Steamy politics in the sauna

[stanwyck]

yesterday I joined a full-house in the sauna after aerobics class. Somehow in the conversation a women mentioned her son is a Marine in iraq. I told her my son is also a Marine, currently in Korea. I told her I hoped her son would return home safely. Another woman piped up: "Well, if you want your sons to return home safely, vote for the Democrats in November!" I chimed my agreement. The other Marine Mom disagreed. She's behind Bush "100%" She insisted that the invasion was not for oil, as another woman suggested, but to end terrorism. She stated that Halliburton is backing off on the "no-bid" contracts (which another had mentioned). That statement was met with derision. One woman mentioned that Halliburton has contracts under many names, including Brown-Root. Thus began a lively pro-war/anti-war discussion with only the one women being pro-war. She beat a hasty exit. The rest of us (all strangers...about 8 of us) continued talking about the Bush administration and the invasion. I was amazed to actually be in a situation, with people I didn't know of different ages and races, who were so like-minded. This is unusual in the conservative South. Very encouraging.

[Divernan]

1. Me too.

I'm at the local Y about five times a week, and have gotten into several discussions with other women in the sauna and/or the locker room. There's one Republican who LOVES W and is "100 percent behind him", and referred to Teresa Heinz Kerry, widow of late PA Senator John Heinz, as a traitor for having changed parties and married Senator Kerry. She's a school teacher and admits that the other teachers are always trying to convince her she's wrong, but she says she refuses to listen to them. The rest of the women I've talked to are opposed to the war, and I think they are also Republican, but no longer proud of their party. The thing is, people who say they are 100 percent behind Bush do that so they don't have to think critically about any particular issue.

I think that that Marine mom is terrified for her son or daughter and can't bear to even consider that her child is risking their life in a situation which is not defusing terrorism but is enriching Bush-Chaney contriutors through corporate cronyism/welfare.

[jrthin]

2. Divernan, the republican who

thought Mrs. Kerry-Heize a traitor for changing party would be quite devasted to learn that Mrs. Pickles (aka Laura) was a democrat before she married Georgie then changed her party.

[Divernan]

3. Good one - I'll pass that info along to her!

nt