A sad facebook day...

This is an exchange with a friend who I knew in the Coast Guard and recently reconnected with through Facebook.  I frustrated her and her husband (both of whom I served and palled around with when I was station in Alaska) when I made a FB comment regarding the 2000 supreme court decision to swear in George Bush Jr. as POTUS.  It was a two word comment:

'Bush fiasco.'

That was all it took...but I felt like I was being a little antagonistic so I decicded to express my views should have been left private and that their friendship meant much more than the nation's politics...

Please read this exchange if you are interested in how NOT to solve these sort of differences...

Aaron

ME:

I want to first apologize if my flippant political remarks have

offended you in any way; that is not my intention at all.

Although the majority of my friends lean more liberal I value all

my friends equally. I recognize that I invite political banter

with my remarks and appreciate your points of view. I should

have left my political opinions off this public forum unless I

want to debate publicly...which I do not want to do.

Privately? I would love to have a discussion about the details

and nuances of our political differences with an overtone of

separation between our views and who we are as people.

Secondly, I am American to the bone. I would fight and die for

this country. I served my country as well my mother and

father, grandfathers and my brother currently serves in a air

combat role. I have a love for this country that is very deep. I

represent this country with integrity and pride. I also value

our political system very much. I also appreciate our

differences, all viewpoints, all races and all demographics. I do

not want to get into an attack method of political discussion

with you at all; I cannot think of a reason that either of us

would be swayed. However, there are many more issues, as

of course you know, that are outside of presidential and party

differences; I welcome and appreciate different points of view

and often am able to rethink and reroute my thoughts.

Most importantly to me though is rekindling an old friendship

and if that means keeping my political views a little more

private...that is probably a good thing for me anyway! I, as I

am sure you will to, am looking forward to celebrating the

beautiful ceremony of a peaceful transfer of power...an

American tradition I am deeply proud of.

All the best, with much caring,

Aaron

                                                                                                            

Not me:

What is infuriating is the fact that you and your fellow liberal

cohorts are a bunch of bomb throwers. You make accusations

and regurgitate hateful (and often untruthful) liberal

propaganda without any sort of inquiry, examination, or

individual thought about what you are saying. The truly sad

part is that most liberals hide under the shroud of "respecting

everyones opinions" and "valuing the democratic process" until

someone disagrees with them or the political process doesn't

work in their favor, i.e. the riots and liberal uproar over

democratically defeated gay marriage bill in California, the

2000 election, the ongoing Democratic effort to SILENCE

conservitive talk radio hosts (Fairness Doctrine)...just to name

a few of a zillion examples.

Think about how ridiculous this is...in one message you are

saying that "the peaceful transfer of power" is wonderful and

is what makes this country great, yet earlier you were bitching

about the democratic process of transferring power (Bush

fiasco) because it didn't go your way.

If Obama is truly trying to model himself after Lincoln, then he

and his liberal friends (and followers) should consider stopping

the Bush (and conservative) bashing. As I'm sure you know,

one of Lincoln's greatest legacies is that he held (and ordered)

no ill will toward the defeated south to help the country heal

and move forward as one. I'm telling you right now...if the

Democratic leadership and their followers continue down the

divisive path that they are moving it is going to make it

impossible for myself and other conservatives to even speak

to liberals. I fear that this country will be divided forever.

Two quick points to consider that go unmentioned by liberals

and in most History books now...(1) Lincoln was a Republican

and therefore it was Republicans who freed the slaves (and

Democrats who held them). (2) it was Kennedy (a Democrat)

who started the Vietnam War...and Nixon (a Republican) who

got us out. Just a couple of exampes to demonstrate how

Liberals have mislead the public and rewritten history.

You should actually try looking into some of the crap that the

liberal press and politicians are spewing before you go

spewing it yourself...you might be amazed at what you find.

                                                                                                          

Me:

it is unfortunate that you would attack me personally with

knowing very little about my views outside of status updates

in Facebook. You imply that I am righteous and ignorant to the

world and politics particularly yet I have at no point attacked

your personal points of view. I find it frustrating that you

criticize my points of view so easily and with reckless regard to

me as a person, friend or fellow American. I argue that just

because you don't agree with the direction of the country, the

country isn't necessarily going in the wrong direction.

But really, what is the ultimate goal of implying my ignorance

or lack of education in regards to this subject? Are you aware

of my personal knowledge of the situation? How many political

science lectures I have attended? What media I read or listen

to? How on earth could you know the extent of details of my

political opinions and viewpoints? I can hardly be bundled into

a far-left talk radio hosts camp and don't run around reciting

bumper stickers as my basis of knowledge. Implying that is the

case, as you have done multiple times, is saddening.

I am confused about the anger in your note to me; how do I

warrant such harsh attacks? I am an old friend from over a

decade ago who doesn't share your political opinions; does

that alone disqualify me from a friendship with you? To imply

that the two references to politics you have ever seen from

me are proof enough to shape your opinion of me is mind

numbing.

So to respect the time you put into writing this detailed and

pointed note I reply:

I argue that as many hate filled and ignorant liberals there are

in the world there are an equal number of hate filled and

ignorant conservatives in the world. Riots are not exclusive to

people who are liberal in political opinion. I do value the

democratic process but to even suggest that the controversy

surrounding the 2000 presidential election would have panned

out any different in your eyes had the situation be flip-flopped

is downright ridiculous. Imagine if the supreme court of

California decided how the state's votes were to be counted?

