I'm really into politics. As in "I can't believe anyone would vote for ______________ (fill in the blank). What a lying sack of _____________! (fill in the blank)".
We're in the final weeks of hotly contested elections and I can't recall campaigns ever being more contentious. Candidates are making all kinds of wild claims and accusations, most of which simply aren't true. I've never seen a deeper division between parties and more clear, distinct choices. Who are these people in the polls who are "undecided"? Really?
No politics on this blog though. And even extremely rarely on my Facebook page, where I am bombarded with political stuff daily. When I do post something political there, it's sharing a funny cartoon regardless of who the political party or target is, even if it's my favored candidate.
I think it's pretty obvious, at least to me, why I don't write about politics here. This cruising/liveaboard lifestyle blog simply isn't the place. The vast majority of other cruisers/liveaboards think the same way. People who are cruising and living aboard boats have chosen an alternative way of life. We've slowed the pace down. We've removed stress from our lives, to the point that the most stressful thing we do is something like replacing a bilge pump or rebuilding a head.
We respect each other's privacy, but get together often so it's not like we don't have the opportunity. Wednesday was the marina-wide get together at the club house attended by a couple of dozen people. Last night was our dock 13 gathering at the pavilion. Today we're going to some craft fair on St. Simon's Island, but later may go to a bluegrass and country music festival with a group of other Brunswick Landing Marina denizens. Politics are never discussed.
The other day, I was shocked when I walked past the car of a dock neighbor and he had a bumper sticker proudly proclaiming his support of one of the presidential candidates. I was stunned. It's the only campaign sign I've seen in the marina. I was intrigued so much that I considered stopping at the rival candidate's campaign office downtown, getting his bumper sticker, and sticking over the other as a joke, wondering how long it would take him to see it. Tee heee.
I got a good piece of advice in 1969. I was sitting on the porch of my yacht club and a member much older than my 19 years said something derogatory about the Environmental Protection Agency. He claimed it was unnecessary government interference in business and costly. I interjected my two cents, as I grew up near a factory in Waterford New York and I saw what they were discharging into the Hudson River first hand, as well as the toxic chemicals they buried not 200 yards from the school I attended. It just so happened that he worked for this major corporation. The argument was on. We went at it for at least an hour when he stood up and said "You know, I've got a good friend. We've been good friends for many years and we stay good friends because we don't discuss religion or politics. Because if we did, he'd think I was an idiot. And I'd KNOW he was an idiot." and then he walked away.
Good advice. Especially coming from an idiot.
We're in the final weeks of hotly contested elections and I can't recall campaigns ever being more contentious. Candidates are making all kinds of wild claims and accusations, most of which simply aren't true. I've never seen a deeper division between parties and more clear, distinct choices. Who are these people in the polls who are "undecided"? Really?
No politics on this blog though. And even extremely rarely on my Facebook page, where I am bombarded with political stuff daily. When I do post something political there, it's sharing a funny cartoon regardless of who the political party or target is, even if it's my favored candidate.
I think it's pretty obvious, at least to me, why I don't write about politics here. This cruising/liveaboard lifestyle blog simply isn't the place. The vast majority of other cruisers/liveaboards think the same way. People who are cruising and living aboard boats have chosen an alternative way of life. We've slowed the pace down. We've removed stress from our lives, to the point that the most stressful thing we do is something like replacing a bilge pump or rebuilding a head.
We respect each other's privacy, but get together often so it's not like we don't have the opportunity. Wednesday was the marina-wide get together at the club house attended by a couple of dozen people. Last night was our dock 13 gathering at the pavilion. Today we're going to some craft fair on St. Simon's Island, but later may go to a bluegrass and country music festival with a group of other Brunswick Landing Marina denizens. Politics are never discussed.
The other day, I was shocked when I walked past the car of a dock neighbor and he had a bumper sticker proudly proclaiming his support of one of the presidential candidates. I was stunned. It's the only campaign sign I've seen in the marina. I was intrigued so much that I considered stopping at the rival candidate's campaign office downtown, getting his bumper sticker, and sticking over the other as a joke, wondering how long it would take him to see it. Tee heee.
I got a good piece of advice in 1969. I was sitting on the porch of my yacht club and a member much older than my 19 years said something derogatory about the Environmental Protection Agency. He claimed it was unnecessary government interference in business and costly. I interjected my two cents, as I grew up near a factory in Waterford New York and I saw what they were discharging into the Hudson River first hand, as well as the toxic chemicals they buried not 200 yards from the school I attended. It just so happened that he worked for this major corporation. The argument was on. We went at it for at least an hour when he stood up and said "You know, I've got a good friend. We've been good friends for many years and we stay good friends because we don't discuss religion or politics. Because if we did, he'd think I was an idiot. And I'd KNOW he was an idiot." and then he walked away.
Good advice. Especially coming from an idiot.
Try as a might I find it very difficult not to comment. I will just tell a true story.
ReplyDeleteAbout this time 4 years ago my husband and I were out in the western part of Massachusetts an area known as "Happy Valley" you may be familiar with it. It was a beautiful fall day as we were walking the small town with lots of small shops, we were surprised to see so many of the shops had the same political candidates sign in their windows. As we walked into shops No one greeted us or even acknowledged us entering their shop. Being small business owners ourselves it was quite surprising to us. Finally we entered a shop and the gentlemen greeted us, we both said "your the first person in this town who has said anything to us when entering your store." He laughed and said "Welcome to Happy Valley, look at yourselves, if you were dressed as a wizard or something they would". We both looked at each other and laughed as we walked out of the only store we purchased anything, why? Because he said hello and asked if he could help us find something?
http://open.salon.com/blog/gwool/2009/10/21/two_gitmo_detainees_invited_to_mass_community_good_or_bad