Letters to the Editor
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The war around Christmas
Don't usually post "Me too" letters, but this time will, Wil. Thank you for your post and may you and others know you are not alone.
After nearly 30 years of what we thought of as good relations with my husband's family, about 9 years ago, things started to go sour. Several of the markers and causes already mentioned here, seemed to be at work: Retirement, right-wing radio & TV, buying into fear, needing someone to blame, needing someone to hate, partial relocation to an area of the country where unhappy people had nothing else to do but complain (these types had always been there, but until they stopped working-they were never an influence), several active "gung-ho" military people marrying into the family, listening to ultra-conservative church hierarchy, lack of critical thinking. We think there is a lot of truth to George Lakeoff's "strong authority" theory.
What Rush, Rove & 'Dr' Laura gave them permission to do, was to call their own family members names. We are traitors, murderers, unChristian (yup!), arrogant, disgustingly liberal, "Mom always liked you best," flag burners, Democrats, etc etc. Probably worse when we weren't around.
The straw that broke the camel's back, was the invasion of Iraq & the way the Bush administration handled it. As a recent ROTC graduate (grandson of a sister) headed to Iraq, they couldn't separate him from the people (and lies) that sent him there. To support the troops, you have to support the policy. The neo-cons know that just a couple of cracks will bring the house of cards down. As others have said, that is why this is so painful, because it is so personal -not just Administration policy. There has been a total breakdown of trust & both sides feel betrayed.
Rove, Cheney & K Hughes knew that the real war this Chunukah/Christmas week-end would not be fought in Baghdad, but at family gatherings. That's why they were busy last week-end calling dissent traitorous. They don't want discussion, they want their sheep to hush others up, to bully, to intimidate, to insult. The pattern is evident from Baghdad to Congress to church to the dining room table. It is grim. They have chosen to bring 2 centuries of Middle East warfare here to the US.
This has been hardest on my husband. He feels he has lost his whole family - the older generation to death and the older siblings & their kids to the far right. He used to be sort of the middle of the road, but this experience & such things as ID, has driven him to the far left.
Thankfully, all in my remaining (death has taken a toll here) family have remained supportive & inclusive of us. Legal documents such as wills & beneficiaries have been changed or are in the process. We have always found in Nature, Unitarianism & Humanism writings, experiences & people - sources of reason, strength and comfort.
Hang in there if you are going through this. It's messy and a difficult path to walk or crawl. We have chosen to not shut up and to not subject ourselves to this abuse, ever again. And Bush/Cheney/Ashcroft & those who support them with $$ & votes will forever be unwelcome in this house.
May the turkeys squawk in their death throes & the feathers fly in 2006!
-Keeping our light shinning!