Ever Have Someone In Your Family You Just Can't Understand?

[THUNDER HANDS]

I was over my aunt's for Christmas Eve last night. Her son and his family came over and I ended up talking with my cousin, who I absolutely adore. He's 20 years old and the near model of perfection. He's a straight-A student, goes to George Washington, is about 6'2" and slim, and currently works in D.C. for the Office of Management and Budget. He's the nicest kid I've ever met, a real sweetheart. He would do anything for anybody and is as respectful and any kid his age. He's also mature like you wouldn't believe.

And he's a die-hard Republican.

Not only a Republican, he's a Mitt Romney-supporting, Iraq War-supporting, wants-to-be-in-the-CIA-one-day Republican -- who thought Palin was the best thing that happened to McCain.

The weird thing is, his father is pretty much the definition of a blue-collar, hard-working, self-educated Democrat. He's a longshoreman, a union longshoreman. His parents (my aunt) had him when she was 16 and then got divorced shortly thereafter. They've never had much money, but he taught his son to read a lot and work hard in school, and he did. His family, who wouldn't have been able to afford to send him to college, had a son who got a full scholarship to G.W.

So everything worked out beautifully for them, which I'm really happy about because their family deserves it.

I just don't understand how the kid became a Republican.



That shit is going to keep me up at night.

[tekisui]

1. Young Republicans.

Someone, somewhere brainwashes them early. Many grow out of it.

[DailyGrind51]

33. Written in a men's room stall at Loyola University of Chicago, 1970,

"Young Republicans, what are you doing in here, when your asshole is in the White House?" Loved it then, love it even more now!

[JustAnotherGen]

2. Yes I do

I have a lot of Southern Baptists in my dad's family. Good people - but eh?

He's really not (forgive me) a supporter of the war in Iraq/Palin etc. etc. If he was - he'd be there or in Afghansitan right now. I don't know if that gives you hope - but if he put his life on the line where his mouth sits . . . I think there's hope to save him from himself. :hug:

[THUNDER HANDS]

11. he really is a supporter of the war

he wants to get into Navy Intelligence when his college course is over. He has until July and then his appointment position runs out.

[JustAnotherGen]

27. But now it's an occupation . . .

Maybe he will be foiled by Obama/Biden? :hug:

[man4allcats]

3. Well, don't fret too much about it.

Most of us have a few deleterious genes that can and sometimes do act up when conditions are, how shall I put it, right?

[Double T]

4. Sounds like sociopath material to me.

The person you describe has two faces; outwardly nice but has leanings toward evil.

[THUNDER HANDS]

12. i think that's a bit harsh

he's rational, and I wouldn't say he has an evil bone in his body. If you knew the kid, you wouldn't say he leans anything toward evil. He would never hurt anyone.

[Double T]

15. That's what the fellow parishioners said about the BTK killer.

There are corporate and political sociopaths in addition to manipulative murderers. I would suggest in this case the former versus the latter.

[THUNDER HANDS]

20. seriously?

SERIOUSLY?!?!

[NeedleCast]

35. I wouldn't take the armchair psychologists too seriously

Being a Republican does not make someone the next Hitler.

[conscious evolution]

30. They said the same about the top

leadership of Germany once upon a time.

[WVRICK13]

26. Yes

he does have evil bones in his body. Naval intelligence is not fighting a war. Intelligence is where evil people go for a career. Bush Sr. etc.

[JNelson6563]

36. He wouldn't hurt anyone

but he enthusiastically supports war crimes and slaughter of innocents. Yes, a wonderful boy! Completely harmless!

Sounds a bit disturbed as all truly passive-aggressives are. Sorry, just the way I see it.

Julie

[babylonsister]

5. Yes, two brothers.

We grew up in the same house but our political views are so vastly different. My two sisters are liberal (or thinking), so I just don't get them. My dad is also liberal.

Both brothers retired from the CG, both live in the south, both most surely watch faux and listen to limbaugh. I think this last bit has a lot to do with it. Neither think critically imo.

[alsame]

7. Same here. Two younger brothers who are Republicans. My

SILs always say they can't believe all three of us grew up in the same home with the same parents. My dad was a liberal, my mom is a moderate Democrat.

I will see both of them today, for the first time since the election. I intend to have a big smile on my face as soon as they mention PE Obama, which they undoubtedly will. :evilgrin:

[cabluedem]

18. Critical thinking is not nessesary when all your answers are in "The Book", which is how they think.

[babylonsister]

22. Neither read 'The Book' though one used to. They swallowed the

swill Rushbo was shoveling.

[cabluedem]

23. I'll never see how Rush has any crediblity after the Oxycontin illegal drug bust & the Viagra he had

coming back to the US from the Dominican Republic where many perverts go to have sex with children. Unbelievable!

[conscious evolution]

31. Rush limpballs is a junky pedophile?

No way!

