Alan Alda and Hitler

T did it.

He compared the Democrats to Hitler.

Anne Applebaum said today in the Washington Post that this is a conversation stopper, designed to make a candidate appear morally loose. Taciturn and I got here by talking about Alan Alda.

I mentioned that Alda has been married to the same woman the same amount of time that I have been alive, and oh by the way that he was a thoughtful person (I’ve listened to several talks of his online). “OOH, a liberal!” Taciturn said. Then he added, “Hitler was a thoughtful person.”

Taciturn just lost many points on the thoughtfulness scale. When folks compare others to Hitler, or insult others in similar ways, they lose points with me.

I decided not to point out that Hitler was no liberal.

Since T and I are far apart on the political scale, I hope our marriage survives the election. The clearest way to explain our differences is to state that I think our current president should have been impeached long ago. My husband thinks that he is the best president our nation ever has had; without him, we all presently would speak Arabic.

It can be tense around here.

My friend LE says that T cannot be a critical thinker since he holds the views he does. I tell her that he says that about me since I am liberal.

Liberals not only are not critical thinkers, they are traitors.

At a church dinner a few weeks ago, someone (an MD) started speaking about the Frontline show that discussed the lies that led to the war. A few others at the table chimed in. I wanted to sink into the floor as I knew how T felt. After a couple of minutes, due to T’s dirty looks to all who spoke, the conversation changed to another subject. And I heard all about on the way home were the traitors I hang out with, and how they trash our President, the man who keeps us from speaking Arabic.

I have to remind myself that T was in Korea for a year and deployed to the present war for several months. During that time the only news channel available to him was Fox. I noticed a huge change in him when he got home from Korea, and an even bigger change when he got home from the current war. Before he went to Korea, he was leaning toward the folks who questioned the war. Now he thinks our president is our savior.

And I have to recall how T in uniform was displayed on Fox News’ website three years ago, shaking the president’s hand.

I wonder how to live into my own integrity while living into my marriage. I welcome any help in this.