Although it may be hard to consider you would be upset and

frustrated with the system, I doubt any conservative would

not be upset still. To think that exercising the right to protest,

a constitutional right (amendment#1), is anything but patriotic

shows a level of ignorance hard to comprehend. Because

some don't agree with the 'type' of protest (of course

excluding any violent acts or rioting), does not make that

protest wrong...or right for that matter...it is just a

constitutionally allowed protest written as "the right of the

people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the

Government for a redress of grievances"

In regards to my personal message about the peaceful

transfer of power vs. my point about the supreme court

decided election of 2000 ). The peaceful transfer of power

was appreciated as much then as it will be appreciated

tomorrow. The foundation of my opinion of the USA and our

constitution hasn't changed, then or now. I don't like Barack

Obama because he is liberal or a democrat...that is, to me,

like rooting for a sports team (e.g. I am a Seahawks fan and

YOU are a New England or Arizona fan)...I don't think like

that...I am able to separate my political viewpoints from my

emotion...unlike my psychotic fanaticism for the Seattle

Seahawks NFL team. It isn't about 'going my way' Becca, its

that I felt (through consuming all sort of media...balanced

media in my opinion) the American people were shrouded in a

controversy that minimized the power of our democracy. The

controversy was solved with bitter bitter hatred from the

extremes on both sides (your use of the word hatred in

reference to me or any liberal is chilling) but, for me, the

controversy still sits uneasy. I felt that we rushed through the

judicial process and that it was handled by people that were

not even elected as representatives of the American people.

The details are outlined well on wikipeida

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_president

ial_election,_2000#Florida).

I am not aware of Obama bashing the conservative party in

any way...or any members of his cabinet; do you have

examples? I argue that he has done everything in his power

through the election and since to NOT bash or allow bashing

on his behalf. His followers and liberal friends? I just don't

know, I cannot speak for any of them...nor can he. What I do

know for sure is that he has not requested, asked or even

implied that the 'liberal' Americans should be up in arms

towards 'conservative' Americans. Have you heard different

from him? I am also unable to speak to Barack's desire to mimic

Abraham Lincolns presidency; I have yet to read any article

that implies that Lincoln is Barack's sole presidential role model.

And as far as President Lincoln being a republican? Ok, cool

with me...but he was an American first...like me...like you. No

one has the exclusive rights to how much one cares for fellow

man...democrat or republican.

Your points on the 'failures' of liberals and 'successes' of

republicans is a bit elementary. For starters:

Abe Lincoln was a republican therefore the republicans freed

the slaves...hence...democrats were fighting to maintain a

slave ownership society (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln). 

Doesn't that just seem odd to say? Howmany people do you know who 

think black people are inferiorin any way? IF you know any, how many 

of those are 'liberals'or 'Democrats'? I would argue that most (maintained) hatred

towards race centers around a less educated sub culture of

our society both democrat and republican. A historical note on

Abraham Lincoln: he was apart of many political parties Whig,

Free Soil, Liberty and Democratic...after which he was

instrumental in forming the republican party. Ultimately Lincoln

formed the National Union Party, a blend of the (then)

republican and democratic parties. However, during his time in

office as POTUS he was both republican and NUP. A note on

the NUP:

The National Union Party was a political party in the United

States from 1864 to 1868. It was an alliance between

members of the Republican Party who backed incumbent

President Abraham Lincoln and Northern Democrats (plus a

few anti-Confederate Southerners such as Andrew Johnson)

during and after the Civil War. Thus, for a brief period, the

Republican Party ceased to exist.

Sheesh, the Vietnam War...that war spanned a long long time

and implying that a 'democrat' started the war is a bit trivial in

the full scope of the war. I don't have a one liner to try and

debunk what you wrote in regards to the war...I encourage

you to start here though:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War#During_John

_F._Kennedy.27s_administration.2C_1960.E2.80.931963

I think that this statement/accusation towards me was totally

uncalled for an unprovoked:

"You should actually try looking into some of the crap that the

liberal press and politicians are spewing before you go

spewing it yourself...you might be amazed at what you find."

I read SO much...I watch SO much...I study SO much that

implying that I gather my views from what some ignorant

liberal pundit is spewing is...well...deeply and personally

insulting. Becca, how could you possibly know what my

sources are? You only know my political views through a

website and a couple of antagonistic comments! Please know

that I do not feel the same way about the things I disagree

with you on; you opinion is as valid as mine however, I argue

they are both just opinions.

I beg you, if you desire to converse about our core beliefs

and political affiliations...lets remove the personal attacks.

May I just be your token liberal friend you make fun of but still

enjoy who I am? Please.

your friend,

Aaron

                                                                                                                   

Not Me:

Funny how we are "all Americans" now that Bush is leaving

office...the liberal rhetoric was quite different over the past 8

years.

I'm not going to waste my time picking your e-mail apart,

because frankly I have better things to do.

I've tried (with little success) to be friends with liberals on

many occasions. It's always the same thing that I can't take,

and you said it yourself - the antagonistic comments. My

personal experience with liberals is that few have the

discipline or class to keep their mouth shut - most are

antagonistic by nature.

Please don't reply, I'm done.

Becca

                                                                                                    

sad.