I come from a long line of staunch Republicans. Both sides of my family, grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, as far back as anyone can recall, have never, ever voted for a “lousy Democrat.”
Born into this crazy world, I naturally accepted all that I was taught, including religion and politics. And I believed all the tenets of both… until I reached the age of reason.
From an early age I could not understand my family’s utter disdain for FDR and Truman, et al. It was frightening watching and listening while these mild mannered Presbyterians turned into raging maniacs, slicing and dicing anyone who dared to oppose their sacred GOP – “God’s Only Party.” In Sunday school, Miss Matheny taught us to love thy enemy and walk a mile in the other’s shoes; but as far as my elders were concerned, all that crap was chucked out the window when it came to political discourse.
No matter how nasty it got, I never once questioned my deep love for my opinionated family. I never lost respect for any of them, but later I began questioning their far-right viewpoints. Like certain aspects of our religion, it just didn’t make sense to me.
My family all liked Ike, and so did I. But then a young Senator and war hero from Massachusetts announced his candidacy and the shit hit the political fan. Being a young Democrat was bad enough – but the guy was a Catholic! “How totally repulsive and un-American,” they said. I just shook my head and sighed. I loved John Kennedy.
My parents moved us from Pittsburgh to Dallas in 1963. That year I was in the seventh grade, when my beloved president was killed. I remember my dear mother consoling me when I got home from school. Her sincere compassion was much appreciated. I really don’t know how my Dad felt. I only knew the horrible words he had spoken about that “damned Kennedy and his no-good brother, Bobby.”
And then they killed RFK and MLK. I was fit to be tied. What with George Wallace, and Barry Goldwater, my Dad’s favorite guy, I had had enough of the GOP.
In 1970, I was a soldier in the U.S. Army when the Kent State shootings occurred. Students were protesting the expansion of the Vietnam War when the Ohio National Guard opened fire and killed four unarmed students and wounded eight more – one paralyzed for life. Nixon had gone into Cambodia and the war trudged on.
Luckily I barely missed ‘Nam and served in Panama. But Kent State turned me against Nixon in a big way.
In January, 1973 Jayebird and I were married. Watergate erupted and we all know the sordid story… and the humiliating resignation of the President. Of course, my parents thought Nixon got a bum deal. Are you kidding?
My Dad and I started arguing politics and sometimes it got pretty heated. Luckily most of my family were back in Pennsylvania or I would have locked horns with them, too.
One hypersensitive subject was abortion rights. My parents were pro-life and I was pro-choice. The ongoing quarrel was the same one that is argued now all these years later, except now Roe has been overturned. To me it was personal: Jaye had had an illegal abortion, before we met, that almost took her life. She and many other women know up close and personal about the dangers of illegal abortions. My parents wanted the government to outlaw abortion. I told them: “If you want to force young girls to give birth to unwanted babies then you and your Republican friends should adopt them.”
Finally Dad and I reached the apex of our decades old battle: Rush Limbaugh. Dad loved the SOB and I couldn’t stand him. He was diametrically opposed to everything I stand for in this life. I truly believe that Limbaugh, Newt Gingrich and the Tea Baggers sent the Republican Party into a tailspin. It’s certainly not my father’s Republican Party.
The old GOP had certain principles that I respected, but this new bastardized version is something that my late father would not recognize. There are old guard Republicans like Liz Cheney, Mitt Romney, and the late John McCain that actually define ‘principles and integrity.’ It’s called character, a word that does not factor into the new right ideology.
Good character should be a prerequisite for election to public office.
This MAGA party is not the GOP. It is a cult of personality and the leader is a flawed individual with absolutely no character. He doesn’t support democracy or the rule of law and is a pathological liar, a convicted felon, a draft dodger, an insurrectionist, an adulterer, a misogynist, a racist… and a litter bug. But in 2020, 75 million Americans voted for this man. Fortunately for our nation, Trump lost… but still has not conceded the election and did not even attend his successor’s inauguration.
On November 5th, we have the most important election of our collective lifetime. My wife, my brother, my good friends and I are fearful that this demagogue, Trump, will somehow get elected. It’s a nightmare, but we have a valiant team that is making great strides for the hearts and minds of good Americans everywhere – Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. We will need all hands on deck for a huge turnout at the polls.
We must defeat this existential threat to our country and our democracy.
One of the most wonderful surprises I’ve had in a long time is the good news that two of our Republican cousins are contemplating voting for our next president, Kamala Harris.
Best wishes to all!
DC has been a frustrated musician for over fifty years, and now has decided to become a frustrated writer. Learn more at DCDuncan.com. He’ll keep you posted.