[Blarch]

6. Your cousin is an idiot.

He supports ...

Wars based on lies

Murder

Torture

Wiretapping

He also supports the destruction of our constitution. How the fuck can you adore someone like that ? I would have told that traitor to get the fuck away from me.

[THUNDER HANDS]

13. well

imagine he said that to me, knowing what I support.

not exactly the type of behavior I, or anyone in my family, approves of. You can disagree without being a jerk about it.

[cali]

8. Yes, both my sisters, but it's not rooted in politics.

[Crunchy Frog]

9. Youthful rebellion?

[man4allcats]

10. Love your stained glass animation!

:hi:

[THUNDER HANDS]

14. maybe

I don't think he's the rebellious type though. From what I gather he has a lot of liberal friends. He told me he was practically the only one in his office at OMB who wasn't cheering on Obama's win.

I really can't figure him out. But this kid could have a real career in politics one day, if he ever wanted to. But I think he wants to go into the intelligence field.

Which is good for us, because my cousin has all the makings of a star, if he ever decided to jump into campaigning.

[DesertRat]

16. There's still hope

He'll probably come around...he's still very young. :hi:

[madmom]

17. I have a nephew like that. He even joined college ROTC.

[nancyr]

19. If I could understand that.....

maybe I'd be on speaking terms with my older brother, aka right-wing, Penecostal Republican. Something weird going on there with the family gene pool.

[Historic NY]

21. Niedermeyer !

[dysfunctional press]

24. my aunt- when she doesn't have her dentures in...

which is increasingly often.

[GreenPartyVoter]

34. LOL

[pitohui]

25. what's not to understand? "i've got mine"

btw this sweet kid who you think would do "anything" for you, just one time, ask him to do something hard such as loan you actual money instead of just holding a door

he won't do shit for you, that's what his beliefs mean

don't take my word for it, test him on this...and you'll see

a man may smile and smile and be a villain, even a young man, in fact, a young attractive man it's easier for him to get away with it

if he was 40 and spouting the same horseshit would you call him sweet? or would you see him for what he is?

the only reason you can't "understand" him is because, like most folks in a visual society, you can't see past a pretty young face -- the more i read your responses on this thread, the more i'm convinced of it

you don't see the ugliness because he's young, pretty, and kin, if he was old, ugly, and dick cheney and held the exact same beliefs, you wouldn't call him "sweet" no matter how perfect his manners

[crispini]

28. Why not ask the kid?

Usually, they can explain themselves; all the people I know who are Republicans have pretty good "reasons" for being that way (good to them, that is.) Ha!

[earth mom]

29. I can't figure an old friend of mine out.

We've known each other for years but hadn't spoken since just before * was elected because we had a falling out that was not politics related. She is a wonderfully kind person and we share a lot of interests, so I was happy when we reconnected a year & a half ago.

However, I was stunned when I came to find out that she is an R who voted for * TWICE! :wow:

Of course, she does realize the error of her ways to a certain extent about * and decided to vote for Obama this year, while her husband voted for McCain, which means they canceled each others votes out.

But the thing that really gets me is she thinks Obama is too far to the left while I think that he is too far too the right.

It all just blows my mind really because I just can't understand how someone as nice as her could be what I call a "rethug". :wtf:

I was even up late the other night pondering the questions I have about her myself!

It doesn't make sense and I simply just don't get it!!! :banghead:

[kywildcat]

32. My stepmother. She isn't particularly smart

in fact, Fox News is where she gets most of her information. she is simple minded (and that's generous)she is simply one of those people who see everything as black or white, no nuance-nothing gray. I try not to engage in any kind of a political discussion with her. I called her a dumbass hillbilly once-told her that she's proof positive that mankind is devolving. That discussion had bad ending written all over it. Since then, I tell her that discussing politics with her is like 2 bald men fighting over a comb.

[otohara]

37. He's Been Working in DC During Bush Years

and you might want to tell him that they did a terrible job at the Office of Management & Budget. I expect it's group-think mentality.

Will he keep his job after 1/20?

[southernyankeebelle]

38. I know what you mean

I grew up in a democratic family. Our dad died when I was only 22 yrs old. My parents kinda had 2 families. My youngest sister when on to go to college and became a dentist. She is a diehard Republican and sometimes when would talk we ended up yelling at each other. She has a set of twins going to dental school and they are diehard republicans. Those girls worked hard to get where they are. At an early age they helped worked in their mom's business. They would write checks out to whoever the practice owed money to. Of course she would always check behind them. So these girls kinda have been raised with privilege never having to worry because things were always handed to them yet they weren't spoiled. They travelled the world. But I get upset because they don't understand how people who are working poor struggle to make it. My sister says they choose to be that way. I think that is a republican mantra because I have heard other republicans say that. I told her not all people are smart enough to go to college and some don't want to go. I know that alot of good plummers that own their own business and make just as much as a lawyer.