My racist, homophobic, bigoted grandmother is in town.
No more than 30 minutes after arriving, she pushed me into a discussion about politics. If you can’t tell from my description of her, she’s a staunch Republican. Even for Central Louisiana, she’s a religious whacko.
I can’t describe what was said without using the word cunt, so I’m just going to recreate what was said with as little commentary as possible.
Rita: So what’s your opinion of the Presidential candidates?
Reed: (Shifting uncomfortably on the couch: ) Well, I’m not gung-ho about any of the candidates. I think all three of them are mediocre at best, as far as leadership quality goes. I liked Rudy and I tried to back McCain for a little while, but in the end, I think Obama is the least of the three evils.
Rita: (As if she just sucked on an under-ripe lemon: ) You want to fill the White House with a bunch of pickaninnies running around?
I’m trying my hardest not to slap her.
Religion ruins people.
Aah Jefferson. It’s weird how he called things like the slave trade “execrable,” yet owned hundreds of slaves anyway!
As for your grandmother, I think everyone has at least one racist grandparent. My grandfather (dad’s side of the family, who not surprisingly live in Arkansas) is a horrid racist who believes black people are intellectually inferior because of genes.
Comment by Foth — 23 May 2008 @ 6:17 pm
Aside from anything, who would you vote for?
Me? I’d vote for Hillary or Obama; but Hillary doesn’t look so hot at the minute, and Obama apparently (at least according to a post on your old blog, Reed) is a racist (or at least belongs to a megachurch with a racist pastor). Tough call.
But, since I’m only a British citizen, I cannot vote. I voted for Johnson in the London By-Election and he came out on top, as you no doubt are aware.
As far as America goes, I’d vote Liberal. As for Great Britain, I’d vote Tory, because they seem to be similar to the US Liberals. I know that means I’m a right-winger in Britain, but before anyone far-left screams at me, bear in mind that the Tories are NOT Republicans – they are not religiously conservative, merely politically conservative (and to the right extent as opposed to too much).
Comment by Tom — 23 May 2008 @ 7:40 pm
Oh, anyway.
WE TOOK CREWE!!! YES!
Also, cocks.
Comment by Tom — 23 May 2008 @ 7:41 pm
Tom,
Obama’s pastor, who he was very reluctant to sever ties with, is a racist. Obama himself is not. In the political spotlight, you are who you associate with.
Foth,
My Arkansan grandparents (Dad’s family) are some of the most compassionate and tolerant people I know. They’re a great inspiration to me. It’s rare to find such tolerance in Arkansas, but it’s there.
Comment by Rev. Reed Braden — 23 May 2008 @ 8:16 pm
I wasn’t trying to say that I believe that your grandmother is intrinsically racist, as if there is some racist gene we have yet to discover. My point is that your grandmother is intrinsically corrupt. Look at almost anyone and you will see people trying to justify their own worth by belittling others. Whites and Blacks, North and South, Republican and Democrat, Women and Men, Christians and non-Christians…the list could go on and on.
Virtually everything can be abused, and the Bible is no different. In my opinion, your grandmother is elevating herself by tearing others down, and by thinking of herself as more deserving of “grace.” Sadly, it is common amongst a lot of Christians, and no one exposed the hypocrisy of Southern Christians than Flannery O’Connor. I would drop some Miss O’Connor on your grandmother and see what she does with that.
It is a terrible misunderstanding of grace and the Bible to use it to tear down others. As I have said to Reed in the past, I don’t think I am better than him at all. I disagree with some of his lifestyle choices, but I would openly confess to my own faults. The whole point of God choosing the Jews wasn’t that they were the most awesome race or powerful; it was that they were a small, nothing tribe, undeserving of his grace, just like me, like your grandmother and everyone else in the world.
Comment by Trey — 23 May 2008 @ 11:37 pm
the greatest generation my warty ass! I love how they’re all dying off right now.
Comment by Kevin — 1 June 2008 @ 10:06 pm
[...] must admit I have a strong connection to Arkansas. My grandparents (not the racist ones), my aunt and uncle and their four wonderful children, and many other fantastic Bradens, Blackmons [...]
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