"I can't not like bush"

[toey]

My best friend said that last night. We have never really discussed politics before because we had differing views. A little background on her: She was a military wife for 10+ years and the father of her 13-year-old daughter is still in the Special Forces of the Air Force. She was only 17 when she had her daughter and her then boyfriend, now ex-husband joined the Air Force. She said she had the "military mentality" that you HAVE to support the "commander-in-chief no matter what." She said this was engrained in her from the beginning.

Last night, however, the words "you were brainwashed" came out of my mouth and went straight to the common sense part of her brain. At first she denied it and a few moments later said "you're right, I was brainwashed." :woohoo: I got through to her by telling her she can still support the troops without supporting the "CIC."

She's even considering going to DC with me in September! I can hardly believe it!

My next mission is to get her to realize I, along with other non-christians, are not going to hell.

I don't care if people have different opinions than me, just as long as they come up with them on their own and have not been lead to believe bullshit by being brainwashed.

I love this country! :patriot:

[babylonsister]

1. You go, toey! I'm married to a vet, was

with him for over 10 years of his 20 year committment, and I haven't been brainwashed. Neither has he, for that matter.
And welcome to DU!

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Bless ya!

I'm encountering this with my "second mom", a lady our family has been VERY close to since I was born (I'm turning 39 tomorrow).

My parents and she and her husband were friends in the Air Force years ago, and stayed friends. They ended up in Austin too.

She is Catholic, and also has the "military family" mindset. This woman is no dummy, but she has been completely taken in. And I have to admit, even after how close our families have been, I've found myself avoiding her this last year, even after the death of her husband. They are now hurting financially, even after years of prosperity. Her grandson has become a drug addict, is sucking the family dry, and is causing her no end of grief. But she refuses to do anything about him either.

It's been very difficult for me to speak to her, let alone have the long, close conversations we used to. Much of the family information I get now it via my mom.

Wish me luck. I personally don't think it can be done.

FSC

[toey]

5. sorry your relationship with her has suffered

maybe one day she'll come around.

[DinahMoeHum]

3. Try to link up with the veterans orgs in DC in September. . .

Iraq Veterans Against The War
www.ivaw.net

Veterans For Peace
www.veteransforpeace.org

Gold Star Families For Peace
www.gsfp.org

Military Families Speak Out
www.mfso.org

etc.

:patriot:

[gmoney]

4. Did she support Clinton when he was CIC?

Just wondering...

[toey]

6. We haven't got into that yet.

I'm sure if we were "at war" it would have been the same opinion. I thought about asking her last night, but I think she was overwhelmed at the discovery of free thinking. :)

[gmoney]

7. Yeah, don't breathe TOO hard on the sparks in the tinder...

...wait until the fire's going before you start putting in kindling and logs!

(Is that a weird analogy or what? Like I know how to start a fire...)

[XNASA]

8. So...she didn't vote for a decorated war hero......

...and did vote for a pampered rich kid who was AWOL from his National Guard unit?

Go figure.

[toey]

9. she's never used her right to vote

She always thought by voting she would be targeted for jury duty. Another myth. She was called for jury duty about 3 months ago. Imagine that

[fudge stripe cookays]

11. That pisses me off.

When I was registering people to vote while vounteering for Dean I heard SOOO much of this.

If I got any nastiness from folks who were obviously misinformed, I'd calmly point out the "God Bless America" sticker on their vehicle and then wonder out loud how hypocritical it was to say they loved America, but would not even participate in the judicial process the founding fathers arranged for us.

That usually shut them up.
FSC

[caty]

10. It makes me angry when they say

we have a christian government. 75% of the population is christian, but, the other 25% is not. When they make statements like that, they are not representing all Americans.