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catscradle Jul. 25th, 2006 10:35 am)
catscradle Jul. 25th, 2006 10:35 am)So yesterday I called dad and we chatted for about an hour. Typically we don't talk long because he can't hear too well over the phone - He lost a good deal of his hearing working in the steel mills. Usually he'll go "So um, wanna talk to your mother?" and pass me off. But not yesterday, which was nice. Must have had a good connection.
Anyway, we got to talking about companies and how they get away with murder. A few years ago the old steel mill dad worked for filed for bankrupcy and a judge decided that they didn't have to pay out on any life insurance they promised to their retired workers. Dad lost a 100K policy, but fortunately had a backup plan. Most didn't. I made a quip about the Bush administration not giving a rat's ass about it, and dad agreed. Give me an inch and I'll swim all over the place. So I asked him why he thought people like mom still voted for the guy when it was obvious Bush didn't care a wit about whether we lived or died. Dad said something amazing for dad. He said he thought it was because of the churches.
Now dad is a very, VERY religious guy. Every Wednesday morning at 2:30 AM he goes to church to pray for an hour - part of an eternal vigil - there's always someone there praying as long as a Mass isn't going on. They sign up for shifts, so dad took one that few wanted, plus he fills in for people if they can't make it. He takes it all very seriously. So dad criticizing the Church is a big deal.
Dad said that the priest at our old church (not the same one mentioned above) was telling people they should vote for Bush because he's against abortion and supports family values, et cetera. Pissed Dad off and aparently a few other people that won't go back to that church. Dad's very vehement that the churches needs to "stay the hell out of politics." That's a direct quote. He also sees the hypocrasy in being anti-abortion and not mind so much starting wars and slaughtering thousands of people. Don't get me wrong, Dad is totally an anti-abortion right-to-lifer type (though thankfully not an activist)- but at least he's not picking and choosing what lives based on convenience. Where so many people think Bush is the Christian choice, dad pretty much sees him as the Antichrist.
Honestly, after listening to dad for years, I never thought I'd hear him talk like this. There's always hope :)
Anyway, we got to talking about companies and how they get away with murder. A few years ago the old steel mill dad worked for filed for bankrupcy and a judge decided that they didn't have to pay out on any life insurance they promised to their retired workers. Dad lost a 100K policy, but fortunately had a backup plan. Most didn't. I made a quip about the Bush administration not giving a rat's ass about it, and dad agreed. Give me an inch and I'll swim all over the place. So I asked him why he thought people like mom still voted for the guy when it was obvious Bush didn't care a wit about whether we lived or died. Dad said something amazing for dad. He said he thought it was because of the churches.
Now dad is a very, VERY religious guy. Every Wednesday morning at 2:30 AM he goes to church to pray for an hour - part of an eternal vigil - there's always someone there praying as long as a Mass isn't going on. They sign up for shifts, so dad took one that few wanted, plus he fills in for people if they can't make it. He takes it all very seriously. So dad criticizing the Church is a big deal.
Dad said that the priest at our old church (not the same one mentioned above) was telling people they should vote for Bush because he's against abortion and supports family values, et cetera. Pissed Dad off and aparently a few other people that won't go back to that church. Dad's very vehement that the churches needs to "stay the hell out of politics." That's a direct quote. He also sees the hypocrasy in being anti-abortion and not mind so much starting wars and slaughtering thousands of people. Don't get me wrong, Dad is totally an anti-abortion right-to-lifer type (though thankfully not an activist)- but at least he's not picking and choosing what lives based on convenience. Where so many people think Bush is the Christian choice, dad pretty much sees him as the Antichrist.
Honestly, after listening to dad for years, I never thought I'd hear him talk like this. There's always hope :)
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