![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
greybeta[Author's preface: This was a couple of weeks ago, during dead days at the University of Tulsa. D2 wants to let you know he despises Brigid, but greatly respects her drive and willpower. Okay, D2 actually considers Brigid a good friend even though they always seem to be at odds. A Platonic relationship, if you will. D2 imagines that he would have the same type of conversation with many of his readers if he ever got the opportunity to meet them in person. The author knows that he has changed the exact transcript of the conversation, and for that he asks the red headed Brigid to forgive any errors.
The following conversation contains a lot of insight into D2 and who he is. Note that he is talking to a Truman Scholar, Udall Scholar, and Top Ten Senior at the University of Tulsa. Brigid is a very talented but headstrong girl while D2 is a very gifted but obstinate guy. In anime terms, their relationship is most analogous to that of Amuro Rey and Char Aznable of Mobile Suit Gundam fame, a rivalry on which they can fight on the same side but they are so diametrically opposed to teach other they must fight. The author leaves it to the reader to figure out which is which.]
[D2 calls Brigid's apartment, but her roommate C answers instead.]
C: Hello?
D2: Oh hey, is Brigid there?
C: No, I should wake her up.
D2: No, wait, she’s probably tired. I was just calling her to see if we’re still on for lunch tomorrow.
C: Yeah, she told me she was meeting you for lunch. Why are you guys meeting for lunch?
D2: Because I hate her.
C: [laughs] What?
D2: I hate her, but I respect her, too. It’s not a date, it’s more like two martial arts rivals sharing a meal after one of them has gone down with a significant injury.
C: Sounds cool.
D2: Mind if I come over and play a few songs on your piano while I wait for Brigid to get ready?
C: No, c’mon, over we should catch up.
D2: Yeah, I suppose it would be nice to catch up with ya.
[Author's note: C was the president of LaFortune Hall Government when D2 was vice president of it. D2 was the duct tape of the group that year, being "versatile and reliable" in C's words.]
[D2 goes to Brigid’s apartment and catches up with C. D2 plays a few songs on the piano from his eidetic memory while Brigid is getting ready. She finally comes out and they go off.]
Brigid: I think I recognized the songs you were playing...
D2: You go through Alfred’s Basic Piano Library?
Brigid: Yes! I knew I recognized those songs!
D2: It must be your eidetic memory. We are off to the place of your choosing, red headed Brigid.
Brigid: Alright.
D2: By the way, have you ever wondered why I call you the red headed Brigid?
Brigid: Isn’t it because...
D2: Besides the fact that you have red hair.
Brigid: Well, that’s what I was going to say. No, Daniel, what is the reason you call me red headed Brigid?
D2: To make sure I don’t call you by your not so nice nickname.
Brigid: What would that be?
D2: You don’t want to know.
Brigid: Oh c’mon, you can’t do that. Tell me.
D2: Brigid, do you know what rhymes with Brigid?
Brigid: Rigid?
D2: While that may describe your personality well, there’s a meaner word that rhymes with Brigid.
Brigid: And what's that?
D2: Frigid Brigid.
[Brigid looks at D2 in complete shock]
Brigid: You do know that the word "frigid" has a sexual connotation, right?
D2: Dunno, you’re talking to a bigoted conservative here.
[Brigid whispers something into D2’s ears.]
D2: So...that nickname describes you perfectly?
Brigid: [looks wide eyed at D2 again] Do you want to eat lunch with me or not?!?
D2: Sorry, I'm sorry, we’re already at the place. Is it any good?
Brigid: It’s really good!
[Brigid and D2 walk in, discuss what to order. To D2’s surprise, Brigid orders something with meat.]
D2: Strange, I thought you were a vegetarian.
Brigid: Why would you think that?
D2: I dunno, I equate all treehugging liberals with vegetarianism for some odd reason.
Brigid: What?
D2: You’re a biochem and environmental policy major. That’s a formula for a vegetarian treehugging liberal if I’ve ever heard of one.
Brigid: Yeah, well being a history teacher is a formula for a closet liberal if I've ever heard of one.
D2: You’re always trying to bring me over to the dark side, aren’t you?
Brigid: Oh, I’m sure you will see the light one day.
D2: Heh, you may be right. Oh, I’m sorry, sir, you've been waiting for me to order. What do you recommend here? I’ve never had Middle Eastern food before, except for some baklava.
Old Man: Well there’s the special. It’s chicken with some lemon garlic sauce, rice, bean curd, and a pickle.
D2: Sure, what the hey. I’ll try it! Oh, I also need a drink.
Old Man: The special comes with a drink.
D2: [Raises his hands in the air] Winner!
Old Man: [Laughs] You are full of energy.
D2: Um, you could say I’m a bit hyper right now, yes. If you don't mind, may I ask you what nationality you are?
Old Man: My wife and I are Lebanese.
D2: Oh, may I ask if you are from Beirut then?
Old Man: [Smiles] Actually no, I am from northern Lebanon and my wife is from southern Lebanon. But how do you know Beirut is the capital of my mother country?
D2: [Scratches his head like he’s not sure] Well, I am a history major so I sort of need to know my geography.
Old Man: You’re a kindred soul. Here’s your ticket. Enjoy your lunch!
[Brigid and D2 get their drinks and sit down in a corner.]
D2: I bet the Old Man thinks we’re dating or something.
Brigid: Well, you did pay for the meal.
D2: Meh, I dragged you out here and on your busy schedule it’s only fair that I pay. But this brings me to a point, and that’s what I define our relationship to be.
Brigid: How do you define our relationship?
D2: As hated rivals, or friendly nemeses. I respect your ability, but I hate your politics.
Brigid: Is that because I’m always able to convince you that I’m right?
D2: I admit you’ve turned me around more often than not. But you’re never going to be able to turn me around on the basic points.
Brigid: Oh no, you’re too smart to stay on the other side.
D2: Well, I’ll be fighting alongside you a couple times. But more often than not, I will be an opponent across the aisle. Do you remember how we first met?
Brigid: No...how did we first meet?
D2: Dr. Rahe’s honors class on ancient Greece.
Brigid: That's right...
D2: You know, when I first saw you, I wanted to ask you out.
Brigid: [Spits out her drink and chuckles] You’re so straightforward!
D2: Heh, you were this bright-eyed girl with long, flowing red hair.
Brigid: [Laughs] Long flowing red hair? I guess I did have dreadlocks back then.
D2: But then I came to found out we could never be friends. Well, we could be friends, but we had to be enemies more often than not because of our antipodal philosophies.
Brigid: You know as well as I do that the Democrats are right.
D2: Maybe, but the Republicans have their virtues, too. I love talking with you about politics. My friends are mostly conservatives, and so it was fascinating for me to talk to a liberal as well-spoken as you.
Brigid: You mean someone who could show you the error of your ways.
D2: Heh, only someone like you could have founded Tulsa’s Young Democrats chapter. Of course we never agreed last election, whether it was about who to vote for president or the gay marriage thing. But unlike most people, we had civil conversations.
Brigid: In which you always agreed with me in the end.
D2: Well, I’m good at telling people what they want to hear. But in the end, I was right and you were wrong.
Brigid: No, I was right and you were wrong. It’s just that the American people were misled.
D2: You’re brutal. Can we not trust the American people?
Brigid: Can we trust the Bush Administration?
D2: Touche. So strange, the politics of two Arkansans. So, why do you think we’re such good friends, even though we hardly ever hang out with each other?
Brigid: Well, for one thing we’re both in student senate.
D2: Ah, yes, the pain of student government.
Brigid: Also, I remember that you were the only other person in Dr. Rahe’s class to actually be interested in the classics.
D2: Oh yeah, you took Latin in high school, didn’t you?
Brigid: I’m surprised you remember that, but yes I did. I recall that you were the only other one to speak up and discuss things with Dr. Rahe.
D2: The fact that Dr. Rahe is a Rhode Scholar tends to intimidate people. Yet I really liked his lecturing style, even if he talked about having sex with little boys too much.
Brigid: He really took a liking to you.
D2: Even I’m not sure what he saw in me. But I was sort of saddened to see people not like Thucydides. Sure, it was sort of boring but once Dr. Rahe explained its intricacies I fell in love with it. I loved the fact that Thucydides distilled speeches into what they were actually saying, not what they said verbatim.
Brigid: Heh, I see. I also think our friendship shares the common bond of breaking free from our parents.
D2: Uh, what are you talking about?
Brigid: You always told me how your parents wanted you to be a doctor so badly. That struck a chord with me because my parents also wanted so badly for me to become a doctor.
D2: Wow, I never knew that until now.
Brigid: Yes, it didn’t seem like we had a choice, but it seems like we’re both doing what we want now.
D2: Hmmm...so that Truman Scholarship freed you up to do what you were truly interested in. Politics.
