"You're making me not wanna vote"

I have a democrat friend. I know her since we are six and she is a democrat. I think that she doesn’t know why she is a democrat, but never the less she is one. She asked me a few days ago if I believe in evolution. She asked it in the context of a republican vs. democrat argument, and then simply asked “do you believe in evolution?” I said no. Then I got to thinking.

I have read very little on the topic of evolution but from what I have read, I understand that there are gaps in the fossil record. As a person who believes in an omnipotent creator and in the validity of the old testament – I do not believe in evolution. She does believe in “a God”, I guess she believes that God created evolution. I don’t know, our discussion was not that deep.

This friend and I were in the same class from 3-8^th grade and yet we turned out very different. Is it I who changed so dramatically from my “proud to be an American” roots? Or was it her proud immigrant status that she ditched to become a tree hugger?

It got me to thinking about my pre-pubescent education, at least what I remember about it.

I remember:

3 grade – I was taught that white people are racist. Black people were mistreated in America but then Martin Luther King Jr. was born and taught the white man not to be racist.

I remember coming home and telling my older sister (I was 8, she was 18) that white people are disgusting and racist. My sister informed me that there are some black racists as well. I was never so shocked in my life.

I read books sometimes where people discuss things from there youth and think ‘there is no way they remember that conversation’, but I lucidly recall this conversation as I truly believe it changed my outlook on so many thinks.

4 grade – I was taught in ancient history that people used to be pagans. Paganism means you can believe in more then one god. People back then were a lot more understanding and open minded then people today. It was the equivalent (as per my teacher) of wearing a “cross and a star of David on the same necklace”.

4 grade – My Jewish teacher made a class “holiday” party in December

5 grade – My Italian (I guess Catholic) teacher made a class Christmas party.

7 grade – Reading the Monkey Trial as a class. A story about the backwards bible wielding crusaders tried to prevent a teacher from teaching evolution. I will never forget that in that book I learned the argument of ‘how could God have created the world in 7 days when the sun didn’t exist till day 3’.

8 grade – Israel and Palestine do in fact co-exists. I don’t remember the exact context of this great insight, but I have my year book to prove this.

In any case I now realize that it was not my friend who left the fold of her youth. It was me, and I am forever proud and grateful that I have had teachers beyond that point in my life that taught me that endless giving is not necessarily good and that having a gun is not necessarily bad. It’s quite upside down.

In the end – After a heated discussion ranging from Roe V. Wade to partial birth abortions, I told my friend that I do not in fact believe in evolution and asked if she is pro her tax dollars going to welfare? She said “I am pro some social programs” I told her that that was not my questions and asked again if she was pro welfare, when she said “You know, you're making me not wanna vote”. I said that with her, that’s the best I can hope for :)