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Thursday, February 01, 2007

All in the Family

Over caprese salads at Bertuccis the other night, my mother dropped a bomb* on me about my brother, Peter. My first reaction was one of disbelief.

"No way!", I said. "He's just young and doesn't know any better. He's still figuring out who he is."
"I don't think so", my mother replied. "He said he has felt this way for a long time, and he's 25! He's old enough to make his own decisions".

"I don't know..", I said. "I feel like he's just saying his to get a rise out of us. You know how he loves to be shocking. I bet if we just ignore him he'll forget all about it."

"Sarah, I think you better come to terms with this".

And so I have been trying to do so. I consider myself to be an accepting person; I try very hard not to judge other people by their beliefs and life choices. But in my own family? It is an entirely different story. I want better for my brother. He deserves better.

What would you do if you found out your only sibling was an ultra- conservative Republican?

He has always been a little conservative, but in an Archie Bunker "I just want to get a rise out of people" kind of way. Like any time I ever mentioned any social issue he would contradict me and then try to debate me about it. I always thought he was half kidding and just trying to piss me off. And he never labeled himself politically, and in fact is a registered Independent.

But apparently in my abscence, this "Republicanism" has taken root and flourished like a hot house flower from overexposure to The O'Reilly Factor and Scarborough Country.

He is my brother and I love him, and as such I intend to help him. There are people we can talk to. Maybe some counseling? If other people want to live their life that way, that's their business.

But not in my family!


*not to be confused with an LED device

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe you could seek family counseling to come to terms with his "lifestyle choices".

To take your mind off of all this, why not try something only slightly more disturbing? For instance, nekkid Harry Potter:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/showbiz/article-23383624-details/What+will+Hermione+say%2C+Harry/article.do

Sarah said...

i KNOW! My cousin blogged about that the other day. I am horrified.... and a litttle turned on. does that make me a pedo?

Andy said...

We should see the new Cate blanchett- Pedo-Women Unite! (I am obvi kidding).

I just wanted to say that despite Peter's political affiliations he has always been really nice to me and i consider him a friend. How far right can his politics possibly go? ;-)
p.s. Go Registered Independents!

Sarah said...

well you are kind of the exception to the rule...he DOES really want to be your plutonic friend! :-P

Anonymous said...

If you're a pedo, I'm a pedo. PJ thinks that Ginny is going to grow up to be "hot". Which I think is even more gross than a nekkid Daniel. At least he's at the age of consent! (or...almost) LOL.

Greens and Pinks said...

Also not to be confused with the smash hit song by The Gap Band.

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/nextfridayoldschool/youdroppedabombonme.htm

Sarah said...

haha kim i love it.

and erin THANKS. now that song will be in my head all damn day.

I,I! I, I I!, I, I I I won't forget it!

Jenny said...

How embarassed are you by Boston right now?!

I literally laughed out loud when I read your "footnote" and clicked on the link.

Sarah said...

totally!! my out of state friends are having a field day with it!

i love this:

http://www.universalhub.com/images/2007/neverforget.jpg

AmyB said...

Oh, the HORROR!!!

Except for I'm fully aware of this feeling, as my older sister is a flaming (couldn't resist that one) Republican. I mostly blame it on her hubby. There is even a rule now in our family that states we can't talk politics or religion when the two of them are around, since they can't take a joke and the rest of us can’t shut the fuck up and just let them spout their crazy talk without starting a wild debate.

Thank God my little sister is much more “corrupt” like me. ;o)

Anonymous said...

This coming from the group of people who claim to be so open-minded and accepting of others....do I smell hypocrisy?

Sarah said...

ha! i never claimed to be open minded. so, i'm not sure what you smell...