"American speed skating program: a bottle of sake and a long weekend."

[winterophelia]

I've been paying attention to language and discourse recently. Maybe it's a product of too much Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann, but the way in which things are phrased, their presentation seems to be ailing. The main problem is in the misconstruing of intelligent points. I'd venture to say nine times out of ten such a misunderstanding is not sincere. These nine times it is in order to make the other person appear dumb or irrational. I have a point here, I just can't get it out of my brain in a coherent way, which is probably not the best thing to admit when you're trying to make an argument about discourse.

The willful misunderstanding is what really annoys me. It's the cancer that's killing intelligent conversation. It's not new by any stretch, but instead of only seeing it as a quality inherent to a few hack commentators it is everywhere. It's in my workplace. It's on every network. It's leaking into every corner of the internet. Bleh.

Reading a long back and forth on fandomsecrets of all places brought this on. There's been a lot of wank there recently about people's respect for other people dropping when they find out their political affiliation. After being attacked for apparently not using "butthurt" correctly in describing the reactions to one such secret, I decided to not comment on these entries any longer. (NB: At this point I'd like to say that I do in fact use the term "butthurt" correctly, I just forget that in more serious parts of the internet--that's a silly phrase--it can actually be taken as a potentially offensive statement. God forbid any of these fragile flowers ever find their way onto 4chan.) At any rate, the majority of commentators left messages calling the OP an elitist douche who generalizes about what a political affiliation means.

Sure I'd probably be upset with someone who assumes that because I identify myself as a Socialist that I want to end capitalism in America immediately, give everything to the government, and wait for it to dole out other people's hard earned cash to women who sit around in front of a webcam eating all day. Actually, upset probably isn't the right word. I'd giggle at them and wander off in hopes of finding someone I'd rather talk to. I don't understand the fixation on everyone having to get a long and live and let live on certain issues. That's good for people to say when I get into vicious arguments with people about how Aaron Eckhart should play Captain America and NO ONE ELSE WILL DO. That shit is. not. important. Sure I'll be grumpy, but in time I'll learn to love Ryan Phillippe or Channing Tatum or whoever Marvel casts once it gets its act together. Things I will never love and that are important issues include many of the social doctrines of the current Republican party. These doctrines include core ideas about denying people rights based on who they fall in love with, denying my right to make important personal decisions about my own body, and, as it's a popular topic at the moment, denying millions of their fellow Americans the option of good, life saving health care.

Someone has anonymously been championing this opinion in a much more elegant way in the comments of today's secrets. It just bothers me. Also, I hear a lot of this "I'm really accepting socially, but am economically conservative so I vote for Republicans." Sure, it's a two party system so you have to support the candidate who sticks to your personal ideals the best. You don't see me pissing away my vote on an independent who doesn't have a snowball's chance in you know where. I vote Democrat despite my distaste for the party's wobbling between mainstream liberalism and moderate liberalism. I guess what I'm getting at here is there are other ways to stating your political affiliation to be more descriptive of who you actually are, 'cause let's face it, it is a rather defining aspect for a lot of people. If you want to be blunt about it and not use any nice descriptive words like the ones you learned in Intro to Politics, be prepared to be lumped in with all the crazy people who have turned a party that once had dignity and a definite doctrine into a group led by congressmen who want to do nothing but the exact opposite of what the other party wants to do. It's like the world's lamest sibling rivalry. I am serious that I have respect for what the Republican Party used to be, before the religious right moved in like kudzu. So much for separation of church and state.

In short, just because you call yourself a Republican doesn't mean we can't be friends, it just means I think your ideals are wonky, and you know what, I bet you think the exact same thing of me. I mean, if you're a straight-up racist, misogynistic homophobe, then we might have a problem.


I hardcore still miss the Olympics. It's been like, three weeks or something, right?
Paul visited this past weekend. We went to the mall so I could get a catching helmet from the sports store that's going out of business. Ended up also buying a Maiden sweatshirt, a Turisas shirt, and day-glo orange shoelaces all at half price. Paul bought a knife blade missing its handle for 98 cents. I hope Paul comes back through post Tucson.
Today I bought things to make Jonathan a going away present. I also bought a novelty beer hat, a small bottle of Jameson, and a little boy's shirt designed by Shaun White that looks like it has Tom Petty on it. I like buying things. I need to stop that.
I'm going to jump on the volunteer wagon this summer and do as many things as I can.
Maiden is touring this summer. Chicago July 18th. I will be there. Also, new album.
I need to work on the comic book.
Now is the time for sleep. Tomorrow, drinking!