I married a Republican - by twigg

[kpete]

In many ways, it must have been profoundly shocking to her when she met me, a European, Atheist and deeply committed to Progressive ideals and policies. This was a foreign language in more ways that one. I have a cute accent, and I guess that helped :)

It started small. We would drive around Tulsa and I would count the churches. An amusing, but odd pastime to a woman who had never questioned such things. Then I would ask her when driving around some of the poorer neighbourhoods, why the only buildings with decent roofs were the churches? When the local housing was in disrepair, the church not only had a new roof, but a folded metal roof that costs about four times the price of shingles. I mean ... couldn't they have used shingles on the church, and spent the savings repairing the roofs of some parishioners?

..............

As our conversations meandered, and time moved along, there was a change. My wife began to ask the questions. She said that I was the first person she had ever met who challenges "those truths we hold to be self-evident", at least from her perspective and upbringing. She was curious, and sometimes it was hard to talk without one or the other becoming upset. This wasn't, for her, a new cake recipe, it was a new life and philosophy on living. Sometimes I was frustrated, often she groped desperately to understand, but we love each other, and we made progress together.

..............

Mrs Twigg recently changed her Party Affiliation to "Democratic Party". She voted straight ticket Dem last go around, and I drove her to the Poll, as I had driven her to previous Polls where I knew she would vote "Republican". I drove her with equal enthusiasm all times .... because it is her right to vote her conscience, and my job to support her.

.................

The rest (lovely story, reminds me a little of Mr. Pete-recovering repub):
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2010/3/26/851092/-I-married-a-Republican

[grantcart]

1. very nice

[Robyn66]

2. My husband was a Republican too

but he got better

[hypocrisyandlies]

3. Sounds like my parents.

My mom was a Republican when she and my dad first got married. She drove all of us kids to church every Sunday morning; snow, ice, blizzards be damned. My dad did the same thing this author did. Challenged the values she was brought up believing and asking her why things are the way they are. He slowly opened her eyes to the injustices of our world. He never forced her to change her opinions, she did that all on her own. Now she is one of the voices challenging those injustices. She realized the hypocrisy of it all.

[kpete]

4. yep

change IS possible
thanks for sharing hypocrisyandlies
Mr. Pete is becoming more of a bleeding heart liberal than I
I love stories like yours!
peace, kp

[hypocrisyandlies]

5. ...

Cheers! :toast: