So, my RW dad and I did not talk about Obama's election last weekend:

[callous taoboy]

We have not been able to talk about politics since just before the 2000 "election." Since 2000 we have had one blowout fight just before 2004 "election." Other than politics we have a pretty good relationship. So I called him Saturday and we talked about everything except Tuesday's historic event. I could tell he wanted to broach it, and he made a few snarling comments about how this and that was going to change, growled about how congress wants to bail out credit card companies. I didn't respond. But he would not talk about Tuesday's historic event, and I wasn't going to bring it up since we can't talk politics without him getting very irrate and I know he despises Obama.

Sunday he calls and leaves a message that we probably have talked about, ahem, the "events of the past week" with me, and that I could reach him at home all day. I decided to let that go.

Sad, isn't it?

[Lex]

Seems like a lot of people want to rain on Obama supporters' parade.

Like, it sort of kills them to just let it go and not spew some bile on us.

Maybe your dad's not like that and maybe he wants to say something positive or good.

[Coexist]

1. call him, maybe he will apologize.

[Warpy]

2. Our parents' politics aren't our jobs

and my pop and I agreed to disagree when I was 20 and he called me a communist and I said no, I was a communalist and if he didn't know the difference, he should look it up. That shut him up about politics for over 30 years, although I do look back on the exchange with embarrassment.

He and my blind mother had a brief Limbaugh flirtation and my mother would rant. I'd leave and come back later and ask, "are you done?" They got the point in record time.

The last thing he ever said to me about politics was in October, 2004. He surprised the hell out of me by saying he was furious over the Swift Boat smears and was voting for Kerry. As much as he loved tax cuts, he felt any vet who attacked another vet's honorable service was beneath contempt. He didn't elaborate and I didn't grill him, just hung up the phone and picked my lower jaw up off the floor.

My advice is to continue to agree to disagree. Just hang up, leave the room, tell him you don't want to talk about that crap, how about those ____s? (insert sports team of choice)

They're our parents, but they're not our job. Once we're adults, we're not their job, either. Enjoy the parts of them you can and discourage the rest.

[callous taoboy]

7. My sentiments, Warpy. My dad is rabidly RW.

Plus he has anger management issues, and anger has been banished from my world for now.

[Ganja Ninja]

3. You can't really talk about the events of the last week without ...

getting a few things straight about the last 8 years. As long as Republican's want to try and deny the disaster they've created there's nothing to talk about. I've had about all the fretting and hand wringing I can stand from them.

[alsame]

4. He might surprise you. I have 2 rabidly Repub brothers and both

have surprised me - although they disagree with Obama's 'radically liberal' ideology, they think he is a good, decent man and will try to do his best for our country. Plus, they have both admitted to being proud of the historical significance of electing a person of color. I was stunned, but in a very good way.

[JuniperLea]

5. It must have taken a lot for him to leave that message...

It's your decision, but I'd call him. You might be pleasantly surprised! If not, then you know for certain to ignore any further voicemail like this;)

My life long Republican dad and I haven't argued since I was a teenager, until he made some snide comment (yes, that's where I acquired the gene) about Fahrenheit 9/11 when the film first came out. He got all red in the face and everything! He spouted something about that stupid Pubbie list of alleged lies in the movie. I begged him to please see Moore's website wherein he lists the same list, and links to his proof... many of said links even went back to the White House website. At some point, he read the site, and down the road a year or so, he watched the movie. He was really pissed at what he learned, and finally believed to be true. Then the most incredible thing happened! He didn't say a word to any of us... he registered as a Democrat for the first time in his 70 years so he could vote for Hillary in the primary! And he voted for Obama in the general election! He even told my b/f he was throwing away his vote by voting for the Green candidate!

I'm so proud of my dad!

:cry:

:patriot:

This could be you! But you'll never know if you don't return that call.

[Mesteryo]

6. my dad is independent luckily..

But we disagreed during the Bush administration. He defended Bush as President but he supported Obama against McCain. So I think we'll be having many more agreements now.