Will Pitt helped me sow the seeds of conversion today.

[Blue-Jay]

I think I'm close to winning a Republican over at work. A co-worker, who I'm quite fond of BTW, calls herself a Republican. We've avoided talking too much about politics out of respect for one another, although we do engage in a lot of good-natured kidding over it. Today, I pinned a Boondocks cartoon on her wall as a joke, and she returned it to me, with a joke about Clinton's penis on it. I joked back about the all-encompassing power that Republicans ascribe to the mighty Clenis, and we laughed about it.

Then she said something amazing. Something wonderful even. She said "That whole penis investigation was a complete waste of time and money. They (the Republicans) rooted around for years only to find a blowjob. Who in the hell cares about a blowjob?" I nearly kissed her.

Moreover, I thought to myself "I might be able to get this one". (Sounds nefarious, no?)

So I started emailing her. As is the case with most genuinely "nice" people who call themselves Republicans, she's not really that informed on the subject of politics. So I emailed her "the question". That being, "Do you even know why you're a Republican? Can you explain it to me, please?" I'll be more brief in relaying our back-and-forth emails, as I don't like reading extra-long posts, and I'm sure many of you don't either. Here goes:

She: Doesn't like welfare moochers.
Me: Nobody does. Pointed out that Clinton signed the Welfare Reform bill into law, when no Republican before him even tried.
She: Tax cuts.
Me: More payroll money in your pocket is great. Tell me how much your property taxes have gone up in the past 3 years. More than your tax break, I'll wager. Do you know why? GWB is the first president ever to cut taxes during a time of "war". Wish your daughter good luck when she has to support you because Social Security is gone. YOU paid into the program, and your return will be ZERO.
She: 9/11 changed everything. We have to make terrorism a priority.
Me: Agreed. We didn't finish the job in Afghan, because we sent our brother, sisters, parents, and children to Iraq instead.
She: Ollie North warned Gore about Bin Laden.
Me: Debunked. (provided link as proof)
She: Sudan blah blah blah Osama on a silver platter.
Me: Debunked. (provided link as proof)
She: Iraq. Terrorism. Saddam & Bin Laden...
Me: (Provided link to GWB's statement that the two were not allied. Provided another link that explained the hatred they had for each other)
She: Yes, the war sucks. We shouldn't be there. But I have to support those who have died for our freedom.
Me: So do I. How exactly does supporting the military equate with supporting a president that sent them to die for bogus reasons?
She: 9/11. Terror. Patriotism.....

(This is where Will helped me. Thanks, Will. I'll send a donation to truthout tonight.)

Me: Thomas Payne said "It is the duty of every patriot to protect his country from his government" Those brave men and women were sent there based on lies. They're doing their duty, but they don't deserve to be maimed and killed for no good reason. 9/11 hurt every one of us, but Iraq had NOTHING to do with it. Then I attached Will's essay "Before These Crowded Streets". You can read it here if you haven't already: http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/032304A.shtml

She: After reading that, I want to cry. He's a good writer. Is that Richard Clarke stuff true?
Me: I believe it is. Not a single person could refute his assertions during the 9/11 Commission hearings. Not ONE.

OK, I've already rambled on for too long. This was just a high point in an otherwise shitty day. Please go out and provide information to the "I guess I'm a Republican" crowd, DU. Let them know that GWB is NOT a Republican. I don't know what he is exactly, aside from a lying, war-profiteering, theocracy-encouraging, stupid son of a bitch. Let them know. They need to know.

Thanks again, Will. You should consider a career in writing. ;)

Sorry about the length of this post, everybody. I'll go back to smart-assing in the Lounge now.

[aquart]

1. That is a superb effort you are putting forth.

Feel proud. Even if the conversion doesn't succeed, it should. I'm incredibly impressed. You should damn well consider a career in writing yourself. More. Teaching.

[Blue-Jay]

4. I could never write.

Honestly, writing takes too much out of me. Realistically, I'm not that good at it. Thanks anyway, though.

[Canuckistanian]

2. Awesome. Good work.

I think that a lot of people are like her. Never get to hear the other side of the story, the corrections, the retractions and the debunkings of these Republican Fairy Tales.
You've done good work, True Patriot Blue-Jay!

:toast:

[frank frankly]

3. "Ollie North warned Gore about Bin Laden". WTF???

Oh my god. Is that what they are feeding the freepers?

great work

:hi:

[NewJeffCT]

12. is that the Abu Nidal thing?

Remember soon after 9/11, an email went around about Ollie's testimony back during Iran-Contra when he mentioned Abu Nidal, only they changed the words to Osama bin Laden...

