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- Jun 6, 2003
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By Jim David
An Advocate.com exclusive, posted November 5, 2004_
Election Day 2004 was a sad day for my country, but it was also a sad day for me, because I lost a few good friends. They voted for Bush, and consequently I don’t think they can be my friends anymore._
I know you may say, “Can’t you just accept the opinions of others and move on? What’s the big deal?” Well, if the issue is the quality of a movie, taste in lawn ornaments, or even annoying family members, of course I can move on. I can accept basic political differences between Republican and Democrat. I accept bad breath._
But, I’m sorry, if you voted for Bush, I just don’t have room for you in my life anymore._
You may also say, “Come on, Jim, don’t take this personally.” Well, sorry, but it couldn’t be more personal. Bush is a man who empowered the most lunatic fringe segment of his party, the segment that wants to deny me the right to exist._
Yes, that’s right, to exist._
Bush and Co. have handed their party—lock, stock, and barrel—to Christian fundamentalists who want all protections for gay people taken off the books and their state constitutions amended so that no new protections can be adopted. Not only that, they want to go further. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they will stop with merely banning gay marriage. Jim DeMint, the newly elected senator from South Carolina, said during his campaign that he supports a state G.O.P. platform banning gays—and unmarried pregnant women—from teaching in public schools. Tom Coburn, the newly elected senator from Oklahoma, has advocated the death penalty for doctors who perform abortions and warned that “the gay agenda” would undermine the country._
What that “agenda” is, he didn’t say. But you catch the drift._
These are United States senators, folks, not merely small-town nuts running local school boards. These are people with more power than you or me. They can get nasty things done, and if left unchecked, they will._
It won’t stop with Congress—the judges are next. Tony Perkins of the right-wing Family Research Council said, “We will be carefully watching and examining the president’s judicial nominees to make sure they reflect the values that won on Tuesday,” which sounds not unlike the classic movie villain hissing, “Ve have vays to make you talk.”_
“Moral values” won. Values that Bush promotes and that do not include us. My relationship of 17 years has no value whatsoever to these people. It has value to my friends, even the friends who voted for Bush. But in the name of lower taxes or terrorism or better cat food or whatever, they still voted against me. So maybe they don’t value me that much after all._
Oliver, who has been one of my best friends for 25 years and who voted for Bush, tried to reassure me that I shouldn’t worry, that Bush was only trying to get the antigay marriage amendment passed to “shore up his base.” Well, his base has long since been shored up, and he’s just renewed his call for that very amendment. Oliver believes that Bush is a compassionate man who only wants the best for the country._
It’s time to reevaluate our relationship._
My friend Joanne is an Orthodox Jew whose main issue is the safety of Israel. She voted for Bush, apparently because she’s afraid Kerry doesn’t know where Israel is. Regardless of the fact that any contemporary president has to support Israel or face political death, Joanne believed Bush was stronger. She was willing to overlook the fact that Bush is an absolute disaster on everything, including Israel._
It’s time to reevaluate our relationship._
And my friend Tony, who has always been a Republican, doesn’t like Bush but voted for him anyway because he “just couldn’t vote for a Democrat.”_
Well, so long, Tony._
I wish these people well, really. I love them. But they cast votes that will impact my life in a very personal way, and I need to move on. I don’t wish to be with people with whom I can’t discuss the most important issue in my life. I did that all through my youth, and I vowed to never live like that again. I need to surround myself with people who not only give lip service to me but will actually support my welfare._
I don’t need to surround myself only with those people who think exactly like I do. I just want my friends to support me, and I want them to put their votes where their mouths are. Hell, I might even stop performing comedy in red states for a while. I have no desire, right now, to make those people laugh._
An Advocate.com exclusive, posted November 5, 2004_
Election Day 2004 was a sad day for my country, but it was also a sad day for me, because I lost a few good friends. They voted for Bush, and consequently I don’t think they can be my friends anymore._
I know you may say, “Can’t you just accept the opinions of others and move on? What’s the big deal?” Well, if the issue is the quality of a movie, taste in lawn ornaments, or even annoying family members, of course I can move on. I can accept basic political differences between Republican and Democrat. I accept bad breath._
But, I’m sorry, if you voted for Bush, I just don’t have room for you in my life anymore._
You may also say, “Come on, Jim, don’t take this personally.” Well, sorry, but it couldn’t be more personal. Bush is a man who empowered the most lunatic fringe segment of his party, the segment that wants to deny me the right to exist._
Yes, that’s right, to exist._
Bush and Co. have handed their party—lock, stock, and barrel—to Christian fundamentalists who want all protections for gay people taken off the books and their state constitutions amended so that no new protections can be adopted. Not only that, they want to go further. Don’t be fooled into thinking that they will stop with merely banning gay marriage. Jim DeMint, the newly elected senator from South Carolina, said during his campaign that he supports a state G.O.P. platform banning gays—and unmarried pregnant women—from teaching in public schools. Tom Coburn, the newly elected senator from Oklahoma, has advocated the death penalty for doctors who perform abortions and warned that “the gay agenda” would undermine the country._
What that “agenda” is, he didn’t say. But you catch the drift._
These are United States senators, folks, not merely small-town nuts running local school boards. These are people with more power than you or me. They can get nasty things done, and if left unchecked, they will._
It won’t stop with Congress—the judges are next. Tony Perkins of the right-wing Family Research Council said, “We will be carefully watching and examining the president’s judicial nominees to make sure they reflect the values that won on Tuesday,” which sounds not unlike the classic movie villain hissing, “Ve have vays to make you talk.”_
“Moral values” won. Values that Bush promotes and that do not include us. My relationship of 17 years has no value whatsoever to these people. It has value to my friends, even the friends who voted for Bush. But in the name of lower taxes or terrorism or better cat food or whatever, they still voted against me. So maybe they don’t value me that much after all._
Oliver, who has been one of my best friends for 25 years and who voted for Bush, tried to reassure me that I shouldn’t worry, that Bush was only trying to get the antigay marriage amendment passed to “shore up his base.” Well, his base has long since been shored up, and he’s just renewed his call for that very amendment. Oliver believes that Bush is a compassionate man who only wants the best for the country._
It’s time to reevaluate our relationship._
My friend Joanne is an Orthodox Jew whose main issue is the safety of Israel. She voted for Bush, apparently because she’s afraid Kerry doesn’t know where Israel is. Regardless of the fact that any contemporary president has to support Israel or face political death, Joanne believed Bush was stronger. She was willing to overlook the fact that Bush is an absolute disaster on everything, including Israel._
It’s time to reevaluate our relationship._
And my friend Tony, who has always been a Republican, doesn’t like Bush but voted for him anyway because he “just couldn’t vote for a Democrat.”_
Well, so long, Tony._
I wish these people well, really. I love them. But they cast votes that will impact my life in a very personal way, and I need to move on. I don’t wish to be with people with whom I can’t discuss the most important issue in my life. I did that all through my youth, and I vowed to never live like that again. I need to surround myself with people who not only give lip service to me but will actually support my welfare._
I don’t need to surround myself only with those people who think exactly like I do. I just want my friends to support me, and I want them to put their votes where their mouths are. Hell, I might even stop performing comedy in red states for a while. I have no desire, right now, to make those people laugh._
