Thursday, June 21, 2007

LOVE-HATE


Have you ever seen the movie Night of the Hunter starring Robert Mitchum? It is a creepy film-noirish classic about a wacked-out preacher. He has love-hate tattooed on his fists. Eventually this look was replicated by rappers, rockers and punks everywhere. Anyway, when I was little our Nana made the best apple cake. It was this awesome apple pie-like concoction that was kept in her pantry in a large deep cookie pan. The apples were not too sweet with just enough cinnamon. The crust was perfect: chewy not too flaky. It was perhaps my favorite thing in the world as a child. I used to say "I love Nana's apple cake." My dad, always the pragmatist, soon put a stop to that. He would answer "You obviously like Nana's apple cake a lot but you can't love an inanimate object. Love and hate are very strong words that are reserved for people." I quickly replaced love with 'strongly like', 'adore', 'admire', etc when speaking of food, clothing and carnival rides at Fairy Land. We grew up in a household where we freely said that we loved each other. We still say it today. My nieces say it before they hang up the phone and I'll teach it to my kids. But then there's the hate issue.

Today I looked at the front page of the newspaper as I bought my croissant and bananas at Jo's. I saw that Bush had vetoed the embryonic stem cell research bill. I felt the H-word rising in my throat. I will freely say that I think he's an idiot. He is perhaps the worst president in the recent history of this country. He has no vision of the big picture and runs amok with his sniveling, snide, snorting remarks to his "folks" out there who still will listen to him. Aside: Is there anyone out there that still supports him? Because if there is, I would be interested in hearing - in a sane logical conversation - why! I bite my tongue when I hear his name - oh, how I want to use the H-word. I don't want my kids to grow up using it where people are concerned. They are free to hate homework, brussel sprouts and prune juice but we'll have to employ 'loathe', 'strongly dislike' and 'abhor' when it comes to people. It takes way too much energy to hate and so I'll end this by saying that I detest George Bush with a passion. AND, I'd like to see what he would do if Barbara SR and her big ole' pearls came down with Alzheimer's or dear daddy George developed Parkinson's. Or how about HIS precious twins? Would he start singing Nancy Reagan's tune if one of the girl's went blind or perhaps lost a limb or became paralyzed? Hmmmm.

3 comments:

Bookhart said...

I'm heartened somewhat to read that his approval ratings are at 30% or less, and then I think, "there are STILL people out there who approve of him?" The mind boggles. Worst. President. Ever.

Karla said...

I admire your distinction in the use of love hate. I am not as nice as you obviously, because i feel in my heart that I hate that man with the fiery passion of a thousand suns. (Though i honeslty think his wife is pretty cool...) I can't even stand to hear his voice...which, luckily, living where I do, I don't HAVE to hear him as much as y'all end up doing.

Why do you think I have not been TOO insistent on coming home, though it is my dearest wish? Because I just can't STAND what is happening to my beloved homeland....and he has ruined the US in the eyes of the world. Used to be people would be happy and curious to meet a Texan, now I sometimes see pity or even revulsion in their eyes when I say where i am from.

And here he goes and vetos a bill that the people WANT because of his own misguided "morals" about "life" while he kills thousands across the world?

Karla May said...

Everytime I pass a car in traffic that has a "W--The President" or a Bush/Cheney or some other type of Bush-supporting bumper sticker on it, I look at the person driving that car. I want to see with my own eyes who it is who is still in support of this moron/bully/ass clown of a man. SURPRISE: They are ALWAYS white, usually male (but about 35% of the time, they're not), and usually driving some expensive, large SUV. I sit there and look at them and just wonder, "How? How COULD you? What about this fucked up administration and its horrible choices makes you admire it?"

I will never, ever understand. I DO hate him. For his arrogance. His ignorance. His hypocrisy. His snide attitude. His inability to admit fault. His shitty public speaking skilss. And of course, for claiming to be a Texan.

I agree with Bookhart: worst. president. ever.