Odd and Immature? You Left Out "Selfish"

I've recently begun taking a hard line about who is on my Facebook "friend" list and in my life.  We don't have to agree about fiscal policy or share hobbies or a love of sports, but we have to share values.  If this election were merely a choice between trickle down economics vs. government aided economic recovery, I'd be much less likely to hold such a hard line.  But the GOP, whose fuel tanks seem to have an unlimited supply of fear and religion, are in full production of lofty, oppressive social positions these days.  They're even going after women's rights... Again!

Nothing makes me "unfriend" someone faster than seeing their name pop up with "_______ liked Mitt Romney" in my news feed.  It's a capital social offense for this gay man.  Everyone is free to believe what they want and support whomever they choose.  Everyone is also free to choose their social circles and I've drawn a defensible line in the sand about mine.  If you vote for the men who support laws which deprive Jesse and I's relationship of legal protection, you aren't someone I want in my life.  Enjoy your tax break... wait, who are we kidding?  No one in my social circle will get a tax break from Romney.  I don't have any friends or family wealthy enough.  So enjoy... what?  Getting the black man out of office?  The increased national debt?  The decreased medical care?  The decreased fire and police protection?  The larger classrooms, fewer teachers and fewer college students?  I'll be over here fighting for equality.

During a discussion about this topic, someone recently defended his decision to support Romney by saying, "Sean, this is about the future of our country!"  At the same time, this person inferred that I was being "selfish" for being a "single-issue voter".  Since I don't have the same hyperbolically negative and fictional view of President Obama that they do (perhaps one needs special glasses to see the fictional Obama in the chair), I don't think that if he were re-elected, the country would spiral out of control.  No, it will take four more years of Republican obstructionism to make that happen.  So I don't see my vote for Obama and my "single issue" as mutually exclusive to a better future for this country.

A facebook friend recently told me that when she unfriended a woman friend for her ultra-conservative views, she received a personal note back calling her "odd and immature" for doing so.  I think the odd and immature ones are those still clinging to racism, American exceptionalism, and trickle-down economics.  I think women who vote for men who want to control their bodies are odd and immature.  I think "friends" and family who'd vote for men who want to tell me my love is invalid and second class are odd and immature.  I think middle class people who vote for men who see their wealth as more important than a healthy middle class' demand on an ailing economy are odd and immature.  I think elderly people who vote for men who want to take away their medicare and cut their social security are odd and immature.  And I think that anyone who votes for men who spend their entire convention talking about why the other guy sucks (and using lies to do so) instead of what they're going to do to make it better are all odd and immature.

When you vote for people who have it out for those you love, you are indeed working on affecting the future of the country.  You're making it a country I no longer want to live in.  If that's too grandiose, let's settle for this: You've made ours a relationship I no longer want to be in.  Call me selfish.