Two kinds

Also, part of tonight was a study in two different kinds of conservative Republicans (obviously, there are more than two different kinds, I just happened to be seated across from two people). A friend's girlfriend, J, is a self-proclaimed financial and governmental conservative/social liberal. She and I had a really interesting and fruitful discussion wherein we were able to espouse polar opposite views yet each maintain an open mind and civility. It was truly lovely. T, the gentleman who happened to be seated next to her (neither her boyfriend nor my friend) was, imo, a perfect example of the type who gives any party/affiliation a bad name. Of course, there was plenty of alcohol involved, so he probably deserves some benefit of the doubt, but even J admitted that he was certainly not helping her cause. J and I would pin point a very specific issue on which we disagreed, and then elaborate on the "facts" as we knew them, how we came to believe the things we believed on said issue, etc. T would jump in with a loud overgeneralization, which, more often than not, had nothing to do with whatever J and I were discussing. It was frustrating, but made J seem all the more reasonable, even when she was saying things like, "The liberal media..." Anyway, despite the fact that I now reside in "the dirty dirty" I have found myself far more surrounded by liberals here than I ever was at Case. So it was interesting and refreshing to hear first hand the sorts of arguments I've been astounded by in mainstream (and not so mainstream) newspapers, radio, and television.