Saturday, September 04, 2004

When Tolerant Liberals Attack

That night shift started as they all do: jovial greetings among the day staff and night staff as report begins. A nice lady with whom I work had some funny cards she wished to share. For the purpose of this report, I'll call her "Lib". The conversation went as follows:

Lib: You're not a Bush fan, are you?"

Me: Well, yes, yes I am. That is, I'm going to vote for him. I'm a conservative. But I can take a joke.

Lib: (With an alarmed expression) How could you? Don't you know he wants to take away all our rights?

Me: (Astonished, wondering if she's referring to the PATRIOT Act) What do you mean?

Lib: I mean, he wants to take away our right to choose. He wants to keep Gays from marrying.

Me: First of all, he can't himself reverse Roe v Wade. Secondly, (interrupted)

Lib: No, but he'll appoint judges to do it. You know he'll only appoint ones who agree with him.

Me: He can only nominate judges (of course she knows this), congress has to pass them. The senate has fillibustered all the very consequential nominees. One guy (at the time I couldn't remember it was Estrada) was blocked for not providing the committee with his likely future judgements.

Me: Also, I don't oppose gay marriage, I just think Bush is a superior leader.

Lib: So you don't think a woman should have the right to choose.

Me: I think a fetus is a human life and should be treated as such. There are instances in which it is reasonable and legal to take a life.

Lib: Well I guess I just don't feel that way.

Me: Well I don't think life and death should rest on how you "feel".

Me: Look. I do think both parties want what they think is best for the people of this country, we just disagree on how to achieve it.

Lib: (Looking away, silent)

Me: Well, let's see those cards. I can take a joke.

Lib: Yeah, I liked Clinton, but I laughed at those jokes.


So, that was it. I haven't seen her again at work yet. During the conversation, she said she saw Republicans as arrogant. She said they don't discuss issues, they just go negative on Kerry. She couldn't think of any examples of Democrats going negative on Bush. I suggested that each of us may be more sensitive to the attacks against our own side. She did not concede that point.

In every other encounter, I've found this person to be pleasant. But for some reason, she felt compelled to attack me for my political affilliation. She thinks Republicans are arrogant, but she is the one who is appalled that some one disagrees with her views. Still, I'm haunted by the notion that somehow she may think I attacked her. I hope instead that she reflects honestly on our conversation and whether she represents the "party of tolerance". In my general experience, she represents it perfectly.

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