The other day, I was riding home from Winnsboro with my mom. It's a two-hour trip and, as we often do when we're trapped in the car together, we began discussing politics.
My mom is a Republican and frightfully conservative. And if you've been paying attention, you know that I'm... well... not.
I should first mention that I HATE arguing with my mom. Not just politics, but anything. I admit that once I get embroiled in the discussion, I get animated. My voice gets raised, and I can be really fucking stubborn.
Three guesses where I get it from.
The thing is, Mom doesn't argue from a factual standpoint. This may sound like a cheap shot, but it's something she's readily admitted to me several times. She doesn't have all the facts at her disposal. She just knows how she feels. Which is why she's convinced Bush is a great president, even though the facts have a distinct anti-Bush bias.
So anyway, she casually mentioned as we were driving home, "One of the things I admire about Bush is that he's always willing to admit when he's wrong."
I spewed Diet Vanilla Coke all over the windshield and just stared at her.
"If he feels he's done something wrong, he WILL admit it," she insisted.
"Well, as long as we're just making crap up," I said, "I've always admired Kerry's ability to pee chocolate milk and travel through time."
The debate devolved and ended, as most of ours do, with her insisting piously that she has an opinion that's different than mine, and I'm just going to have to get over it. And I resolved then, as I have a dozen times since, that I would not argue with Mom anymore.
I hate that. I honestly do. She will rail on for 20 minutes, trying to change my mind about something, and when she fails, she'll accuse me of being intolerant of her opinion.
I know she doesn't believe that. I know it's just a way to end the argument and save face. If you can't win on the facts, then just change it into a moral argument and pretend to take the high road.
Did I mention she's a Republican? They're good at that.
But seriously. Bush has always been willing to admit when he was wrong? Name ONE time! Unlike the usual Republican bullshit ("The economy is getting better." "We're winning the war on terror." "America is safer.") I think even the most ardent Bush supporter would have a hard time getting behind this one.
After all, the Republicans have a term for people who admit that they were wrong about something. They call those people "flip-floppers."
It's All About Me
- Irb
- I am a straight white male between the ages of 17 and 44. I’m an Aries and a recovering Baptist. By national standards, I’m moderate in my politics, but by Texas standards I’m somewhere to the left of Lenin. I have a certain boyish charm that makes me irresistible to children, pets, and old people. I’ve grown indifferent towards the night life, and I no longer care to boogie. Like slightly more than 100% of the English majors I know, I’m a writer wannabe who has yet to get published. I am not now, nor have I ever been, “emo.” I have a singing voice that resembles the wailing of damned souls. I am the walrus, kookoo katchoo. I shot the sheriff. But, and I’d like to make this perfectly clear, I did *not* shoot the deputy. I once divided by zero. I used to think I had no discernable Texas accent, but a recent visit to Canada made me realize that I actually sound like goddamn Jethro. I believe the children are the future. And my hobbies include writing slash furry Star Trek fan fiction and sitting on the toilet until my legs fall asleep.
Visitors since 3/12/2008
Muahahahahahahahahaha!
3 comments:
Wow. My first comment from a total stranger.
Okay, so the only reason Bush refuses to admit that he's wrong is because he's never made a mistake? Do you honestly believe that?
My point was that admiring Bush for that particular trait is like admiring Bill Clinton for his marital fidelity. Even Bush has joked about the fact that he NEVER admits he's wrong.
"By the way, the economy IS getting better, we ARE winning the war on terror, and America IS safer."
So I've heard. Maybe one day you guys will actually have the facts to back that up. Until then, keep on thinking positive thoughts.
Another complete stranger here. Your post made me laugh out loud, especially the part about "..as long as we're just making crap up..." Loved it.
Then the other complete stranger had to go all RightWing and make you think that you don't listen to what others say, but by the very fact that you are NOT a Republican, this means you DO value the opinions of others, even your Mom's. It is truly hard to converse with someone who doesn't base their reasoning on facts. Your mom, my in-laws. Perhaps they know each other.
There is a recent clip being played wherein GW Bush says at a news conference (I'm paraphrasing, because I don't remember verbatim), "I"m not saying I'm perfect, but I just can't remember anything I've done wrong." Hilarity in the making. Only, he was SERIOUS.
Okay, so Bush simply THINKS he's never been wrong. My mistake. I was so far off base. My apologies. How could I have so completely and totally missed the point?
Bush tried to take us to war in Iraq on the tenuous Hussein/Al Qaeda connection. When that didn't pan out, he jumped on the WMDs and how Hussein was an immediate threat to the safety and security of our nation. And when that turned out not to be the case, he gradually changed it from WMDs to WMD-related program activities. And now, it turns out it was NEVER about WMDs. We went to war to liberate the Iraqi people.
Over a year ago, Bush stood on the deck of the Lincoln in front a big banner that read "Mission Accomplished" and he declared the US victorious in Iraq. And now, as the body count continues to rise, he claims he meant we had been victorious in obtaining one of our many goals.
To admit that he was wrong on an issue would be considered flip-flopping. And if we've learned nothing else in this election, it's that flip-flopping is absolutely the worst sin a politician can commit. Much better to stick to a course of action that has proven disasterously wrong. Because at least that way, your rabid supporters will still respect your strength of character.
Lord knows I don't expect to change your mind about anything. If you're not swayed by the facts, then my little sarcastic attempts aren't going to penetrate that haze generated by Rush Limbaugh and FOX News.
Post a Comment