Cherry Flavored Kool-Aid

I am thoroughly  befuddled when some of my friends and acquaintances – often on my Face Book wall mind you – will comment in support of some of my progressive issues posts (for example - marriage equality) while at the same time publically "like" the fan pages of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.



Does that mean that they will transfer their like to votes? The assumption leans towards yes.  Since they are obviously cherry picking the issues when it comes to their choice of presidential candidate, I'm curious as to what cherries on the tree that the GOP is offering are more enticing than those that offer equal rights for the people that they consider (or pretend to consider) friends.

Or for that matter, which are more alluring than protecting a woman’s right to choose, or sane gun legislation, or preservation of funding for the arts (believe it or not – some of them are actual artists). Clearly, I could go on…

At what point do they draw the line? What are their real motivations? Do they ever have a heart-to-heart with themselves to ponder the motivation? 

I see two identical people sitting in a room facing each other. One figure represents the person’s outward mind/personality/persona and the other their soul/heart/inner-being/.

OM: “Well, I’m voting for Romney/Ryan and am happy to do so!”
IM: “Really? But what about –”
OM: Sticking fingers in ears “I can't hear you! I can’t hear you!”

You get the picture.

I can only rationalize that there must be much more darker motives for their decisions. Perhaps they have somehow fallen for the myth that the GOP is better with finance than Democrats – easy to disprove factually and historically – just ask W what became of the surplus and balanced budget that he inherited from Clinton for starters. If that is the case, then is it safe to assume that their love of money (AKA greed) outweighs their love for any LGBT friends and family members? They do have them - because truth be told, most folks do whether they realize it or not.

Perhaps they simply feel a reluctance to release the equally mythical belief that they are somehow better than those who aren’t white, straight, or Christian. Feeling superior to others is a huge motivator for many. It’s what helps them sleep at night. Of course, they are usually loathe to admit that one – especially to themselves. But it’s always there in the back of their mind. You’ll have to trust me on this one. As a man who was born into  the LGBT minority group, you know when others around you are acting superior simply because they are heterosexual even when it’s not noticeable to themselves and others.

What good is it really for them to state publically that they support something (again, in this case marriage equality) and then do nothing about it – or worse yet - vote for a party that is vehemently opposed to it? Frankly, I’d much rather they be upfront and honest about it.

Perhaps an honest post like this would prove better:  “Hey Michael, I know supporting (insert issue here) is the right thing to do and that opposing it could actually hurt you, but seriously, I don’t care enough about it to change my vote. I plan on voting for the person who represents the party that will continue to harm you and other friends and family members of mine.”

Though I won’t respect their misguided and apparently self-serving decision if that were to happen, at least I’ll respect their hutzpah. They should, however, expect a change in our relationship. Which, by all accounts, should be OK with them since they ultimately don’t respect me, or at least, they feel that I am some kind of second class citizen. 

If they are actually publically airing the fact that they plan on taking action in the voting booth to support a candidate that has every intention of lessening my rights as an American citizen (tip of the iceberg mind you), then I can’t really trust their friendship as before.

Would you?

If they insist on voting Romney/Paul, then they should at least try to hide it from me. It will be so much easier for me not to know that they stabbed me (and countless others) in the back in the voting booth when we hug each other hello or goodbye.

Fortunately, I don’t have to be so – pardon the pun – “in the closet” about my politics because the person I’m voting for isn’t planning on taking away anyone’s rights. In fact, he plans on strengthening them. I don’t have to worry that I may be offending friends or family with my support of a candidate that publicly acknowledges a pro-active plan to denigrate their standing as an American citizen.

I can't even begin to get started on LGBT people, African-Americans, Latinos, and women who plan on supporting the Romney/Ryan hate machine (some actually do exist).

Though I am quite curious  - what kind of mind erasing artificial sweetener they are using in their self-loathing flavored Kool-Aid.