Brigid: Perceptive.
D2: And that’s why you so happy to be a Truman Scholar. It makes so much sense now.
Brigid: Hey, our food’s ready.
[Brigid and D2 get their food and eat voraciously for a few minutes before resuming their conversation.]
D2: So tell me a little about student senate this year. Tell me what you think I’d like to know. I hear there are few people from the old days left.
Brigid: They wouldn’t know who you are, even though you’ve only been away for a semester.
D2: Man the attrition rate in Senate is so high. I hear one of my opponents across the aisle, Mr. Looper has left.
Brigid: Oh yeah! He got an internship to work for Hillary Clinton.
D2: So that’s why I saw that ad in the school newspaper about an opening for opinion editor.
Brigid: Yep. By the way, I think you would make a great opinion editor.
D2: Me?!?
Brigid: You’re smart and well read. You are one of those rare people who are willing to listen to the other side. You write well. All the ingredients to make a perfect opinion editor.
D2: Um, I don’t think I’m that smart or well read, I just tend to read a bunch of blogs. Blogs distill the information for me and give me someone’s personal insight into the matter, which is highly valuable to me in forming my own opinion about the subject. I listen to the other side because you will learn more about yourself from your enemies than your friends, mostly because your enemies are actually a lot better at estimating your true abilities than your friends are. And I only have mediocre writing talent.
Brigid: You’re always so self-deprecating. Why don’t you just admit that I’m right?
D2: Because I hate you. If I became opinion editor, I’d have to pull out my shotgun and shoot you.
Brigid: In that case, you’d better have some shotgun shells handy.
D2: I hate you, frigid Brigid.
Brigid: HEY! Stop calling me that! It’s rude!
D2: But it describes you so well.
Brigid: That’s not nice, Daniel. How would you like it if I called you impotent?
D2: [Pauses for a second to ponder it.] In that case...the red headed Brigid thinks I’m impotent.
Brigid: Hey...
D2: [Raises his voice] The red headed Brigid thinks I’m impotent!
Brigid: Wait, wait..
D2: [Now at a volume where people from other tables are beginning to take a look] THE RED HEADED BRIGID THINKS I’M IMPOTENT!!!
Brigid: STOP! Do you want me to walk out of the restaurant right now?
D2: Okay, I’ll stop. But you should know to be more careful with a straightforward person like me.
Brigid: [Shakes her head] At least give me some respect and stop calling me that.
D2: As you wish, red headed Brigid.
Brigid: Okay, you should also know that we passed a resolution for administration to consider a plus/minus grading system.
D2: I don’t like plus/minus grading.
Brigid: I’m surprised you wouldn’t. Don’t you want to be challenged?
D2: Nope. I’m a lazy, spoiled brat.
Brigid: So you say. But over two-thirds of all private universities use plus/minus grading.
D2: Doing something because everyone else is doing it isn’t always a smart strategy.
Brigid: But falling behind our competition isn't a smart strategy either.
D2: [Shrugs] But I think the current system works fine.
Brigid: Then you’re gravely mistaken.
D2: Maybe so, maybe so. I see why you won a Truman now. Well, I’m going to return to Senate next year.
Brigid: Really?
D2: Don’t worry, I’m not getting into the trenches as a student senator. Instead, I will use my speaking privileges as a Judicial Council member to tell stories once more.
Brigid: I always loved your stories.
D2: I’m glad someone did. I know I have to keep my mind busy and student government can definitely keep one busy if you choose to do so.
Brigid: You should join Young Democrats then.
D2: Lord, no. I hate the both Young Democrats and College Republicans equally. That’s what makes me such a good moderate.
Brigid: That doesn’t make any sense.
D2: You don’t have to make any sense when it comes to politics. After all, I’m a social conservative but an economic liberal.
Brigid: Funny, I’m a social liberal but a fiscal conservative.
D2: [Laughs] Oh man...
Brigid: What’s so funny?
D2: Heh, I’m just thinking about something my dad said once about liberals.
Brigid: And what was that?
D2: My dad said that liberals are messed up because ninety percent of them have divorced parents.
Brigid: That’s not true! My parents were very conservative Catholics and they stayed together. I know plenty of other Democrats whose parents stayed together.
D2: I’m sure my dad was exaggerating, but nonetheless he thinks liberals are trying to further the decay of society.
Brigid: If anything, it’s the conservative parents who are getting divorced.
