Strangest thing just happened to me.

[Q3JR4]

I was in a chat room (gay.com--which has rooms for most big cities in each state in the U.S.) talking to this guy about his vote in the next election.

This gay man told me "I'm voting for Bush."

My response was to ask him if he was Cheneying with me, and his response rocked me to my very core.

This man is willing to throw away even a semblance of equality not because of financial gain, not because of the man's religion, but
because "He (Bush) generally makes the right decisions."

When I talk to someone like this, a guy who has most of his life ahead of him (23), who won't have social security and Medicare to fall back on, who won't ever be rich because of the corporate juggernaut controlling most of the cash in this country, who (if the current administration gets it's way) will be forever confined to second class status, or worse will be bundled off to war, it makes me want to shake him. I want to grab him by the shoulders and yell into his face, "What the hell's the matter with you?"

How can anyone choose this man to be his president when the only people who are benefiting from the programs of this president are old rich men?

I know he has a right to vote the way that he feels is best for him, but I feel so dirty after our conversation. Like, maybe something's rubbed off on me.

In fact, I really need to shower.

[truthbetold]

1. My brother's gay...

And his gay friend supports the President. When I asked him why, he said, "Because my family is in the military."
"So you love the President because he sent your family out to die?"
"They're protecting our freedom."
"Answer me this, what did Iraq ever do to you?"
"They have weapons."
":pause: Where? I don't see any."
"Of course the media would not show it."
"Why wouldn't they? The media is not liberal. They are right leaning- they want his approval ratings to go up."
"They are already up."
"No, they're not. The latest polls show Kerry in a slight lead."
He didn't have anything to say to that, probably because he gets all the polls from Faux News. But before the incident, I had showed him my "Defend America, Defeat Bush" bumper sticker, and in response, he had picked me up, carried me outside, and dropped me on my porch. IN MY OWN HOUSE. I was very pissed to say the least.

[Sugarbleus]

3. I just bind up ever time I hear someone say

"They are fighting/defending our freedom".... What?????????? I have freedom (if you can call it that), why do they call bombing another country, illegally, fighting for my freedom???? It's ludicrous.

IF another country came here and took over, or tired, and our military fought tooth and nail to defend us...THAT I would call defending our freedom. Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezus!

Self defense in light of an attack is retaliation. Humanitarian support via our military for another country is just that...

the CONSTITUTION is suppose to DEFEND MY FREEDOM...not the military. We already won our independence from England a long time ago.

Alas, the military is most often used to defend the rich and powerful's interests (often called Americas interests) :puke:

[JSJ]

5. When I asked him why, he said, "Because my family is in the military."

That nails it- no reflection- no ideas of his own- only that he's in a family that serves the military. End of argument. Of course, there's been plenty of that going around and it's repulsive.

[Carni]

He was probably a repuke schill

Don't think for a minute that the GOP doesn't have "fake gays" trolling chat rooms looking for votes...this is the oldest ruse in the book.

They do this on all the assorted boards, chat rooms etc.(regardless of topic)

Pick any topic and there will be some clown there casually chatting people up wanting to tell them about the virtues of bush.

[TrustingDog]

2. the experiments have been a success...

whether it's the water, over the counter or prescribed drugs or most likely the mass media lieing up your asses every day. No normal cognisant human would support Bush, none.

[NuttyFluffers]

4. this is why chat rooms are horrible things

they deprive you of the chance of grabbing people in the grip of insanity and shaking them screaming, "Wake up, why are you acting so stupid!?!?"

nothing beats tete-a-tete conversation.

[Amarant]

6. Well

he could have been messing with you. Or not.

Several months ago I was invited to eat dinner at a gay couples house. I thought it would be nice to speak to democrats for once. (this is Texas)

I started talking about how I thought the primary might go. I was interrupted with "actually I'm a very strong republican". I literally stared at him for a few seconds expecting the laughter to start before I realized he was serious. I changed the subject. Disappointing to say the least.

I didn't ask why he was a republican, but I'm assuming it was money as the three cars in his driveway were worth more than my house.

On a positive note his partner was a dem.

[SuffragetteSal]

13. Interesting...

I have known conservative gay men. I want to shake them and say "and you expect us to fight for your equal rights when you then turn around to keep the very people in office who denied you those rights in the first place?". Are you INSANE?!

[Democat]

7. Gay Republicans must be crazy

How many black members of the KKK are there?

[Cronus Protagonist]

8. How many black KKK? You can't tell because they all wear these sheets

I'm sure the black contingent at all KKK rallies reflects the local population.

