My Mom, the closet Republican

I learnt yesterday that my Mom would have voted for George Bush if she were American. Thank Galaxy for small miracles.

Via Wonkette, here's an WP article about 'The Art of Telling Parties Apart'. Yes, its an art. And No, you don't ask them for a party affiliation. Neither do you ask them who they vote for. Its easier than that, says Tom Goeglin, deputy chief of staff to Karl Rove. You just ask them a simple question - what do your want your children to be when they grow up? - "Our party, in the way it is constituted, we think of medicine, we think of law, we think of business. We don't think, gee, I hope my son grows up to be a great playwright or painter or poet," he explained. (What about NASCAR drivers though? You mean you don't want your son to be a NASCAR driver?)

Conservative author Mark Helprin(who obviously did not become what his parents wanted him to become) chirps in - "The arts community is generally dominated by liberals because if you are concerned mainly with painting or sculpture, you don't have time to study how the world works. And if you have no understanding of economics, strategy, history and politics, then naturally you would be a liberal."
But ofcourse! (But Mark, what about religion? You think we liberals have an understanding of that?)

Anyways, once I read this piece, a sneaking suspicion started creeping into my mind. What did my mother want me to be? - "You want to study what? History - are you mad? Whats the utility value? Literature, you say? I knew I should never have bought you all those books. They completely messed you up. What am I going to do now? Why can't you be a doctor like that Hari uncle's son? Or maybe an engineer - thats good too. You will be a productive member of society. Anyway its not like you aren't good at Math & Science. If you don't become an engineer what will people say?"

There could only be one explanation for all this. Didn't Tom just tell me? But why do I still refuse to believe? On my way back home yesternight, I laid my plans and thought of the best way to confront my mother. I sneaked into the kitchen numerous times and tried to deduce whether she was a right wing lunatic from the way she was making appams, but couldn't reach a decision one way or the other. Finally, after gobbling up some six appams(with egg curry), I finally mustered some courage.

"Amma. Where do you stand on abortion?"

"What?"

"You know how I was explaining to you the abortion debate that happens in this country. Pro-life, pro-choice, all that. What do you think?"

"Why?"

"Just asking"

"Is everything alright?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you alright?"

"No ma, I am not pregnant if thats what you are asking"

"No, no. Not that". Definite relief in her voice.

"So, where do you stand?"

"Well, people just can't keep aborting, can they? I mean, they have to be more responsible that that. I think its all because of the culture here."

"Ah!"

So there it was. Finally. Thanks Tom for letting me know. Trust me, its really that easy. Run along and ask your moms.