I Don’t Discuss Politics. I Bake Cookies Instead.
We are just a few days from the presidential election and the country is shrouded in red, white and blue as the autumnal winds romantically hiss to the tune of “The Star Spangled Banner.”
I wish I could say that it is a time when people from all walks of life, across a vast geographical area, hold hands and unite in solidarity to delve deeply into and debate thoughtfully the intricacies of policy, economics, society, technology, sustainability and education with the sophisticated goal of respectfully electing the next President of the United States of America.
I wish that I could say that.
But I can’t.
So I won’t.
More accurately, it is a time when seemingly good people, in what appears to be desperation, turn into liars and master the arts of oversimplification and taking shit out of context. It is a time when, after asking someone about the weather, you are cornered and giant spoonfuls of political propaganda are shoved down your throat.
Relentless, never-ending and persistent is the inescapable political prattling.
(I am typing this from under my bed covers in fear).
Nowhere is this more evident than on Facebook. We have all stopped updating our statuses with photos of how good we look or of our children in exchange for some vague and under-researched commentary concerning the most recent debate. And we all think that we are experts.
On one side of the race is a not-liberal-enough, gulag supporting, deficit building dude who wants to double the wealth of illegal immigrants in the U.S. On the other is an out-of-touch, super-rich, misogynist business man who will make it federal law for women to make dinner and carry guns to school.
I told you it was a case of oversimplification.
I am not a rich white middle aged male and thus the assumption tends to be that I am an Obama supporter because any respectable 30-year-old Mexican-American woman must be a Democrat.
Right?
Well I don’t discuss politics.
I bake instead.
After all, we all have our views and will make the most reasoned decisions we can. Let’s avoid the social drama and disagreement and keep things neutral as we enjoy some double chocolate chip cookies and let the electoral system do its job.
Happy Voting.
Now who wants a cookie? 
Gabriela is a child of the 80s, former lawyer and now a professional mom to two girls (3 and 2). She cooks, plays, sings, makes art, educates, acts silly, disciplines and tries to enjoy all the highs and lows of being a mom. She is teaching herself guitar and is always on a new diet and exercise routine. Originally from California, she left sunny San Diego because she fell in love with a traveling Irishman.
6 Comments
Stacey Levinson
November 2, 2012SO entertaining! Loved it. I do talk politics, although rarely on facebook, and I support talking about politics. But the BS has gotten out of control, as have the constant barrage of campaign ads. I wish I could bake, haha! But that would be bad for my jeans, so I’ll settle for Gymboree and a novel when the baby is napping. Thanks for sharing Gabriela!
Neil Chhabra
November 2, 2012I talked a lot of politics on Facebook back in 2008 when I was crazy inspired by the Obama campaign.
I thought that I could change people’s minds and truly thought it was was my civic duty to attempt to do so when I was completely convinced that Obama was a revolutionary, historical figure that was going change the corrupt, gridlocked practices of Washington.
I quickly realized that talking politics on Facebook changes no minds and only filled my day with more tension and conflict that a criminal defense trial lawyer and new father really needed. I also found, like Gabriela, that too many of these arguments were under-informed and laced with too much ego and emotion.
This is one reason I do not talk politics on Facebook.
That said, I think it is problematic that we as a society are generally reluctant to “talk politics” because discussing things that affect us all really IS a civic duty, it forces us to consider these things critically, to challenge our beliefs and to do our part as citizens to create the type of country we want to be.
The key is that winning the argument should not be our goal. Electing our guy should not be the goal. Improving our country should be our goal.
Zobeida
November 4, 2012It is very difficult to talk politics because people get so heated if you don’t agree with them. I don’t like to post anything about politics on Facebook and am very guarded when I do talk about politics in person. I tend to feel people out. I feel as nervous as I do when I am in a confessional. I honestly do not know who I am voting for or what I am voting for but if I were to announce that on my FB page I would get inundated with backlash as to how I am not doing my civic duty and am uneducated on the issues. In a world of free speech people have taken it to the extreme! I have seen friends be divided due to differing political opinions and quite frankly have felt ostracized by acquaintances because of my opinions. Not that I go around announcing them but I think people know that I am religious and go to Church on Sundays and am now apparently a Bible-thumping brainwashed Jesus freak. That being said sometimes I wish we could live in simpler times when people didn’t ask how much you made, what you paid for your house, or who you were going to vote for. Manners and chivalry have died in an attempt to let everyone have their say but with so many people having their say is anyone even listening?
Nadia
November 5, 2012Congrats on being published! Unfortunately, politics has always been dirty and will remain so. It is also a part of our lives whether we like it or not, discuss it or avoid it. 24 hour news coverage, online, seemingly faceless rants, social media and 1 second attention spans have made it worse though. Keep writing
Lindsay E
November 5, 2012I would love a cookie! Can I get a dozen?
I used to avoid discussing politics, but I think living in San Francisco for so many years has toughened me up a bit. I also know that I’m living in a bubble of like-minded people so I rarely come up against someone who I wholeheartedly disagree with. I guess it makes deciding which candidate to vote for easier, right?
I find it more interesting to discuss ballot measures (as there are quite a few just for San Francisco, and plenty for California) and if possible, have a “ballot party” a few weeks before the election so that I can split up the work of researching 20+ issues with 20 other people! We don’t discuss candidates in an effort to keep things civil and as a way to encourage people who usually don’t discuss politics to attend.
April
November 9, 2012There is a time and place for everything. Facebook isn’t a discussion board, it’s a social website. Keep things on there that you’re fine with the whole world to know…but just know that if you post something political, other people will agree or disagree. And respond.
I think we ought to be able to discuss the issues in our lives (political or otherwise). I often find that when I talk to people, very few people (myself included) know what is going on or can think of all the issues surrounding the topic. We can only learn to cooperate by having discussions. Yes, there are appropriate times and places for these things, so FB and holiday dinners may generally be considered a good time to be “politics free”. But ignoring politics completely isn’t a good idea. We’ve fought too hard for rights to let others make our decisions.
So I say, bring cookies and lets discuss something. We can ease into the conversation with lighter topics and make a choice of who we are willing to share our opinions (& cookies!) with, but we must keep a dialogue going.