Choose Kerry Lose Bush - FUCK BUSH - Drop Bush Not Bombs!
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[Fleshdancer]

9. Exactly....

I'm of the opinion that African Americans vote with a strong sense of self respect that I see many homosexual and women voters lacking. Why would someone even entertain the idea of voting for a party that clearly does not like them???

[Cronus Protagonist]

10. Yeah, right.

If I were you, I would refrain from making these generalizations as a prophylactic against incoming attacks.

I don't know whether to comment on the racism in your comment about African American people or just the bigotry towards women or homos in general that is also displayed therein. Perhaps all three should be noted, but if I read between the lines, I think perhaps you meant not to malign women and gays, and intended to laud blacks and you simply failed where your intentions might have been good.

And, not to support gays or blacks or the poor or the working parents voting against their interests by voting Republican, however, one can come to a better understanding if one notes that the Democratic Party doesn't like the rank and file Democrats either, and they sure as hell don't like the Greens, Independents, Civil Libertarians and truly conservative Republicans, many of whom find themselves voting for the current Democratic candidates as the best of a bad batch.

Things in real life are a lot more complicated than your simplistic viewpoint.

Choose Kerry Lose Bush - FUCK BUSH - Drop Bush Not Bombs!
http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[Fleshdancer]

11. eyes rolling

attack away, I really don't care.

If saying that African Americans tend to vote with a sense of self respect is somehow a racist statement, then so be it. I disagree, but whatever.

As a woman and a feminist, I have no problem with my opinion that women who support this administration are doing so at the expense of their self interests, hence, self respect. Let's go down my list of reasons why I think this, shall we? Since I'm SO "simplistic" in your judgemental viewpoint let's evaluate how my simple little mind came to this simple little conclusion:

*Global gag rule

*reinstatement of global gag rule

*expansion of global gag rule (insult to injury at this point)

*attacking a woman's right to choose

*FDA's ridiculous ruling on the morning after pill

*Issuing regulation making fetuses eligible for health care coverage under the State Children's Health Insurance Program but NOT the pregnant mother :wtf: How does this work exactly?

*Dr. David Hager. Need I say more?

*The deletion of women's issues from government websites which included information on pay equity and childcare among others

*Late term abortion illegalized...who cares if the woman's life is at risk!

*Actively investigating non-profit organizations that oppose the admin's "abstinence only" policy while giving faith-based groups a free pass (suprise suprise)

*Dec. 11, 2002 Bush's spokesman said that membership in a group that excludes women is not "a disqualifying factor" for candidates to Cabinet posts.

*Bush's 2002 budget proposal included the elimination of required contraceptive coverage for female federal employees and for federal employees' dependents. Hmm, I wonder if viagra is okay...

*Again with that pesky 2002 budget proposal - it also included a proposed cut to the Maternal and Child Health Block Grants that provide healthcare to women before, during and after pregnancy. But hey, two hefty tax cuts to the wealthy is A-OK!

I'm sure others here can add to this list. So explain to me how my views of women needing to vote with a sense of self respect "simplistic"???

And then there's my case about gay people who intend to vote for Bush. Hmm...let's see. Gee, I guess the case could be made that my opinion of these particular people needing to vote with a sense of self respect is, what was it? Oh yes, "simplistic", however there's the nagging little detail of the fact that BUSH HATES GAY PEOPLE! If bigotry is not hate, then what the hell is it?

And spare me the "things in real life are a lot more complicated" speech. I'm well aware of "real life" so save it for someone less informed.

[fishface]

12. Studies prove that stupid people are Bush's best shot at getting elected.

www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FD24Aa01.html

Bush's believe it or not
By Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON - US public perceptions about former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's alleged ties to al-Qaeda and stocks of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) continue to lag far behind the testimony of experts, boosting chances that President George W Bush will be re-elected, according to a survey and analysis released on Thursday.

snip>

Among the 57 percent of respondents who said they believed Iraq was either "directly involved" in carrying out the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and the Pentagon or had provided "substantial support" to al-Qaeda, 57 percent said they intended to vote for Bush and 39 percent said they would choose his Democratic foe, Senator John Kerry

[Fleshdancer]

14. How sad

I just assumed that uninformed people didn't vote. I'm obviously wrong if this study is correct.

[fishface]

15. Here's more proof...

Americans believe Saddam terror link
By Andrew Gumbel in Los Angeles
24 April 2004


A majority of Americans still believes Saddam Hussein was in cahoots with al-Qa'ida and that Iraq either had weapons of mass destruction or a programme for developing them, according to a new opinion poll.

