Rah Rah Republicrats
Mood:  incredulous
I don't think I need to define Demopublican. Unless you have a really strange way of thinking, which I can appreciate, and think I'm talking about publishing demo tapes, you'll know and perhaps sympathize with the emotion and pain behind this made-up word.
The strongly "political", to specify, those who side
heavily with Democrats or Republicans, have the
no-brainer, balls-to-the-wall mentality of a diehard football fan. Except one is a sport (guess which). They even have team colors now, red and blue. One side is associated with certian agendas, the other with the purpotedly opposite ones. It's like one says po-tay-to and the other says po-tah-to. If it feels like I'm painting this too lightly, let me draw a diagram of the juxtapositions of political affairs versus common
perceptions of right and wrong (BO-ring!).
Depending on where you are in America (we'll leave the rest of the world out of this for now), you'll see different bumper stickers. You'll notice, if you choose to engage in any conversation with the locals while watching the news at length, the use of different terms: right, left, commie pinko, facist, homo, hippie, religious right, nazi, bleeding-heart, dip-shit, etc. You'll encounter varying levels of passion towards one "side" or the other, and in some parts the folks will be downright blase. In other parts picking the wrong "team" could get you killed. Like wearing the wrong colors at a Scottish soccer riot.
Fundamentally, these two sides aren't really that
different. The system of government that we are ruled by is a two-party system. Our constitution itself and the way the country is run demands this. This not only a fact of law but it has been embedded so deeply into our psyche that it cannot be changed (unless the constitution itself is changed, resulting in anarchy, which has it's own pros and cons). That's why people hate to love Ralph Nader and other pundits who try to
muscle in and leave everyone who voted for them kinda dried up and sour in the end. They come in presenting themselves as a breath of fresh air to those who can't pick between the two white guys in suits, and end up being one in the same, just sucking votes away from one or the other (not like a vote really matters much these days).
Not only that, but regionally people are pressured
into rooting for the hometeam. As a native of Denver, that would be the Democrats. Everywhere I looked in2004, Kerry, Kerry, Kerry. W propaganda was vandalized, people picketed in front of the capitol building (that did a lot of good, huh?), and the evils of the religious right were discussed fervently over lattes at the local indie bookstore.
Fastforward to now in my new home, Monroe, Louisiana. Need I say more? People here are just as incredulous. Why vote for Bush? Kerry's a pussy! Quite insightful, I'm sure, but... Kerry abandoned his troops in Vietnam! Perhaps so, but... Kerry's a faggot! OK, then.
No arguing with that. But hence the argument rages on more and more reminiscent of Green Bay fans and 49er's fans. Soon senate leaders will be wearing face paint and jerseys. Lord knows they seem to have been drinking as much as the typical fan at a game. Conservatives say that Liberals over-analyze and don't take action. They say liberals are "intellectual elitists", meaning they think they're so smart. They
say they're anti-American, enemy-sympathizers,
baby-killers (that whole abortion thing), and
unrealistic.
Liberals call Conservatives "fascists", they say they give priveledges to the rich, that they are bigots,
racists, sexists, and anti-homosexual. They think
conservatives want to drop bombs on everybody, and take money away from schools in poor urban communities and use it to build fighter jets. Incidentally, both sides think the other controls the media.
If you consider yourself one or the other you might feel confused now. Of course you don't agree with all the pillars that make up your choice of "team". It's not so black and white. People formulate opinions that fluctuate and change as their life progresses and they
gain experience, and they come to their own
conclusions right? Wrong! If you are a catholic you are bounded to be a Republican because one of their
pillars in that they are against abortion. But it
might shock and amaze you to find that not all
republicans are anti-abortion. Nor are all democrats pro-choice. In fact many on both "sides" change their public stance on such subjects depending on whose vote they want to win over. So when Mr. President makes a
trip to the hunting capitols of our great nation, he
just might mention that he is against gun control. And Kerry might let slip that he is pro-gay marriage in San Francisco.
Surprise! It's all about money, but you already knew that. And, double surprise, you don't have to be a republican or a democrat. If you live somewhere (like a blue or red state) and it's cool to be blue, be blue! Or be red if you want to piss people off, just as long as people still think for themselves instead of treating it like a bookie was taking their numbers.