[Blue-Jay]

13. Honestly, I'm not sure

how that dumb rumor got started. Ollie only followed (like a good little brown-shirt) the orders that he was given by the Ray-Gun administration. My problem with him is that he "took one for the team" instead of exposing the illegal machinations of a corrupt administration. Like a good Nazi, he was "only following orders". The fact that that piece of human waste is not in prison is astounding.

[DinahMoeHum]

23. Well, he oughta know. That douchebag Ollie helped train

that dirtbag Osama, along with his CIA cronies.

:nuke:

[proud patriot]

5. Thanks for Sharing ... Will helped me prepare for an interview

I did for a High School Newspaper ..

He told me to get my thoughts organized and focuss
on the message I want to get across . It was most helpful.

The Newspaper just came out this week , and I made
the front page . Thanks to Will I was able to focuss
on my message and the article is great .

As soon as it's up on the web I'll post it .

proud patriot

[Duncan Grant]

6. Go Blue-Jay.

The GOP shouldn't be worried about my recruitment activities, they should worry about you! :D

:yourock: (FedEx-ing you the toaster tomorrow)

[whosinpower]

7. What we all need to comprehend is

That there are allot of dissillusioned republicans out there. Their party has been hijacked as well as the nation......

[Blue-Jay]

10. Thanks!

To date, I've convinced 4 former non-voters to kick Bush's sorry ass out in November, and I've witnessed 2 conversions. Let's all hope this will be number 3.

Addendum: Found out that my work-friend is:
Pro Choice
Anti "War on Drugs"
Pro GLBT issues

Why the hell she calls herself a Republican is beyond me. It's an indication of how the RW Propaganda Machine has infiltrated the uninformed voting public. They've done a masterful job of making complex issues simple with lies and obfuscation. THIS is what we need to fight. Not the clueless GWB. He's an abomination.

Knowledge is power. Truth is our weapon. Wield it wisely. We, as a nation, are only as rich as our poorest person. Tell them. Don't scream, don't shout, don't wear your tinfoil hats (regardless of how much they are warranted). Give the fence-sitters the irrefutable facts, and let them figure out the rest.

[Iris]

8. Does Will still come around?

I just saw him mentioned in a column in The Nation.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rumguy]

11. great job man

[Blue-Jay]

14. Being a man of my word....

I just sent a few "green persuaders" to truthout.org.

Get serious, my friends. Register some voters. Give them the information they haven't received from the bullshit media.

There's a saying that fundies like to repeat, and I'm going to butcher it from memory. "The Devil's greatest trick is to convince people that he doesn't really exist". As an agnostic, that quote means nothing to me. The correlation is that RWers want the uninformed public to dismiss the abuses of their "boys". Don't let them. Get the facts out. We can turn the tide and give Diebold the old one-finger-salute.

[wellst0nev0ter]

15. Nobody Likes Welfare Mothers?

coulda point out that welfare at its height only cost about $5 billion a year, which is a lot less than all the welfare we keep giving to the millionaires.

[Blue-Jay]

16. You're correct.

However, I didn't say "mothers". I said "moochers". Give me a small break, OK? Never did I suggest that anyone in the USA should be without the essentials of life. However, I doubt that anyone can come up with a single reason that anyone without a job should not continue to pursue employment.

Granted, it's not always that easy. Nor is it guaranteed. Assistance of some sort needs to be available for those in need. We are only as rich as the poorest among us.

Additionally, I'll admit that I "toned it down" a bit when I was dealing with my friend. Sue me. Sometimes baby-steps are the only steps in the right direction.

[wellst0nev0ter]

21. You're Right To Criticize Me

Looks like I was a little too cursory in reading the post :spank:

but still, the welfare deform act was just a vindication to those who think lowly of welfare recipients. If I want to convert people to Democrats, I wouldn't be comfortable using that example, which in effect tells them that we can approach the Republicans in their cynicism towards the poor.

[blm]

17. Fascinating post.

Actually, Blue-Jay, you could have made it longer. You're a great communicator, too, y'know.

[Blue-Jay]

18. You humble me.

Like I said, my conversations with my friend brightened an otherwise dreary day. I appreciate the praise, but I'm no "force to be reckoned with" by a long shot. Give the fence-sitters the facts, and they will make up their own minds.

My prose leaves much to be desired, but my purpose is strong. Be respectful, be accurate, and back it up with facts. It's easy. Do it.

[KoKo]

19. Will has inspired many with his thoughts in his writing. Good to hear

that you were able to use some of it. Good luck to you!

[prolesunited]

20. Once again

you have underestimated yourself. Both your powers of persuasion and your writing skills are forces to be reckoned with, indeed. Keep speaking truth to power! :hug:

[WilliamPitt]

22. I'm humbled

Thank you for posting this.

P.S. If you *really* want to freak your friend out, send her the article in my sig line. :)

Thanks again.