Had lunch with republicans. I had to bite my lip!

[Catherine Vincent]

I was having lunch with a friend (Joan) today and one of her male friends (Robert) joined us a while. Then another female friend (Marge) of their's stopped by to speak and the conversation started about Iraq. Marge's son was there and he is going back soon. And Marge was proud of it by the way she was talking. Her husband is also there now (works for KBR-Haliburton). And she was just so proud that both her husband and son are in Iraq. I could tell that she is just so happen, as long as the money is rolling in. She said that her son told her that Iraq is nothing like they say it is on the news. Robert agreed with her. I didn't say anything. Joan was saying that she thinks they should all come back safe and we should leave from there. Marge said oh I'm not saying we shouldn't come back but we have to stay and make sure things are in order before we come back... blah blah. Then Robert said well the media always distorts everything. You can't count on them.

Finally Marge left and Robert left and it was me and Joan again. I told her that you know just today that fourteen marines were killed in Iraq. I know I should have reminded the other two and how soldiers are dying every day in Iraq but I know they didn't want to hear that. Joan's son said it's not that bad. Hey, if he enjoys going to fight in Iraq more power to him. And I'll bet Joan and Robert just love Bush to death.

I am afraid there are not enough people waking up about the Bush administration. It is so frustrating!

[Beaver Tail]

1. They were right about 1 thing

The media DOES distort the truth

[JRob]

8. I like the term "filters"

[Beaver Tail]

14. I like your choice in words

[emcguffie]

2. You exercised great self-control.

I'm not capable of having friends who are Republicans. I'm not proud of that, but it's true. I certainly can't imagine bi-polar couples, like Matalin and Carville. I would go nuts.

There are folks who are coming around. But, on the other hand, denial is so much easier for deluded people, isn't it? Like a nice warm bath.

[carnie_sf]

7. I find it a strain

but living in SF it doesn't come up as much as it would in other places

[peacebuzzard]

15. I am not capable either. Just like the poster cat-girl they just "happen"

like, "happen" at work, or "happen" at meetings, or business trips. I am getting better at self control too. I used to be enraged and get into politically heated discussions. I just can't anymore, I am on blood pressure meds and worry about my own health. I just try my best to tune them out.

However, I did run into a gun-toting Halliburton individual once and used the word mercenary, I take it they don't like to be called that? Or maybe it was something I said in the context, but he took offense to me and quit directing conversation in my direction and wouldn't look directly at me anymore. I actually got a kick that I made him slightly unhappy.

[JRob]

21. My wife was a southeastern Republican when we met...

and between that and her quasi-indoctrination into the religious faction of that mess (her older sisters husband is a minister) she was pretty brain washed.

She just took the framework of that logic as correct and considering that the RW sanitizes its environment (or vehemently attacks opposition) as much as possible (like a Bush rally) they generally do not have access to any alternative info.

After 2 years of exposure to me (although still registered as R) she voted Clinton in 1996, Gore in 2000 and as a Dem for Kerry in 2004.

I look at a lot of different things when I think back on her evolution, but mainly it was exposure, reason and the expansion of her ability to question, not only what's being said by politicians/pundits but psychologically feeling it's OK to move outside of the box within which she was raised.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Marge sounds like the crazy lady who used to post

on AOL... hard right wing... and she had a conniption when I called her hubby a Merc...

If this is she, I am sorry for you and what a small world

[Catherine Vincent]

6. Well I didn't know Marge, she was Joan's friend.

I didn't say one word to her, heck, I couldn't wait for her to leave. I hope she saw my blue bracelet on my wrist. :-)

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. Well at least you are lucky uin that snse

older woman, and prancing around in her money?

[wli]

4. I'd have walked out

If there weren't issues like e.g. losing my job at stake (e.g. "just friends" and not co-workers or bosses), I'd call them fascist pigs outright and never talk to them again.

[Ganja Ninja]

5. Just give'em time.

The odds are going to catch up with one of them at some point.

[Moochy]

11. Maybe during the food riots?

Or when they are applying to the local homeland security council for a new handmaiden, and are denied a fertile host.

[GOPisEvil]

10. Oh, it's nothing like the say on the news...until it's YOUR son.

Typical republicans, unable to see beyond their narrow little existences.

[Catherine Vincent]

22. Yep.

[quiet.american]

12. It's amazing the mother of the soldier hasn't stopped to think--

-- that many troops don't level with their family about how things really are because they're concerned about worrying them. That might not be true in this case, but I wonder.

