I’m a Repubrat

This little auntie doesn’t like to get political, but as I’m listening to the Eagles sing about war and peace, I’m reminded of something a friend told me last year. “More Democrats have taken us into war than Republicans.” Another Democrat friend recently added, “And more Republicans have gotten us out of those wars.”

Not one to take words spoken to me for granted, this journalist takes to research. Sure enough, America has lost 200,000 more lives in war under Democrat leadership than Republicans (650,000 vs. 450,000). Our founding fathers lost 5,600. See two of the many links below. I’m open to discussion and clarification if these approximate numbers are off.

We have short memories when we don’t read our history books, but our grandparents might have been able to enlighten us on times of war. I’m primarily a Republican who abhors war; however, if someone were to threaten or hurt my daughter, I would have no problem declaring war of an appropriate sort. Think genitals.

We all have wars. They take on varying forms: divorce, custody battles, insurance companies not covering charges, speaking truth to dishonest judges, teachers not being fair, contracts and promises not being kept. Conflict of any kind stresses me out.

I am also not in favor of overpopulation, which Republicans appear to condone, because it’s killing more than people, such as fauna, flora, air quality, water quality, peace, quality of life.

The fact is, I appear to Republicans to be a Democrat. Maybe I’m both.

I am a Repubrat.* I have never fit into any box or category in intelligence and personality tests, nor do I in the political arena. They tell me I’m balanced, and you know, I feel balanced. I believe it’s okay to have opinions, beliefs, and values—and stand up for them! Be a blend like many humans. It’s fine not to live categorized (she says when the United States Census is calculating again).

Just because you’re a Christian, doesn’t make you a Republican.
Just because you’re an environmentalist, doesn’t mean you’re a Democrat.
Just because you believe abortion is okay, doesn’t mean you believe overpopulation is bad.
Just because you don’t believe in abortion and like to have lots of kids, doesn’t make you a Republican.
Just because you’re gay, doesn’t mean you’re a Democrat. Well, I’d better ask my gay friends about that point.

I like Barack Obama, very much. After listening to his audio book The Audacity of Hope, I remarked, “If I were to choose a husband, he would be like Obama.”

And though I didn’t vote for him, he is my president as long as I’m an American, no matter what my party affiliation, and will stand by him—something a lot of Americans didn’t do with Bush. Even I am guilty of that. Today I feel bad about some of the things I said—sometimes it’s better to be silent. I don’t know the whole story and will never.

When our kids mess up, we don’t disown them if we’re good parents.

And when Barack Obama messes up—which he will, they all do—I will stand behind him, because we the people of the United States elected him to be our commander in chief, our leader, our president.

* Now, friends, please don’t confuse this with reprobate: an unprincipled person (often used humorously or affectionately).

(Puzzle piece number 32 of 38.)

copyright © 2009 by Auntie Eartha. All rights reserved.

If you like it, link it!
http://auntieeartha.blogspot.com/2009/02/im-repubrat.html

http://retiary.org/misc_pages/us_presidents_and_wars.html
http://www.mapsofwar.com/ind/american-wars.html

Limp Wrists and Poodles

(Puzzle piece number 7 of 38.)
All my friends could tell: the relationship wasn’t working.

The knots in my stomach prevented restful sleep, and I’d awaken nauseated. Still, I had made a commitment and, to me, it meant “life.”

“As in, ‘sentence’?”

Well, maybe. So despite the anxiety, I’d still do his laundry, make his breakfast, snacks, and lunch to go, then dinner. I’d shampoo the carpets every other day when his minipoodle would pee on the floor.

“Wait a minute!! You had a relationship with a guy who had a miniature poodle?”

Yeah, so? I was in love and would do anything for him. But during the day, I did wonder what he was doing. Is he looking for a place to move? Has he found a new person to replace me? Is it a guy?

When we’d have a disagreement, he'd leave for a couple of days. That way he wouldn’t have to talk and let me know what he was thinking. I’m not sure where he’d go.

And he really didn’t like saying thank you or showing appreciation for all I did for him, while I put my own work on the back burner. But I just knew eventually he’d thank me. Plus he said that as soon as he established himself in this new city, he’d help pay some of the household expenses, such as rent, utilities, and groceries, since, as a handyman, he ate as much as a teenage boy. It was so cute! Especially when he’d talk with his hands and flick his wrist…

“Excuse me? The guy didn’t say thank you, and he had a limp wrist?!”

…and his favorite movie was In & Out with Kevin Kline. He loved the part where Kline and Tom Selleck kissed for ten seconds.

Then one day long after he “established” himself and still wasn’t financially contributing, I awakened feeling used…

“as in up?”

Yep! So the poodle went to the Humane Society, the lunch-to-go stayed at home, the grocery bill went down 60 percent, and he went, well, he’s probably in and out of somewhere!

And I got glasses.

copyright © 2008 by Auntie Eartha. All rights reserved.

If you like it, link it!
http://auntieeartha.blogspot.com/2008/01/limp-wrists-and-poodles.html