D2: I guess the divorce rate is fifty percent right now. Who would have ever thought of marriage as a coin flip?
Brigid: You’re proving my point.
D2: Okay, fine. But that’s the problem with you Democrats, you always have to be right.
Brigid: Because we are.
D2: Yeah, and look where it got ya in the last election.
Brigid: We can’t help it if the American people are stupid.
D2: Then you’re no better than NeoStraussians like Dr. Rahe, who believe society should be led by a select few. Besides, you Democrats fall into groupthink too much.
Brigid: What do you mean by that?
D2: You read my LiveJournal every so often, so I will explain the statistical outlier that is LiveJournal. Last year, they conducted a poll of many LJ users to ask who would they vote for. We know in any random population that the result should have been close to fifty-fifty. Yet a whopping eighty three percent would have voted for Kerry over Bush, given a choice between the two.
Brigid: The blogging world is full of smart people.
D2: Too smart for themselves, really. They had convinced themselves that there would be no reason to vote for Bush. Only bigoted morons would vote for Bush. Except they underestimated the intelligence of the American people. For you see, voting for Kerry because he “was not Bush” was no better than voting for Bush himself. Mob mentality dictates that in cases of a tie, the status quo wins. This means the American Mob was not switching horses midstream in the middle of a war.
Brigid: That’s stupid.
D2: Maybe so, but it’s exactly what happened. And after the election there was great lamenting from the Democrats because the system had failed them. In reality, they had failed the system. We don’t make the rules, we just play the game. And the Democrats played it poorly.
Brigid: But we play it the right way.
D2: If you consider the right way losing touch with America, sure. And...hey, wait, are you already done?
Brigid: Yep, sorry, I eat fast. It started in elementary when they gave us only fifteen minutes to eat lunch.
D2: Fifteen minutes? That’s ridiculous!
Brigid: Yeah, and now I eat really quickly. Don’t worry, we have some time before my study group meets.
D2: Okay, but I have to warn you that I'm a slow eater. It's one of my secrets to dieting. Anyways, as you well know, I am an advocate against gay marriage. I admit that a large part of that is due to my Southern Baptist upbringing. But another part of it is that normalizing gay marriage will represent a change to our society, and I hate change.
Brigid: A change for the better.
D2: I don’t know about that. I mean, if you look at the change to welfare to include unwed mothers, nobody could have predicted the distastrous downturn that marriage took shortly afterwards. Previously, being an unwed mother was a stigma enough to deter that downturn. But once mothers could live off the state, it became a self perpetuating problem. This is what happened in the explosion of impoverished urban inner city blacks.
Brigid: No, you’re wrong. Urban city blacks were pushed into poverty because they moved from an agricultural South to the inner city slums of the North. That’s the problem.
D2: I disagree. But if we disagree on that, then we will disagree that the normalization of gay marriage will affect society for the worst.
Brigid: I cannot believe you’re actually advocating that. Gays should have equal rights like everyone else in society.
D2: Sure, people are people. But God intended for the sacred institution of marriage to preserve society.
Brigid: But shouldn’t you showing God’s love to everyone?
D2: I try my best to love them all. But that doesn’t mean I have to condone their sin or approve of their lifestyle. And it sure as heck does not mean I have to agree with gay marriage.
Brigid: Then you would be violating our Constitution. You can’t deny gays the right to pursue happiness.
D2: If they want to live in sin, that’s their own pleasure. But if they want to get married, they are affecting not only my life but our posterity as well. And I will fight to the bitter end for our posterity.
Brigid: So will I. And I will work to make our posterity more tolerant than you would have them be.
D2: Then call me a bigoted, right wing conservative when it comes to social issues.
Brigid: Oh? You always claim that you’re good at seeing both sides of things. Then why don’t you come up with an argument advocating gay marriage?
D2: Hmmm, that would require you to come up with an argument against gay marriage. Would your ideals actually allow you to do that?
Brigid: Well...no. That’s because I believe marriage is a right that should be given to all people.
D2: But I don’t, so we’re agreed upon this matter. We aren’t going to budge anytime soon, if ever.
Brigid: No, I will bring you to my side eventually.
D2: That’s why I love talking to you, Brigid. You have a real fire that few people have. Anyways, since we’re running low on time, I want to recommend a book to you since I read your recommendation of The Republican Noise Machine.
Brigid: Alright, I’m interested in what book you want me to read.
