Friday, February 6, 2009

Politics, a Hot Topic

A few months ago, after the election I talked about doing a post on my political views, but then I forgot and I didn't bother actually doing the post. I'm going to do it now. This is sparked by a coworker of mine.

If you're looking for knitting content or yarny pictures, feel free to skip this post entirely.

First of all, I want to preface this with a warning. While I try and be open minded and respect every one's opinion, this post is going to be obviously one sided. I am going to make a lot of generalizations, and what I am talking about is based on my experiences during the election. I understand politics can be a heated subject, and while I welcome comments with differing opinions, I will with out question or response delete any comments that are hurtful or derogatory towards me, my opinions, thoughts, or even towards someone else who has commented.

If you are a long-term reader and are Republican, know that I probably don't include you in many of the generalizations that I will be making.

That said, I don't apologize for anything that will be said in this post because this is my blog and these are my opinions.



During the primary elections I voted for Clinton. This was basically because Students for Obama on campus crammed Obama posters in every possible place and really just annoyed the hell out of me. I knew, however, whichever Democratic candidate was selected would be who I voted for because they both seemed capable of the job. More capable than the person who had been in office, anyhow.

So there really wasn't much conflict until the campaigns between McCain and Obama started.

I noticed over the course of the election that the Republicans were just vindictive in their campaigns. Almost all of the 'attack ads' I saw on TV were made by the Republican party, whereas many (not all) of the Obama adds focused on the Obama campaign as well as some about his upbringing. The ones about his upbringing were mainly important because a decent amount of the population believed that he was a Muslim.

YES, he went to a Muslim school (Not a radical madrassa, however), but he also attended a Catholic school. Should religion even factor into his eligibility? I thought Church and State were separated a long time ago.

Another thing that I noticed was that, generally, people of the Republican persuasion believe almost anything the press or a random e-mail or something of that manner tells them. This is especially true with people who watch Fox news and Bill O'Reilly. Bill O'Reilly is quite possible the only human being on the entire planet that I actually hate. I hate Bill O'Reilly with a passion. He is a sociopath. He only allows people who agree with him to speak and everyone else is anti-American, wrong, and stupid, or at least that's how he treats people.

That's another thing, Republicans are highly condescending. At least some of the men in my office are. They think I am young and naive for believing in Obama. Basically that I don't know any better.

These are the same people who thought Obama was raised Muslim, and was a socialist (No, he corrected himself, Communist), and told me racist jokes once he was elected to office. Oh, they also questioned my intelligence for wearing in an Obama shirt the day after he won the election (By a land slide, BTW). I had mixed up my words or said it was Friday instead of Thursday or something silly and my supervisor told me "Oh it's okay, we know it's just the shirt." I get angry just thinking about it.

Today, one of the men (The one who told me he "Heard they were getting rid of the roses at the White House so they could put in a watermelon patch." To which I responded "Oh, that's funny because Obama is black and black people like watermelon, right? Right?" and then I was told that they were just having fun and it's okay when 'you democrats make jokes' but not when they do it and I asked him "Have you ever heard me tell you a Republican joke?" and he said "Well, no.") told me he put something up on the bulletin board that was "right up my alley". The important part was highlighted. Basically is was a Republican e-mail about Obama. I took it down from the bulletin board and threw it away. Not because I was particularly offended, but because it's inappropriate for the work place. When I wore my Obama shirt I was told you're not allowed to have political propaganda stuff like that in the office, although I believe this was because I'm literally the only Democrat in the office.

To sum up, I learned that Republicans fight dirty and when the same is done to them blow the whistle and call the other people out on it. They also readily believe in rumors that circulate without checking the facts. The latter I found out when one day I proved about 3 or 4 things wrong that someone had told me and then they told me that they had "been a Republican all of [their life] and would continue to be a Republican."

Also, Fox news is highly, highly biased. I think it would be hard to find another new source of any kind so biased.

I think that I've expressed my main opinions, although I don't know how eloquently. I got a little rant-y in the middle so I kind of lost track of composure. ;-)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was very disappointed during the election in how Republican campaigners allowed and even encouraged misinformation and blatantly racist rumors to circulate. I would have thought that after the extreme unpopularity of the Bush administration that they would toned it down, since the country was obviously calling for a change from such disgusting behavior.

I'm sorry that you have to deal with that kind of abuse at work. It's so inappropriate for people (especially your supervisor!) to insult your intelligence for having a political view that you can actually defend!

Anonymous said...

Wow! I would have gone to HR over the racist joke. That is inappropriate at anytime, but at work? Beyond inappropriate.

My husband teaches ethics and diversity training at his company. Had this happened there...that person would be on the unemployment line immediately.

It's hard to believe in 2009 that someone still thinks that those jokes are funny.

Sorry you had to put up with that.

sweetp said...

What I always find so fascinating is how Americans are SO open about how they vote. Here its not so common to be so out there with how you vote. Lots of people never really say.

Catherine Kerth said...

We (my extended family and I) are not affiliated with a party. But we lean liberal, absolutely. I live in Texas and was disgusted by the ignorance of my peers. With that said I am also disgusted with the blatant hypocrisy of "gung ho republicans" they say they are Christians, and then turn around and make fun of liberals for helping out the poor too much?

Sorry I have offended, not all republicans are the same.... I know many that affiliate themselves with that party but are very kind generous people. Thats why I'm friends with them...

But, I have heard on several occasions people boasting their "reborn faith in our savior Jesus Christ" and then in the same conversation say " those democrats are so stupid, they want to give all our hard earned money away".

hmmmmm, Christian? or wolf in sheeps clothing?

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