I was thinking about the annoying conversation between my co-workers as I was cooking my delicious cow-on-a-bun for dinner. I keep my mouth shut all the time at work. Despite the fact that we're on a freakin' military post and people around here should value and respect the USA, I never talk about politics or things that I think aren't good office talk. I respect my German co-worker and don't want to make a fuss. But do they even consider for a moment that maybe I'm not turning cartwheels at the thought of John Kerry? Nope. Completely unprovoked, out of the stinkin' blue, my officemate says, "Do you think Bush already has Bin Ladin?" Immediately, without taking a breath, I answered with a firm "no." To which the other officemate supplied a "yes." I looked at both of them and said, "You can't really be serious?" and they said that they were, that they had heard that this might be true. They heard it, like it's on the same level as rumors about whether Johnny made out with Susie over the weekend or whether we're getting a Subway in the old Bookmark building here on post. I looked at the American co-worker and said, "Do you really have such little faith in your own government?" and he said, "I do if Bush is in charge." And that was the end of the conversation.

I have never brought up politics in our office, and I've made it a point not to say anything unless asked a direct question, but they have to be warming up to the idea that I'm not a Bush-hater. I already know that they are both extreme Bush-haters; in fact, my one co-worker who is a German with American citizenship through marriage, and who has never lived in the US, is going to register to vote for her very first time ever just so she can vote against Bush. (That really pisses me off.) I am just waiting for the day that someone asks me outright who I'm voting for.

So while I was cooking my beef, I started thinking about how many DVDs you'd have to offer me to vote for Kerry. The number is much much higher than how many I'd give to talk to my husband. I can safely say that if someone offered me $100 to vote for Kerry this year, I would turn it down. So I raised the bar in my mind: would I take $1000 to vote for Kerry? In my janky little part-time job, I make roughly $1000 per month (oh god that's ridiculous for someone with a Masters Degree.) Would I give up the chance for an extra month's pay to vote Kerry? You bet your sweet bippy. I would sacrifice one month's pay to have an extra four years of President Bush instead of Kerry.

Wait til my co-workers hear that one.

Posted by: Sarah at 03:07 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 493 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Don't worry, Sarah, I'm registering for the first time to vote in a Presidential election so I can vote for BUSH!! I'll cancel her out for you.

Posted by: Oda Mae at March 15, 2004 05:07 PM (Wdo4K)

2 About ten trillion dollars is right, I think. Then you could do the job that Kerry won't. Or buy a lot of DVDs...

Posted by: Pixy Misa at March 15, 2004 09:10 PM (+S1Ft)

3 I'm reminded by something my cranky but sharp as a tack granny always said--- you can respect other people's opinions without giving up your own dignity. Seems to me that there's little commednable in biting back your tongue for the sake of making nice in a public environement (i.e. work). Politics is a public realm as it is, voicing your opinion among the opinions of others is what politics is all about. If other people invade your space by making assumptions and assume alliances that aren't there and you don't call them up on it, you've only yourself to blame. It isn't their fault that you don't say your piece and go home fuming. It's yours. The key is to be both respectful of them and yourself. You do yourself a grave disservice by keeping silent. Speak up.

Posted by: Crystal at March 15, 2004 09:35 PM (s6c4t)

4 Crystal, that's beautiful. Oh, and, Sarah, 1,000 bucks?! Go for it! If that's what it takes, we'll chip in!

Posted by: Tuning Spork at March 16, 2004 12:38 AM (PucHz)

5 I'd give up a years pay, if not more. Also, I've convinced two co-workers, as well as a childhood friend, all whom have never voted, to register this year. I hope they vote for Bush, and I talk to them about politics when they ask, but they haven't said who they'd vote for.

Posted by: Blueshift at March 16, 2004 05:51 AM (crTpS)

6 You want to get your point across without having to say an actual word? Just show your co-workers this advertisement. They'll be shocked.

Posted by: CavalierX at March 16, 2004 04:28 PM (R9DSb)

Hide Comments | Add Comment