Hatrack River Forum: If you didn't want to discuss it....

This is topic If you didn't want to discuss it.... in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

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Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

This is a rant, so please excuse me while I get this out of my head so that I can work.

At precisely six o'clock every weekday, I pull myself out of bed, wandering into the kitchen where my father-in-law is pouring over the morning paper (The SF Chronicle, if you must know). Daily I have to hear his opinion on every major issue in the United States. We talk, I make jokes about the administration as I blurrily prepare a cup of coffee, and my wife and mother-in-law vacate the area, lacking my tolerance to the inane drivel based on partisan politics.

My style, you may have noted, is usually to use satire and irony and apply it to the subject at hand. I offer little in the way of explaining my sub-text, which is there. Either you can figure out my references or not.

This morning I mentioned the fact that I recently re-registered as "declined to state", because I feel that both of the major parties fail to represent my ideals. I went on to state that I wasn't going to vote for Kerry, I was going to vote against Bush. Simple. We all know the subtext is: I am voting for Kerry, even though I don't agree with him, just to vote against Bush.

Well, suddenly I became part of the Republican conspiracy that grips our world in a pony-clamp of fascism. He had the nerve to tell me that those who don't vote, have no right to complain (cliche' #1), and that if I didn't vote for Kerry, then I might as well be voting for Bush(cliche' #2).

This did amuse me. He told me to stop trying to be cute, and to drop it. I did. Choose your battles, and really we were in agreement, though he apparently did not realize it.

I mentioned it to my wife on the way to work. She said "He likes to debate everything."

I replied that no, in fact, he doesn't. Apparently the idea is to spout off your political nonsense to anyone within ear-range, and anything that is opposed to your point of view is not worth hearing.

Well, if you didn't want to discuss it....

Oh, well. Now that I've gotten that out, I can actually think.

Thanks Hatrack!

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

living with parents is so much fun......

NOT!

Farmgirl

Posted by suntranafs (Member # 3318) on :

yeah what the heck are you thinking? married and living with your wife's parents? Are you crazy? I intend to marry a perfect woman with perfect parents and I have no intention of doing that for any great extent of time [Smile]

heheh, on the flip side "and that if I didn't vote for Kerry, then I might as well be voting for Bush" is exactly the reason that I will not vote for Kerry, if I don't, that is.

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Thanks guys.

If I can just hold on a few months longer, scenes like the one described will no longer occur. But I gotta do it for my wife and child.

Unlike others, I am happy that others hold other viewpoints than my own. I just wish that they could tolerate mine. There would be less tongue holding involved then.

Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :

Hang in there, ES.

At least you see light at the end of the tunnel.

My mother lives with me because she can't take care of herself (that story is in a different thread).

While I'm conservative, she would be considered extremist-conservative. In her book, alcohol, men, sex and liberals are the ultimate evils in any dosage.

Needless to say, we often have verbal sparring matches. <sigh>

Usually it is just easier to hold the tongue and "not go there".

Farmgirl

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Well, these are good people, basically. My problem, as usual, is trying not to take sides, and becoming the common middle ground that the other sides unite against.

It's hard to keep an open mind sometimes.... [Wink]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

*whimpers*

Guys, you're scaring me. I'm moving in with my parents in August. Just for a few months -- they'll be leaving town for most of a year -- but still. [Angst]

Posted by Erik Slaine (Member # 5583) on :

Keep your head down, lady! [Big Grin]

Posted by Little_Doctor (Member # 6635) on :

I still live with my parents. [Hat]

I can't vote either though.

Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :

People who live with their parents gain great rewards in the afterlife. Especially if you can hold your tongue.

When it gets bad I have taken to nodding my head with a blank expression. This means, "I hear what you are saying". <laughs> That and saying nothing whatsoever, no vocalizations at all, until they run out of steam. After a few moments of silence in respect for the dead topic, I think of something else to bring up.

When this doesn't work, I leave and go home. People who live with parents are filled with grace and merit. [Smile]