D2: I recommend a book by Paulo Coehlo called The Alchemist. It’s a well-written, subtly powerful book about a young boy realizing his true destiny, or his Personal Legend as Coehlo calls it. The twist to realizing one’s Personal Legend is captured masterfully by Coehlo. I remember one point he made about people who have realized their Personal Legends. Those that have can see those who have realized their Personal Legends and those who have given up on them. You and I have realized our Personal Legends.
Brigid: Sounds like a book I should read.
D2: I have a copy back in my apartment. We’ll drop by there before your study group.
Brigid: Speaking of which, we should get back to campus.
D2: Very well. Let’s go.
[D2 drives by his apartment, runs up and grabs his copy of The Alchemist, and hands it to Brigid. He then drives back to her apartment.]
Brigid: Hey, it was fun. I’ll see you next semester!
D2: Don't worry, red headed Brigid, I’ll be back better than ever. Oh, and we are going to be doing this once a month. Next time I choose the place.
Brigid: Hold me to that.
D2: I will.
The following conversation contains a lot of insight into D2 and who he is. Note that he is talking to a Truman Scholar, Udall Scholar, and Top Ten Senior at the University of Tulsa. Brigid is a very talented but headstrong girl while D2 is a very gifted but obstinate guy. In anime terms, their relationship is most analogous to that of Amuro Rey and Char Aznable of Mobile Suit Gundam fame, a rivalry on which they can fight on the same side but they are so diametrically opposed to teach other they must fight. The author leaves it to the reader to figure out which is which.]
[D2 calls Brigid's apartment, but her roommate C answers instead.]
C: Hello?
D2: Oh hey, is Brigid there?
C: No, I should wake her up.
D2: No, wait, she’s probably tired. I was just calling her to see if we’re still on for lunch tomorrow.
C: Yeah, she told me she was meeting you for lunch. Why are you guys meeting for lunch?
D2: Because I hate her.
C: [laughs] What?
D2: I hate her, but I respect her, too. It’s not a date, it’s more like two martial arts rivals sharing a meal after one of them has gone down with a significant injury.
C: Sounds cool.
D2: Mind if I come over and play a few songs on your piano while I wait for Brigid to get ready?
C: No, c’mon, over we should catch up.
D2: Yeah, I suppose it would be nice to catch up with ya.
[Author's note: C was the president of LaFortune Hall Government when D2 was vice president of it. D2 was the duct tape of the group that year, being "versatile and reliable" in C's words.]
[D2 goes to Brigid’s apartment and catches up with C. D2 plays a few songs on the piano from his eidetic memory while Brigid is getting ready. She finally comes out and they go off.]
Brigid: I think I recognized the songs you were playing...
D2: You go through Alfred’s Basic Piano Library?
Brigid: Yes! I knew I recognized those songs!
D2: It must be your eidetic memory. We are off to the place of your choosing, red headed Brigid.
Brigid: Alright.
D2: By the way, have you ever wondered why I call you the red headed Brigid?
Brigid: Isn’t it because...
D2: Besides the fact that you have red hair.
Brigid: Well, that’s what I was going to say. No, Daniel, what is the reason you call me red headed Brigid?
D2: To make sure I don’t call you by your not so nice nickname.
Brigid: What would that be?
D2: You don’t want to know.
Brigid: Oh c’mon, you can’t do that. Tell me.
D2: Brigid, do you know what rhymes with Brigid?
Brigid: Rigid?
D2: While that may describe your personality well, there’s a meaner word that rhymes with Brigid.
Brigid: And what's that?
D2: Frigid Brigid.
[Brigid looks at D2 in complete shock]
Brigid: You do know that the word "frigid" has a sexual connotation, right?
D2: Dunno, you’re talking to a bigoted conservative here.
[Brigid whispers something into D2’s ears.]
D2: So...that nickname describes you perfectly?
Brigid: [looks wide eyed at D2 again] Do you want to eat lunch with me or not?!?
D2: Sorry, I'm sorry, we’re already at the place. Is it any good?
Brigid: It’s really good!
[Brigid and D2 walk in, discuss what to order. To D2’s surprise, Brigid orders something with meat.]
D2: Strange, I thought you were a vegetarian.
Brigid: Why would you think that?
D2: I dunno, I equate all treehugging liberals with vegetarianism for some odd reason.
Brigid: What?
D2: You’re a biochem and environmental policy major. That’s a formula for a vegetarian treehugging liberal if I’ve ever heard of one.
Brigid: Yeah, well being a history teacher is a formula for a closet liberal if I've ever heard of one.
