re: #74 Hermie328

In the last couple of years I’ve distanced myself from politics because I have become ashamed of my conservative leanings.

I became ashamed because I have learned that many of my conservative friends as well as prominent conservatives really are the racists and homo-phobes that the left said we all were!

Nah. You just learned that those particular friends and prominent conservatives were infected with the idiot virus. That’s no reason to be ashamed of being a conservative. That’s a reason to find new friends and prominent conservatives to listen to.

I’m saying this as a liberal, BTW. Trust me— I had enough flame wars and arguments over many of the more outrageous things “my side” said about Bush while he was in office. It’s not the beliefs you should shun, but the more idiotic people who share them.

I just couldn’t believe all of the ugliness that came out when Obama became a major political figure. I had close friends saying things I thought they would be embarrassed to catch themselves thinking, let alone speaking out-loud.

I have always had a sense that the first African-American or female president would bring out an irrational reaction from some folks, but I never expected the sheer level of vitriol. It’s been both depressing and revealing at the same time.