Deep sigh.

[Changenow]

Yesterday I was doing volunteer work with some Republican women. Since the theft of 2000 I have avoided any political discussions with these people. Their chief political “mind” is a devout Rush follower. Anyway we were talking about baby names and one commented that it would be hard for a girl to be named Monica these days (a point with which I agree) then another said “or Hillary” at that point the third woman said “George is a good name for a man but it is hard to think of a baby named George.”

I wanted to say, but didn’t, that if there were only two names to chose from and one was George and the other Adolph it would be a very difficult choice for me. I wanted to say that if I had another daughter I’d be proud to name her Hillary. But I didn’t say any of that and left early because if I had offered my opinion they would label me a trouble maker and say “My God, is everything political to her, we were only talking about baby names.”

[demnan]

1. Well

George is also the first name of George Washington and Lord Byron. Either of whom would be worthy to name a child after.

You could recommend Chelsea - they can't hate a little girl who grew up in the White House, can they?

[qb]

2. You can if she's the spawn of Satan! heh heh!

[Tyler Durden]

3. Wanna Bet?

I seem to remember MANY epithets thrown at Chelsea Clinton for no other reason than her name and parentage. Don't ever doubt the ability of the opposition to hate or hold a grudge: they'll kill you every time.

[BigMcLargehuge]

4. Sometimes a troublemaker moniker can be a good thing

but if you are worried that such thing would complicate your volunteer work, then I can't say I blame you. I've held my tongue at times when I should have launched all my ammo through the bow torpedo tubes, because the target was family, and why make everyone uncomfortable by having a political excrement flinging match?

Still, I regret keeping silent.

Everytime we let them control they floor, they control the contents of the debate, the outcome, and the policy. There are always polite ways to get your contrapositive point across, but damn does it take some work.

FWIW, I am also in the baby-name game. And if you think politics is hard on baby names, try doing naming a kid with a non judeo-christian name. There aren't many if your from the west.

[lostnfound]

6. Creating left-center debate instead of right-far-right "debate"

You are right about that -- "Everytime we let them control they floor, they control the contents of the debate". This morning the (revered, well-respected, exceptional) Democracy Now!* gave me a glimpse into a parallel universe -- with a debate on the Patriot Act featuring someone from the ACLU and someone from the CATO Institute, mediated by someone who really was fair but clearly anti-Patriot-Act.

While spending time battling individual people on the neo-Neanderthal scale is unavoidable and necessary, it's far more effective to create a context in which the Neanderthals listen to Our debates on Our turf by Our rules.. "Fair and balanced" could stretch as far to the right as CATO (libertarian/centrist), perhaps, but not to the mostly-fringe-lunacy of AEI or Heritage.



(*Pacifica radio here but internet elsewhere; consistently the best hour of U.S. news programming IMHO.)

[newyawker99]

9. Hi lostnfound!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[lostnfound]

12. Thanks!

what a happy graphic.. I'm likin' this place.

[shimmergal]

10. About western non-Judeo-Christian baby names.

I have two editions of THE NEW AGE BABY NAME BOOK which are quite good for this. There are names with derivations from North American Indian, Hawaiian, Romany, and astrological sources. Plus from non-western cultures all over the world. Many of the names from Old
English originated in a pre-Christian culture, too.

[BigMcLargehuge]

11. Thanks for the tip shimmergal :)

I think I have Mrs. McLargehuge warmed up enough to the idea that I might be able to slip a few past her and not receive a frying pan to the head.

Out agreed faves include:

Boy:

Alexander
Dmitri
Gareth

Girl:

Penelope
Matilda
Ariadne

Some that I will suggest during our next round of negotiations:

Boy:

Kenji
Tetsuo

Girl:

Michico
Mai

[scarlet_owl]

14. I have a ferret named Tetsuo

:) :) :) :) :)

[Clark Can WIN]

5. I too am surrounded by Rushbots and just plain old

run of the mill Republicans around here. It always amazes me how they will bring things up and just spew stuff like that out, as though it were all indesputable truth and then act all SHOCKED if someone does not agree with them. If you dissent, you have started the trouble, not them. Forget they are the ones who were shoving it down your throat. They were just "making conversation".

[Changenow]

7. At some level I felt my silence was not unlike

what got the country into the mess we’re in now. Since the issue is trivial there is no point in arguing it. But over time the issues became larger and larger until the point came that it was worth taking a stand, but we had given up so much ground in the meantime that the fight for sanity will be more difficult to win.

The perfect answer always comes later, what I should have said is, “Please don’t assume that my silence implies agreement.”

[in_cog_ni_to]

8. My dad started a political conversation

Sunday with his neighbor who is around 35 years old, who I don't really know. Dad called me into the house because he couldn't remember who my Dem candidate "favorite" is. "Whose your guy in the Dem party?" I told him it was Dean and then the neighbor guy asked me who all the candidates were. I rattled off the 9 Dems and told him Clark may enter the race...he had never heard of Wes Clark! Sheesh! Anyway, at that point I exited the house not wanting to get into a political discussion with this person because I was very busy. THEN, out comes the neighbor guy from the house with my dad trailing behind with his walker (he's 77 years old, a WWII and Korean War Veteran) and he says to the neighbor guy, "Please tell me that isn't true!" the neighbor guy, redfaced says "Tell you what's not true?" and my dear, dear dad says, "Please tell me that you didn't REALLY vote for Bush!" The guy admitted it was true. Dad just shook his head in disgust. After the neighbor left, dad says, "I just cannot believe that he voted for that son-of-a-bitch!" :7 He never keeps his political opinions to himself. I would love to be more like my dad and just say what comes to mind! I can understand how you feel though. If you have to deal with these people on a regular basis, it's difficult to speak your real thoughts, especially since they're repukes...ugh! Why not volunteer to work for your local Democratic campaign committee or something in that vein?

[sandnsea]

13. lol

Those old men are a HOOT!!! We have a friend that literally chases people off his property if he finds out they're Republicans, even if they were just talking about fishing! I guess he figures he's lived his life out and just doesn't have to put up with that anymore. Cracks me up.

[DemExpat]

17. Hilarious!

That's what I want to be like when I grow up.....(become an outspoken, eccentric old lady!)

:D

DemEx

[hippywife]

15. Not very difficult for me at all!

it would be hard for a girl to be named Monica these days (a point with which I agree)

And my husband's name is Bill. ;)

[gulliver]

16. The name George is still OK in my book.

The current occupant of the White House will always be Junior, Dubya, Top Gun, etc., to me.

[DemExpat]

18. I have the same experience at my vounteer work.....

I've thought of quitting because of it, but my hubby encourages me to stick to it -
like it's GOOD PRACTICE for me to be around people like them. I must admit he is right.
Keeps me in tune with how the other half are.....:-)

I'm too shy to cause a stir, but the way you describe how the Repub women do this is right on!

I also feel bad that I can't come up with that great one-liner to make my opposing views known.

:hi:
DemEx