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Once Upon a Time a Liberal Married a Republican

And the Way They Saw the World Changed

By Cheri LaPublished 6 years ago 3 min read
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I recall when I met my husband; we would talk about everything including politics and every word would be enlightening. Now, he is silent. Over the last year we have watched so much change and divisiveness consume our country through our politics. It now seems that political parties are nearly like street gangs. This evolution sparked my husband’s switch of political parties. This was a shock to me; he is what he refers to as a “Reagan Republican"; apparently that is the best kind to be. I didn't know such a thing existed. In my mind, changing political parties is no big deal, but again, I am apparently clueless. He has been questioned by friends, family, and strangers who happen to overhear the conversation, all interested in knowing what form of witchery would prompt such a change. His response is always, “I voted for his family." This response has prompted hissing and booing the likes of which I have never witnessed outside of a sports event. The fact is, he does not feel that the current administration sees value in minorities, and he is raising biracial children, black children.

I am sad that he felt it necessary to switch political parties because of the message that was being sent by his former party. I do not feel that any party wins when people feel alienated. Instead, this is a loss for his former party, a loss, for all of us as Americans. I have never really understood the current day need for political affiliation; I personally have not sworn an allegiance to any party, so I do not feel obligated to automatically vote in favor of one. I do, however, identify with the progressive liberal party(s). Having my husband embrace this was amazing, but definitely bittersweet. I honestly think that the Republican and the Democratic Parties will never recover from this show of utter incompetence, blatant lying, and gang mentality. I think people are far more open to looking into third party candidates, which works for me, because that's normally the way I vote anyway. It is time for us to just be Americans, non-divided, all inclusive, one team, the American Team all of us. Hopefully my husband will be able to hold his head up high again regardless of what party he chooses to back come the next election, because it cannot get any worse than this. At times, I catch him watching the news or a talk show and the moment the conversation gets political, something in him dies a little. I wonder what it must feel like to watch a group of people that, for the most part, embodied or at least stood for what you believed in turn into something you are disgusted by. Who now stands for these lost people? No one deserves to be without representation, but in that same breath you should not have to be forced to support speech and views you are against.

At the end of the day, I do not believe any one group of Americans is setting out to ruin the country. I also do not believe that one side has all the answers to our countries issues, hell we do not even have an all-inclusive list of issues, but I do believe improvement can happen. This improvement will never come from inner hate, it will never come from inequality, and it will never come pushing the “us versus them” mentality. The fact is, what happens in our government affects us as a whole, regardless of our color or ethnicity. If we are in the same income bracket, we will be effected the same way by the tax bills, healthcare…

The problem with being Americans is that we are too easily led astray; our humanity is to quickly thrown aside, and our common sense takes far too long to override our egos.

politics
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About the Creator

Cheri La

I am an African American mother of four, married to a Welsh father of 2. Our personalities are as non-traditional as our family. Welcome to my crazy.

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