[peacebuzzard]

18. I wonder where he was stationed. Inside the green zone?

[bobbieinok]

30. remember in the movies/videos of All Quiet on the Western Front?

the hero reassures his mother that everything is just fine.....and we've seen the water and the rats and the bodies and heard the cries from no man's land

All Quiet on the Western Front made in Hollywood in the early 30s was boycotted and picketted by the Nazis when the German dubbed version was shown in Germany

the German title of the book/movie is Im Westen Nichts Neues (nothing new in the west)...the headline the day the hero is killed

A&E did a series of 1 hour shows about famous books.....if you get a chance, see the one on this book

[quiet.american]

31. Thanks for the reminder of that movie. I haven't seen it yet, but will.n/t

[NewJeffCT]

13. sounds like me last year when I went to North Carolina

I was stuck in a meeting with a bunch of guys that actually re-arranged their daily work schedules so they could listen to * on with Rush Limbaugh that day (no, I am NOT joking... this is a professional corporation as well)

I had to listen to things like:
1) Them orgasming over Arnold at the RNC - compared him to Reagan in 1964.
2) Saying that Bush's big problem is that he's not conservative enough.
3) Clinton deserved to be impeached.
4) The problem with the Democrats today is that they are so far to the left of the better, more conservative Democratic party of the 1960s (that one almost made me choke...)
5) Iraq is important because we HAD to go in there. Everybody agreed that we HAD to go, just no reasoning.

[Catherine Vincent]

20. I almost blurted out as Joan was talking that we shouldn't have

gone to Iraq in the first place, but I decided not to. She probably would have brought up Sept. 11. :eyes:

[Ganja Ninja]

26. You can't argue and win with these people.

Metaphorically speaking they have to be hit over the head with a 2 X 4.

[skypilot]

16. I don't know these people and...

...I'm not in the habit of giving Republicans the benefit of the doubt but by the end of your post it occured to me that maybe this woman is terrified of losing her son, and possibly her husband, in Iraq and is simply in a deep state of denial. Maybe Robert was trying to set her mind at ease by agreeing with her assessment of the situation. I don't really know. You were actually there. I just couldn't help but entertain that possibility.

[Catherine Vincent]

23. No, I don't know Joan but I agree, she is in denial.

But I know Robert a little and he is a big Bush supporter. He was very angry with the Dixie Chicks and what they said about him. So I doubt he was trying to set Joan's mind at ease.

[wake.up.america]

17. All the money in the world would not get me to IRAQ, I like living...

and am not interested in directly or indirectly contributing to someone else's death unless they present an immediate threat.

LADY, JUST HOW BIG DOES THE PLASMA TV HAVE TO BE???!!!!

Read a book.

[Bucky]

19. Tough call. I would have said something, reality wise. I hope

I can't say for certain cause I've not been in that situation. It's tough to tell people, oh you family is in a free kill zone. But I've had to talk to a student of mine who was going over to Iraq with the Marines. I was so proud of him, of the way he'd grown up and was dedicating his life to the service of his country.

But I owed him my honesty too. I told him I was proud, but that I thought the mission there was a terrible mistake. I told him to follow whatever his sergeant told him to do, but to keep his head down and don't be a hero for Texaco. I guess that's crappy military advice. Prudence might win the war, but it takes valor to win a battle.

I just don't want him dying for nothing. You might lose a friend if you told her that her boy's life was on the line for nothing. But it would be the truth.

[Catherine Vincent]

24. I know but I'm not the type to get into predicaments like these.

Especially since I know they are republicans and didn't know them that well. I am in Texas and surrounded by Bush supporters. It happens a lot.

[Bucky]

27. Believe me, I'm sympathetic. I'm in Texas too. I just try to think WWARD

What would Ann Richards do?

Probably she'd have a wise crack ready.

[Catherine Vincent]

28. Yeah, I like her. She would definitely have said something and

wouldn't be bashful like me.

[newportdadde]

25. If it was just the son I could see some possibilities.

The son could honestly be in a quiter area.. not picnic out in the country side quiet but relative to everywhere else. The son could be lying so as not to worry his mom etc.

Its possible the mom is just defiant and wants to see glass half full especially when loved ones are involved.

The husband being over there does say something though... it gives the appearance that at least he is cashing in big time.. and I'm sure having wads of cash coming home each month would certainly give you a different perspective on whether or not continuing it would be a good idea.

[Warren DeMontague]

29. Yeah, it's nothing like they say on the news.

It's worse.