Why I Never Should Disclose my Vote for President
When I went away to Lafayette College at age 16, my father told me never to talk about two things – politics and religion. And I was pretty good about it, still am. You talk about politics and religion, and you often get into bitter arguments and make enemies.
So, I was at my favorite Oakland restaurant last Friday night sitting at the bar with the friends I always meet there Friday nights, and I couldn’t help noticing a young woman to my left reading a book and writing notes in a notebook. This was unusual behavior at a bar, but not weird. It was charming.
In addition to being a journalist, I was an academic and I was intrigued by what she was doing, so I asked if she was writing an academic article. She said yes, and we started chatting about her subject.
Turns out she is on faculty at an elite university in the eastern part of the U.S. and I found her smart, engaging, charming. Until the worst thing happened.
Like a schmuck I mentioned I did not vote for president. I couldn’t vote for Trump, but I also couldn’t vote for Harris. I left that part of the ballot blank. Maybe I had one glass of wine too many to reveal this, and I could hear my dad in my head telling me I violated one of his rules by opening my big mouth.
Suddenly, the nice woman to my left changed. Her mouth tightened and she eyeballed me like I was a Neanderthal – not that I’m prejudiced against Neanderthals. She asked what I had against Harris. As I started babbling nervously and couldn’t come up with a reason which satisfied her, I watched as she gathered up her books, put on her jacket and walked right out of the restaurant without saying good night or exclaiming how much she enjoyed my company. My friend to my right said, “I think you might have offended her.”
You think?
I’m deeply sorry and if ever I meet her again – although I can’t imagine her returning to that restaurant on the off-chance of meeting me – well, if I ever see her again, I will apologize profusely and kneel at her feet.
And I promise never to talk about my non-vote for president ever again, although I just told all of you about it. Whoops!
When I’m spending time friends we know those topics are off base otherwise it can get ugly. What I do notice is the liberal folks are less tolerant of differing views. Example, during Covid my wife and I golfed with a couple who are great people that are democrats. Covid vaccines came up and we spoke of Texas not requiring it. The couple’s wife states “I hope they all die then”, forgetting our daughter and grand kids live there. She did backtrack when she realized it…… I just don’t get the utter hatred from liberal democrats.
Too many times I have gone down this rabbit hole myself. A good reminder in especially charged times (in Canada at least ) that neither is worth a friendship or even family