October 9, 2006
Who knows? Nature in my case. I grew up in a ridiculously apolitical house, although my parents always voted. They find it fascinating that I've had a serious political jones my entire adult life.
Right now, wish I didn't...
Posted by: shortstop on October 9, 2006 at 12:55 PM | PERMALINK
what a story ... that kid will be scary when he grows up.
And when he does, it will be the ultimate test of whether politically liberal parents produce politically liberal kids. What will happen if that kind of mind becomes the next Karl Rove?
(come to think of it, what was Karl Rove's favorite bedtime story at the tender age of 3? anyone know?)
Posted by: Diana on October 9, 2006 at 1:03 PM | PERMALINK
(come to think of it, what was Karl Rove's favorite bedtime story at the tender age of 3? anyone know?)
He had several. Mein Kampf (oh, screw you, Godwin), The Prince, Solitary Sex: A Cultural History of Masturbation, and the Cracker Barrel children's menu.
Posted by: shortstop on October 9, 2006 at 1:10 PM | PERMALINK
Shorter AL:
My biological parents were jackasses too. But they raised me. Not enough data to blame Clinton yet.
Posted by: shorter Al on October 9, 2006 at 1:12 PM | PERMALINK
Certainly nature. When I was in 9 years old I learned I was a liberal.
Posted by: SweettP2063 on October 9, 2006 at 1:22 PM | PERMALINK
I'm casting my vote for "Nature" as well. We were not overtly political while my husband was still active duty.
We were en route from one billet to the next, in a Best Western in Hays, Kansas, and Nightline was on. Donna Shalala was being interviewed about something, and our ten year old (at the time) son sat up and slapped the bed and said "You speak the gospel, Sister Shalala."
Posted by: Global Citizen on October 9, 2006 at 1:29 PM | PERMALINK
I learned I was a liberal at a tender young age. I always peeled the paper off of the flesh, crayon every time I got a new box of 'em.
Posted by: Global Citizen on October 9, 2006 at 1:32 PM | PERMALINK
As in everything else, the answer is usually both.
My family never talked about politics. But they watched the evening news every night. From a very tender age, I can clearly remember seeing the little counter in the corner of the screen every night, tracking the number of days the hostages had been held in Iran.
I thought Reagan was a no-good phony from day one. Of course, at age 6 no one took my opinion very seriously.
Posted by: ajl on October 9, 2006 at 1:32 PM | PERMALINK
I bet there are conservalooney camps for "deprogramming" liberals.
Posted by: craigie on October 9, 2006 at 1:32 PM | PERMALINK
I always peeled the paper off of the flesh
did you rub the lotion on it, first?
Posted by: cleek on October 9, 2006 at 1:33 PM | PERMALINK
I often think it's comical
How Nature always does contrive
That every boy and every gal
Thats born into the world alive
Is either a little Liberal
Or else a little Conservative
Posted by: JS on October 9, 2006 at 1:34 PM | PERMALINK
Or, it's sounds like daddy was caught up in something so intensely, that in this case is his work, that the child found that in order to get any attention at all from daddy, that child had to show a shared interest, anything so that daddy and child could form a common bond.
Unless this child is some kind of prodigy, my advised would to put away the book for a day, because the child has notice the book comes first and thus taken the book from daddy, so some genuine quality time is order. The politics will be there tomorrow but little kids, they just grow up way to fast.
Posted by: Cheryl on October 9, 2006 at 1:34 PM | PERMALINK
Cheryl...oh, never mind.
I bet there are conservalooney camps for "deprogramming" liberals.
I'd sign up in a mo' if they were designed to prevent campers from thinking about politics and our down-the-rabbit-hole national situation night and day. Alas, they just reprogram you into a Night of the Living Winger figure. Not even shooting them in the head works with that disease, as we discovered on Cheney's hunting trip.
Enough of this for one day. There's a whole big world out there...
Posted by: shortstop on October 9, 2006 at 1:39 PM | PERMALINK
My parents were pretty liberal at heart.
But they are also both racists. (oh they'll deny it - but they're still pretty xenophobic.)
Posted by: Osama_Been_Forgotten on October 9, 2006 at 1:41 PM | PERMALINK
Hello,
This is a great blog. I'm going to be sure to link yours to mine. Would you mind doing the same for me?
Thank you very much.
My site:
www.americanlegends.blogspot.com
Take care,
Mark
Posted by: J. Mark English on October 9, 2006 at 1:42 PM | PERMALINK
Without being quite as judgmental, I think Cheryl is somewhat correct. I just think its the kid mimicking the parent to a certain extent. Doesn't mean the parent is disengaged, but that the kid wants to be involved with the stuff Dad's into.
