babies and bathwater

making an unfortunate, and never to be repeated, mistake yesterday, i had (or tried to have) a political debate with my mother.  it was spurred by the fact that she was horrified to learn that i was voting for kerry, and i was even more horrified to learn that she was voting for bush (especially, since she lives in tennessee and it's a fairly important swing state).  i couldn't believe just how angry it made me that my own mother had been sucked into the right wing propaganda that infects the south.  she raved about what a horrible character kerry was, and how we have to stand behind our president, and that they should send michael moore (or, "that lying bastard") to prison.  of course, she had no facts to back any of this up, so it was pointless, absolutely pointless to try to have any sort of debate whatsoever.  what saddened me more, is that my younger brother is in the marines and will soon be shipped to one of two places, iraq or afghanistan.  a fact which, i think, causes my mother to actually put full faith in what she hears on the right wing talk shows that she listens to.  it's the only way for her to deal with the fact that he could possibly be killed...it would be impossible for her to think that he might die for the horrible reasons that he actually might die for.  the propaganda she listens to makes it sound noble, it makes sense of the entire situation, when the situation, in actuality, doesn't make sense at all.
i hung up the phone feeling tired, and beaten, and depressed.  even more depressing was my lack of faith in the "new" administration, or the "johns" as they've so affectionately been referred to.  unfortunately, i subscribe to the "anyone but bush" mentality, which is so rampant these days...and it make me incredibly sad, and nervous. 
so, bottom line, to keep my sanity...no more political discussions with my mother.  whatsoever.  period.