D2: You’re always trying to bring me over to the dark side, aren’t you?
Brigid: Oh, I’m sure you will see the light one day.
D2: Heh, you may be right. Oh, I’m sorry, sir, you've been waiting for me to order. What do you recommend here? I’ve never had Middle Eastern food before, except for some baklava.
Old Man: Well there’s the special. It’s chicken with some lemon garlic sauce, rice, bean curd, and a pickle.
D2: Sure, what the hey. I’ll try it! Oh, I also need a drink.
Old Man: The special comes with a drink.
D2: [Raises his hands in the air] Winner!
Old Man: [Laughs] You are full of energy.
D2: Um, you could say I’m a bit hyper right now, yes. If you don't mind, may I ask you what nationality you are?
Old Man: My wife and I are Lebanese.
D2: Oh, may I ask if you are from Beirut then?
Old Man: [Smiles] Actually no, I am from northern Lebanon and my wife is from southern Lebanon. But how do you know Beirut is the capital of my mother country?
D2: [Scratches his head like he’s not sure] Well, I am a history major so I sort of need to know my geography.
Old Man: You’re a kindred soul. Here’s your ticket. Enjoy your lunch!
[Brigid and D2 get their drinks and sit down in a corner.]
D2: I bet the Old Man thinks we’re dating or something.
Brigid: Well, you did pay for the meal.
D2: Meh, I dragged you out here and on your busy schedule it’s only fair that I pay. But this brings me to a point, and that’s what I define our relationship to be.
Brigid: How do you define our relationship?
D2: As hated rivals, or friendly nemeses. I respect your ability, but I hate your politics.
Brigid: Is that because I’m always able to convince you that I’m right?
D2: I admit you’ve turned me around more often than not. But you’re never going to be able to turn me around on the basic points.
Brigid: Oh no, you’re too smart to stay on the other side.
D2: Well, I’ll be fighting alongside you a couple times. But more often than not, I will be an opponent across the aisle. Do you remember how we first met?
Brigid: No...how did we first meet?
D2: Dr. Rahe’s honors class on ancient Greece.
Brigid: That's right...
D2: You know, when I first saw you, I wanted to ask you out.
Brigid: [Spits out her drink and chuckles] You’re so straightforward!
D2: Heh, you were this bright-eyed girl with long, flowing red hair.
Brigid: [Laughs] Long flowing red hair? I guess I did have dreadlocks back then.
D2: But then I came to found out we could never be friends. Well, we could be friends, but we had to be enemies more often than not because of our antipodal philosophies.
Brigid: You know as well as I do that the Democrats are right.
D2: Maybe, but the Republicans have their virtues, too. I love talking with you about politics. My friends are mostly conservatives, and so it was fascinating for me to talk to a liberal as well-spoken as you.
Brigid: You mean someone who could show you the error of your ways.
D2: Heh, only someone like you could have founded Tulsa’s Young Democrats chapter. Of course we never agreed last election, whether it was about who to vote for president or the gay marriage thing. But unlike most people, we had civil conversations.
Brigid: In which you always agreed with me in the end.
D2: Well, I’m good at telling people what they want to hear. But in the end, I was right and you were wrong.
Brigid: No, I was right and you were wrong. It’s just that the American people were misled.
D2: You’re brutal. Can we not trust the American people?
Brigid: Can we trust the Bush Administration?
D2: Touche. So strange, the politics of two Arkansans. So, why do you think we’re such good friends, even though we hardly ever hang out with each other?
Brigid: Well, for one thing we’re both in student senate.
D2: Ah, yes, the pain of student government.
Brigid: Also, I remember that you were the only other person in Dr. Rahe’s class to actually be interested in the classics.
D2: Oh yeah, you took Latin in high school, didn’t you?
Brigid: I’m surprised you remember that, but yes I did. I recall that you were the only other one to speak up and discuss things with Dr. Rahe.
D2: The fact that Dr. Rahe is a Rhode Scholar tends to intimidate people. Yet I really liked his lecturing style, even if he talked about having sex with little boys too much.
Brigid: He really took a liking to you.
D2: Even I’m not sure what he saw in me. But I was sort of saddened to see people not like Thucydides. Sure, it was sort of boring but once Dr. Rahe explained its intricacies I fell in love with it. I loved the fact that Thucydides distilled speeches into what they were actually saying, not what they said verbatim.
Brigid: Heh, I see. I also think our friendship shares the common bond of breaking free from our parents.