Also makes it clear as to why Jenna and Not-Jenna are such partiers, eh? I imagine they were pretending to tip the vodka bottle at a young age.
Posted by: Doug-E-Fresh on October 9, 2006 at 1:45 PM | PERMALINK
Doug-E-Fresh >"...I just think its the kid mimicking the parent to a certain extent..."
Probably closest to reality. Kids do pattern after all but that isn`t really exciting as a theory to build an academic movement around & requires too much explanation for a 30 second sound bite.
"There is no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth." - Richard Avedon
Posted by: daCascadian on October 9, 2006 at 1:54 PM | PERMALINK
Kevin: Nature or nurture? You decide.
My decision is that, better suited to Myspace or YouTube, Kos' post about his young son's fascination with a political almanac was an act of pure vanity, perhaps partially redeemed by the marginal interest of his readers. On the other hand, your post about it is pure filler and laziness, further indicating your disconnection from those whose work consists of relentless toil and danger.
Posted by: Efficiency Expert on October 9, 2006 at 2:16 PM | PERMALINK
I'd call it nurture since that was the book that was laying around the house, he didn't go out and find it at the library.
But Cheryl, above, may have it closer to the mark.
Posted by: cld on October 9, 2006 at 2:31 PM | PERMALINK
I'd call it nurture since that was the book that was laying around the house, he didn't go out and find it at the library.
But Cheryl, above, may have it closer to the mark. Posted by: cld
I must concur. Sad. The last thing I want my five-year old interested in is politics. Then again, there is certain symmetry to the situation - most politians seem to have the same moral grasp and attention spans of pre-schoolers (see Piaget).
I've got the 9-year old convinced the Bush is the anti-Christ. That's enough for now.
Posted by: JeffII on October 9, 2006 at 3:17 PM | PERMALINK
I blame my liberalism on the teachings of Jesus. He may have been a wacko with a messiah complex, but he sure had some excellent ideas about how humans should treat each other. The early christians were socialists. Once the church attained power and wealth, it started selling out to the plutocrats.
Posted by: Michael7843853 G-O in 08! on October 9, 2006 at 3:25 PM | PERMALINK
My decision is that, better suited to Myspace or YouTube, Kos' post about his young son's fascination with a political almanac was an act of pure vanity, perhaps partially redeemed by the marginal interest of his readers.
Horseshit. We old-timers waited with bated breath when Elisa was in labor. The community was much smaller then, but Kos has posted the occasional pic since Ari was born, and it's always a joy.
Posted by: hamletta on October 9, 2006 at 3:32 PM | PERMALINK
Actually, some political scientists did a really cool twin study that suggests a very powerful role for nature:
http://www.apsanet.org/imgtest/geneticsAPSR0505release.pdf
Posted by: Steve on October 9, 2006 at 3:33 PM | PERMALINK
An example of how the fundies nurture their young. According to the 'Liberty University' website concerning the sermon on the mount, when Jesus said 'turn the other cheek', among other things, he was saying that personal injury lawsuits were wrong. LOL!
Posted by: Michael7843853 G-O in 08! on October 9, 2006 at 3:37 PM | PERMALINK
Horseshit. We old-timers waited with bated breath when Elisa was in labor. The community was much smaller then, but Kos has posted the occasional pic since Ari was born, and it's always a joy. Posted by: hamletta
". . . waited with bated breath . . ."?
Get a life.
Posted by: JeffII on October 9, 2006 at 3:52 PM | PERMALINK
Efficiency Expert: On the other hand, your post about it is pure filler and laziness, further indicating your disconnection from those whose work consists of relentless toil and danger.
Well, I dont know. Whether its work or other areas of life, choosing floppy filler while procrastinating a real challenge is a frequent and forgivable human frailty. So is giving way to temporary paralysis caused by a temporary lapse of courage.
On the other hand, an ongoing unwillingness to acknowledge the particular elephant in the middle of ones own room, even as that pachyderm is trampling others due to ones inability to speak forthrightly about itthats the kind of thing that can do significant, even permanent, damage.
So I do agree with you there.
Posted by: shortstop on October 9, 2006 at 4:58 PM | PERMALINK
Kos should learn that there are other delays than bug killers from Texas.
Posted by: Jeffrey Davis on October 9, 2006 at 7:22 PM | PERMALINK