The poll, conducted by the University of Maryland, showedmost respondents were unaware of the testimony of David Kay, the administration's chief weapons inspector, that he had found no weapons, or that of Richard Clarke, the former counter-terrorism tsar whose book Against All Enemies has been the talk of Washington.

A staggering 82 per cent of respondents believed most experts supported the notion that Iraq was providing "substantial support" to al-Qa'ida - a contention that President Bush has been forced to disavow. Almost 60 per cent were unaware that world opinion was against the war in Iraq, with 21 per cent saying the world was behind the US-led invasion and 38 per cent saying views were "evenly divided".

The poll also showed a correlation between people's ignorance and their political affiliation. Among those who believed WMD had been found in Iraq, 72 per cent said they would vote to re-elect Mr Bush in November and 23 per cent said they supported his Democratic challenger, John Kerry. Among those who knew that no WMD had been found,74 per cent supported Mr Kerry and 23 per cent backed the President

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=514681

[Fleshdancer]

17. I guess that's what happens when....

the claim is splashed across page one on all the papers but when the truth finally comes out, it's on page 7. Then there's Faux news that just makes it all up as they go along.

[VolcanoJen]

16. If it offers any more proof...

... a friend and I were talking politics the other day at work. This jerky lackey that I don't care for overheard our conversation, and taunted me the rest of the day. Each time I walked by, he'd sneer "Democrat!" I would just smile and say, "Yes! Thank You!"

Under his breath, he muttered, "Well, that explains everything." I guess, to him, my political ideology explained why he feels that I'm a trouble-maker who doesn't agree with his workplace decisions.

And so it goes...

[fishface]

18. What's amusing is while talking to a lot of these clowns you

find out how utterly uninformed they are. They're sheep..blindly going along becuase they "heard it somewhere".. no wonder the country is going in the crapper with idiots like that being allowed to vote.

[VolcanoJen]

19. Exactly. The same jerky confronted me with the Edwards = Ambulance Chaser"

...meme. I asked him if he could tell me in which cases Edwards was "chasing ambulances." If you're going to make that kind of inflammatory allegation, you should be able to argue which cases were not of merit, I said.

He went quiet, before bringing up the "Edwards is a Breck Girl" meme.

I guess it's easy to see where he gets his facts from...

[Fleshdancer]

20. funny story along those lines....

it's not exactly related to the thread topic but it fits in perfectly with the "heard it somewhere" phenomenon...

My mother in law actually believes that if you say you're against gay marriage in Canada, they'll arrest you. She heard it on her radio station twice so she refused to believe me when I told her it was crazy and untrue. :eyes:

[fishface]

21. It sure is scary that they allow some of these people to vote.

There should be a test...

[neverborn]

22. Excuse me? Ann Coulter?

[Fleshdancer]

23. come on now, that wasn't necessary

Fishface was making a funny comment regarding my story. If you can't get the humor, why not ask him to clarify instead of going straight to the name calling?

Sorry if I'm touchy, but earlier in this thread I was accused of making a racist statement and being overly simplistic when the poster didn't even think to ask for a clarification before making such accusations. I just don't understand why the current trend in this forum is to insult other liberals. If I didn't know any better, I would think we were still in Democratic primary season.

[Disturbed]

24. A political test?

What if there were a political test to gage a voter's knowledge. How many questions and what questions should be included? Should it be graded on a curve? Should people that get a D or F be allowed to vote?

[fishface]

25. That statement was made in jest but..a half hearted jest.

That's what's wrong with this country. You have nitwits that vote based on the last 30 second commerical they saw on TV.That's how that idiot Bush got elected.They pay no attention, then brag about it right up to the election. They see some misleading or downright false campaign commerical like Bush is so fond of running then waddle contently off to the polls with their vote based entirely on that commercial.They don't care enough to investigate the issues, they just vote because their neighbor told them how he was voting. If you don't consider that to be one of the major reasons Bush and his clan of rats are in office you're not paying attention anymore than those nitwits are.

[onecitizen]

26. I know. It boggles the mind........

doesn't it? I really can't understand why any gay person would want bush for 4 more years? Don't they know bush and his ilk would sooner have all gays dead? Same with disabled people. Don't they realize that the bush cabal are putting the squeeze on them in essence, to kill them sooner(I fall into that category)? I just do not know how you get thru to them, I just don't know.