D2: Uh, what are you talking about?
Brigid: You always told me how your parents wanted you to be a doctor so badly. That struck a chord with me because my parents also wanted so badly for me to become a doctor.
D2: Wow, I never knew that until now.
Brigid: Yes, it didn’t seem like we had a choice, but it seems like we’re both doing what we want now.
D2: Hmmm...so that Truman Scholarship freed you up to do what you were truly interested in. Politics.
Brigid: Perceptive.
D2: And that’s why you so happy to be a Truman Scholar. It makes so much sense now.
Brigid: Hey, our food’s ready.
[Brigid and D2 get their food and eat voraciously for a few minutes before resuming their conversation.]
D2: So tell me a little about student senate this year. Tell me what you think I’d like to know. I hear there are few people from the old days left.
Brigid: They wouldn’t know who you are, even though you’ve only been away for a semester.
D2: Man the attrition rate in Senate is so high. I hear one of my opponents across the aisle, Mr. Looper has left.
Brigid: Oh yeah! He got an internship to work for Hillary Clinton.
D2: So that’s why I saw that ad in the school newspaper about an opening for opinion editor.
Brigid: Yep. By the way, I think you would make a great opinion editor.
D2: Me?!?
Brigid: You’re smart and well read. You are one of those rare people who are willing to listen to the other side. You write well. All the ingredients to make a perfect opinion editor.
D2: Um, I don’t think I’m that smart or well read, I just tend to read a bunch of blogs. Blogs distill the information for me and give me someone’s personal insight into the matter, which is highly valuable to me in forming my own opinion about the subject. I listen to the other side because you will learn more about yourself from your enemies than your friends, mostly because your enemies are actually a lot better at estimating your true abilities than your friends are. And I only have mediocre writing talent.
Brigid: You’re always so self-deprecating. Why don’t you just admit that I’m right?
D2: Because I hate you. If I became opinion editor, I’d have to pull out my shotgun and shoot you.
Brigid: In that case, you’d better have some shotgun shells handy.
D2: I hate you, frigid Brigid.
Brigid: HEY! Stop calling me that! It’s rude!
D2: But it describes you so well.
Brigid: That’s not nice, Daniel. How would you like it if I called you impotent?
D2: [Pauses for a second to ponder it.] In that case...the red headed Brigid thinks I’m impotent.
Brigid: Hey...
D2: [Raises his voice] The red headed Brigid thinks I’m impotent!
Brigid: Wait, wait..
D2: [Now at a volume where people from other tables are beginning to take a look] THE RED HEADED BRIGID THINKS I’M IMPOTENT!!!
Brigid: STOP! Do you want me to walk out of the restaurant right now?
D2: Okay, I’ll stop. But you should know to be more careful with a straightforward person like me.
Brigid: [Shakes her head] At least give me some respect and stop calling me that.
D2: As you wish, red headed Brigid.
Brigid: Okay, you should also know that we passed a resolution for administration to consider a plus/minus grading system.
D2: I don’t like plus/minus grading.
Brigid: I’m surprised you wouldn’t. Don’t you want to be challenged?
D2: Nope. I’m a lazy, spoiled brat.
Brigid: So you say. But over two-thirds of all private universities use plus/minus grading.
D2: Doing something because everyone else is doing it isn’t always a smart strategy.
Brigid: But falling behind our competition isn't a smart strategy either.
D2: [Shrugs] But I think the current system works fine.
Brigid: Then you’re gravely mistaken.
D2: Maybe so, maybe so. I see why you won a Truman now. Well, I’m going to return to Senate next year.
Brigid: Really?
D2: Don’t worry, I’m not getting into the trenches as a student senator. Instead, I will use my speaking privileges as a Judicial Council member to tell stories once more.
Brigid: I always loved your stories.
D2: I’m glad someone did. I know I have to keep my mind busy and student government can definitely keep one busy if you choose to do so.
Brigid: You should join Young Democrats then.
D2: Lord, no. I hate the both Young Democrats and College Republicans equally. That’s what makes me such a good moderate.
Brigid: That doesn’t make any sense.
D2: You don’t have to make any sense when it comes to politics. After all, I’m a social conservative but an economic liberal.
Brigid: Funny, I’m a social liberal but a fiscal conservative.
D2: [Laughs] Oh man...
Brigid: What’s so funny?
D2: Heh, I’m just thinking about something my dad said once about liberals.
Brigid: And what was that?
