"STFU"

A Reply to a Republican Family Member and Others:

I know you know how strongly I disliked Bush during the majority of his term, and the many reasons cited, not the least of which being the Patriot Act. I know you're Republican, and I know I'm not. My grievances grew over the course of years, not days, and emails like this, pictures like this, are simply grotesque. Do I disagree with stuff happening? Sure I do. Do I think this hyperbole you keep forwarding is a thoughtful rebuttal of Obama policies? Hell no. It's the same partisan tripe.

The slander machine was fast at work blaming him for all sorts of things before he even won the freaking election. It's sick, but it's apparently how things will continue to operate between the two ridiculous factions we call our democracy. The 'statistics' in this forward could be just as easily skewed against the two Bush elections. That's what most statistics are: malleable tools used to fit someone's version of the 'facts'.

And honestly, I'm offended that even with my serious grievances over serious issues building on the course of years, you seem to be determined to out-produce me before Obama can even finish out a fraction of that time in office. It makes me sick. This country was in trouble long before he took office, Republicans just didn't seem to care until a Democrat got back in the White House. It rings very false to my ears. Hollow breast-beating, useless gesturing, ravening about rights lost and liberty dying.

Maybe you could have cared more when documents were being produced that were doing just that, because you slavishly believed that Bush could do no wrong the same way so many slavish democrats think Obama can do no wrong. Seemingly disastrous fiscal policies aside (which it seems both Bush and Obama are in accord on, so please, don't sic the lynch mob on him just yet), I'm anxious to see what might be done to secure our liberty or further rob it. Have no doubt, if Obama starts passing his own Patriot Acts, Military Commision Acts, and so on, then I will be at the front of the line shouting for his impeachment the way I did for Bush's. It just hasn't happened. God willing, it won't.

Finally...

I didn't hide my opinions, and I don't think you should be denied your own either, but I wasn't visiting them on your inbox on a daily basis, so please just stop. Create a blog or use your Facebook, where I can feel free to read or not read them, as I already know before even opening the mails precisely where you stand.

If Shakespeare were alive today, he might have immortalized the popular internet acronym as "Stow Thy Faux Umbrage."