Excuse Me. I'm Physically Unable to be Politically Correct

I have made some very good friends here in Southern Louisiana; good friends with deep Southern roots.

I have lost a few friends, too.

The thing is - I just can't keep my mouth shut when it comes to this state and its elected officials.  It's like I'm an alien circling the Atchafalaya Swamp in my bubble saucer completely able to see clearly how wrong everything is here, and the wrong thinking that got it this way.  But when I speak - I'm met with icy cold resistance and banished to a goddamn Yankee outsider indifference

To many folks, I am more than a little annoying.  Like showing up at a Halloween Party with my husband, dressed like Melania and Donald ---- well let's just say some did not appreciate it.  We used to play Trivia, where my Donald Trump jokes were met with frank outrage.....so we quit going.  The people were very nice; they were just Trump supporters and I will never be able to understand that, anymore than I can understand why every election day here, the people in this state (oh, excuse me, let me clarify, the white people in this state who don't have to put up with voter suppression) take out their adored guns and shoot themselves in the foot by voting Republican.

So, my dear friend told me that she avoids political and religious conversations in order to keep peace with people who might have opposing views, who are her friends.  I love her for being so diplomatic, so sweet and so considerate.

But it ain't me babe.  I just do not have the chemical make-up to pull that off.

If I believe your way of thinking and speaking is full of crap, I have to say so.  This is a relatively dangerous approach in a state where 46% of the people carry a loaded gun with them all of the time and the biggest swamp in the nation probably hides many more human remains than anyone would care to imagine.   But I stand my ground because I have to.  I will try to remain calm when someone starts talking what I deem to be absolute trash, but I will have my comeback.

I do not have it in me to be politically correct, but I do try to limit my sarcasm (very hard) and express myself without demeaning my debater (extraordinarily difficult) and get my point across without nailing someone to the floor (so unsatisfying).  I'm learning the art of communication, which I'm told, the better part of is listening.  I will listen without rolling my eyes (painful), but I will also speak.  Sometimes I will swear.  Most times I will at least get one carpet tack in your foot.  But I will not be able to be on the fence about anything I feel very strongly about.  I wish I could do that and just not engage in fruitless arguments.  But I can't.

So I'll try to be polite but I won't be able to be nice if your views offend me or oppress anyone else.  I wish I could be like my friend.  My life wouldn't be so frustrating.