You gotta fight...for your right...to be in a paaaaarty!

I'm not sure how this came up at work today, but I have a buddy (you know who you are, Bonesaw) who made the comment that one of the requirements to be a Republican is to hate gays.

Well, now. Is that so? Hmm. (I gave him a "look" at the time--sort of the Vulcan raised eyebrow look--but I'll respond here, now that I'm calmer.) I'll say right here and now that I am a registered Republican. This did not happen overnight. It happened after too many years of watching too many people sucking the government tit, and I just feel that while we have the responsibility as a country to care for the indigent and impoverished (which includes helping them get further education so that they can help themselves,), we should not have to foot the bill for every person who doesn't feel they have to put out any effort to make a living and have a decent life in this country.

To say that all Republicans hate gays is just not right, and that actually hurt my feelings, because that tells me that you don't know me. I love quite a few people who are gay. Ken lived in San Francisco for many years, and had plenty of gay friends. We are both fiscally conservative (yes, we believe that those with more money will invest in stocks, infrastructure, and research--it's what drives our economy), but we are liberal to moderate when it comes to social issues.

I do not make generalizations about Democrats, because I'm okay with a lot of things they have to say, and in the past, I've voted as a Democrat. And you know what? Ken and I have been talking a lot about the current candidates, and we both like Barack Obama a lot, and it's possible that he might get a couple of votes from us. Don't know yet! There is a lot of time to go. Disagreeing with my politics is one thing--although if you ask, you might find that we agree on quite a few things (and I suspect as most of us get older, we get a little more conservative...talk to me in 20 years, Bonesaw!). But telling me that because I'm a Republican I hate gays...nope, that's just wrong, and it's not fair.