I have a lot of conservative friends. And that's okay. I live in South Louisiana, and before that, in North Georgia, and those, well, are largely conservative communities.
And as an aside, here's what I think. I think Zimmerman should never have gotten out of his car. I think it's wrong that he took this boy's life. I understand that he was afraid. There is no winning this trial. A mother grieves her son. That's all there is to it. I'm so sorry that any of this happened. I'm so sorry.
I have a lot of friends who know how to hunt, who wear Carhartts and camo, who own more than one baseball hat, and the hats OFTEN do not represent a college.
It's all okay.
I have friends that know the difference between a rifle and a shotgun and that make fun of me for not knowing the difference between a rifle and a shotgun. Also, okay.
I used to be married to a conservative republican, and he liked to debate, and that was a giant pain in the ass, but, ultimately, that was also okay.
I am not these things. I am not conservative, although I'm a fairly conservative liberal, by which I mean that I don't make my own soap or own a compost unit.
NOT THAT I THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH COMPOST AND HOMEMADE SOAP, mind you.
In light of the Zimmerman trial, there is currently a lot of buzz about the president - and yes, I mean OUR president, who, even if you don't adore him, your country's citizens voted for, so... - and how he has indicated that he feels like, as a young black man, he would have been similarly (potentially) targeted, like Trayvon Martin.
And as an aside, here's what I think. I think Zimmerman should never have gotten out of his car. I think it's wrong that he took this boy's life. I understand that he was afraid. There is no winning this trial. A mother grieves her son. That's all there is to it. I'm so sorry that any of this happened. I'm so sorry.
Anyway, back to what I was saying. My very conservative friends are blasting our president, and I'm all, well? Well? I've never been a young black man. I do not know what it is like to be a minority in my community. I have really been blessed with a gilded life, where I am mostly oblivious to danger. It is my understanding that half of our youth cannot have that oblivion. They have been taught as children to watch their backs. Because whitey might misinterpret their behavior, their action, their simply being.
No.
Just, no.
As a representative of Whitey, what can I say? I'm sorry. I don't understand how hard it is to be in that sort of situation. It's like being whistled at when I walk by a construction zone (because, hell, yeah, mama still got it goin' on), only more nefarious. I like being whistled at. I would NOT like it if a construction worker decided to follow me, instigate conversation... that sort of thing.
Hm.
Anyway, back to our liberal/conservative differences, I just want to ask one thing. Please, will you stop posting your politics on Facebook? I love you conservative people and it breaks my heart to think that you think I am stupid, that you think I am going to change my mind, because you are posting on Facebook.
Understand that I'm not hugely in love with the job the president is doing. Understand that I thought W did a decent job his first several years, until I realized that the rest of the world mocked our country because he cannot pronounce "nuclear." Understand that I don't want to continue to live in a country where 30% of the houses in America remain uninhabited as a result of the sub-prime lending catastrophe, while children go unfed and live in shelters - or worse.
Also. Hear me, please. I am a liberal. I am not on Welfare. I don't have children for extra WIC dollars. I don't collect food stamps, unemployment, or medicaid. I work 50ish hours every week, for a decent job. I make a decent - but by all means, not extravagent - wage. I'm never going to be able to retire because I planned poorly in my twenties. I rent my home. I don't have a massive amount of credit card debt. I'm just living. Same as you.
I am sure there are people that take advantage of "the system," and perhaps the current politics make that easier to do. I don't know. I just know that generalizations that get posted all over Facebook are ridiculous. Not all Democrats are losers, you know?
Neither are all Republicans.
Just saying. Now let's go drink together and talk about something that really matters, like the finale of Mad Men this season, and what they are going to name the new British Baby, and whether or not you can really dye your hair red with kool aid.
