Republican National Convention, stated that John McCain - after his years of torture in Vietnam - would have no problem with the "angry left". The other night I had a drink with the angry right.
At my high school reunion, a former classmate traded phone numbers with me and wanted to get together afterwards for a drink and to catch up. So, we met at a little bar downtown for a drink and I quickly realized that I had agreed to spend time with the angriest right-winger in town.
Eye opening!
Label
First, everyone had a label - the popular one was "liberal". Initially I thought she was being ironic.
I mentioned a friend who we had all seen at the reunion and she replied, "ugh! that liberal!" in the same tone as you would say, "Oh, that nazi just pooped on my salad". I mentioned someone who had been mayor of the town and that elicited comments (apart from "that liberal!") regarding how the mayor had wrecked and destroyed the town. Another friend's mom was a "bitch".
(I mean, regardless of politics, who talks likes this with someone they haven't seen in two decades?!)
Now, granted, this is one person. But what made me uncomfortable/depressed/sad for humanity was that her tone was so Fox News-ish. So angry yelling. So American.
There also didn't seem to be any room for polite discourse. I got the feeling that there would be no listening to another view point. Lots of name calling. My way or the highway. No aisle reaching.
Everyone was different - and that was bad.
Those kids with their long hair should get a job.
Damn pagans driving up the real estate.
My Point
The extremes of each party are really unattractive.
Obama: You want to win? You need to go dig out the crazy right-wingers. People will flock to the left.
McCain: You want to win? You need to go dig out the crazy left-wingers. People will flock to the right.
I've been a lazy American. I vote and I have beliefs, but rarely I have been super riled up about politics. But, it just took one cocktail for everything to suddenly crystallize. I think I'll contribute money to Obama's campaign. I've never done that.
