A Pilgrim’s Digression

Just before lunch this afternoon, I attended what I thought was going to be another ordinary meeting, but before it ever began, the subject of politics came up. Why do people bring up the subject of politics amongst a group of relative strangers? And why is it almost always Democrats who do this?

Five of us were sitting around a table waiting for everyone to arrive, and the Creative Writer said to the Supervisor, “Have you seen the cover of this week’s New Yorker?” She said, “No.

He said, “Oh, it’s hilarious. Cheney is having his blood pressure checked, and the blood pressure gauge is color-coded like the Terrorism Threat Level.” The Supervisor laughed, and I thought this would be the end of it, but the Creative Writer said, “Well, you saw that Cheney came out the other day and said he thought the issue of gay marriage should be left up to the states?” The Supervisor said, “Yeah, but the other half of the Administration supports the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.” The Creative Writer said, “This is an administration that swings both ways.” Everyone laughed. I just smiled and looked down at the table.

The Supervisor said, “There aren’t any Republicans here, are there? We’re all on the same side, right?” She was looking around at all of us. No one said anything. Then she looked at me and said, “You’re not a Republican are you?” I was stunned for a moment. How does one answer that question from a superior? If I decline to answer, everyone will think I’m a plant from the Heritage Foundation. If I answer it honestly, everyone will be certain in their minds that I am a plant from the Heritage Foundation.

I said, “I’m a registered Republican …”

Suddenly, the smiles were all gone. Silence prevailed over all.

“… but I don’t always vote that way …”

More silence.

” … I voted for Al Gore in 2000 …”

A slight smile from the Creative Writer. Others are busily trying to look through walls.

“… I voted for McCain in the 2000 primary. But previously, I voted Republican throughout the nineties.”

“So how are you leaning this year?” The creative writer asked, with a tinge of sarcasm, I think. Or was it contempt?

I said, “Well, towards Kerry. I’ve never really liked Bush, and I would be voting against him rather than for Kerry.”

No one seemed put at ease by this admission. The Supervisor broke the tension by calling the meeting to order early, and I sat there for the entire meeting wondering if I had just blown my promotion potential for the next ten years. What were they all thinking right now? I made an extra effort to contribute to the meeting, as if to make up for my faux pas of admitting that I was a Republican, but even so I still felt as if I had just come out as gay to a group of homophobes, or revealed that I have African ancestors to a koven of KKK members.

Am I wrong, or are Democrats worse than Republicans about inserting partisan politics into every conversation, regardless of whether the audience might be mixed or not? I think Democrats are worse. I do know one Republican who can make a liberal feel pretty guilty about their political leanings by the comments he makes, but overall, my experience has been that Republicans keep their politics to themselves except in the company of other Republicans. You can interchange Republican for Conservative, Liberal for Democrat, and I don’t think it makes a difference.

I keep my politics to myself, unless I am in the company of people whom I know well. I think it was entirely inappropriate to broach the subject at work. The Creative Writer probably thought he could score some brownie points with the boss because he knew of her liberal leanings. However, it was the wrong place, the wrong time, and the wrong audience for that, in my opinion.