D2: My dad said that liberals are messed up because ninety percent of them have divorced parents.
Brigid: That’s not true! My parents were very conservative Catholics and they stayed together. I know plenty of other Democrats whose parents stayed together.
D2: I’m sure my dad was exaggerating, but nonetheless he thinks liberals are trying to further the decay of society.
Brigid: If anything, it’s the conservative parents who are getting divorced.
D2: I guess the divorce rate is fifty percent right now. Who would have ever thought of marriage as a coin flip?
Brigid: You’re proving my point.
D2: Okay, fine. But that’s the problem with you Democrats, you always have to be right.
Brigid: Because we are.
D2: Yeah, and look where it got ya in the last election.
Brigid: We can’t help it if the American people are stupid.
D2: Then you’re no better than NeoStraussians like Dr. Rahe, who believe society should be led by a select few. Besides, you Democrats fall into groupthink too much.
Brigid: What do you mean by that?
D2: You read my LiveJournal every so often, so I will explain the statistical outlier that is LiveJournal. Last year, they conducted a poll of many LJ users to ask who would they vote for. We know in any random population that the result should have been close to fifty-fifty. Yet a whopping eighty three percent would have voted for Kerry over Bush, given a choice between the two.
Brigid: The blogging world is full of smart people.
D2: Too smart for themselves, really. They had convinced themselves that there would be no reason to vote for Bush. Only bigoted morons would vote for Bush. Except they underestimated the intelligence of the American people. For you see, voting for Kerry because he “was not Bush” was no better than voting for Bush himself. Mob mentality dictates that in cases of a tie, the status quo wins. This means the American Mob was not switching horses midstream in the middle of a war.
Brigid: That’s stupid.
D2: Maybe so, but it’s exactly what happened. And after the election there was great lamenting from the Democrats because the system had failed them. In reality, they had failed the system. We don’t make the rules, we just play the game. And the Democrats played it poorly.
Brigid: But we play it the right way.
D2: If you consider the right way losing touch with America, sure. And...hey, wait, are you already done?
Brigid: Yep, sorry, I eat fast. It started in elementary when they gave us only fifteen minutes to eat lunch.
D2: Fifteen minutes? That’s ridiculous!
Brigid: Yeah, and now I eat really quickly. Don’t worry, we have some time before my study group meets.
D2: Okay, but I have to warn you that I'm a slow eater. It's one of my secrets to dieting. Anyways, as you well know, I am an advocate against gay marriage. I admit that a large part of that is due to my Southern Baptist upbringing. But another part of it is that normalizing gay marriage will represent a change to our society, and I hate change.
Brigid: A change for the better.
D2: I don’t know about that. I mean, if you look at the change to welfare to include unwed mothers, nobody could have predicted the distastrous downturn that marriage took shortly afterwards. Previously, being an unwed mother was a stigma enough to deter that downturn. But once mothers could live off the state, it became a self perpetuating problem. This is what happened in the explosion of impoverished urban inner city blacks.
Brigid: No, you’re wrong. Urban city blacks were pushed into poverty because they moved from an agricultural South to the inner city slums of the North. That’s the problem.
D2: I disagree. But if we disagree on that, then we will disagree that the normalization of gay marriage will affect society for the worst.
Brigid: I cannot believe you’re actually advocating that. Gays should have equal rights like everyone else in society.
D2: Sure, people are people. But God intended for the sacred institution of marriage to preserve society.
Brigid: But shouldn’t you showing God’s love to everyone?
D2: I try my best to love them all. But that doesn’t mean I have to condone their sin or approve of their lifestyle. And it sure as heck does not mean I have to agree with gay marriage.
Brigid: Then you would be violating our Constitution. You can’t deny gays the right to pursue happiness.
D2: If they want to live in sin, that’s their own pleasure. But if they want to get married, they are affecting not only my life but our posterity as well. And I will fight to the bitter end for our posterity.
Brigid: So will I. And I will work to make our posterity more tolerant than you would have them be.
D2: Then call me a bigoted, right wing conservative when it comes to social issues.
Brigid: Oh? You always claim that you’re good at seeing both sides of things. Then why don’t you come up with an argument advocating gay marriage?
D2: Hmmm, that would require you to come up with an argument against gay marriage. Would your ideals actually allow you to do that?
Brigid: Well...no. That’s because I believe marriage is a right that should be given to all people.
D2: But I don’t, so we’re agreed upon this matter. We aren’t going to budge anytime soon, if ever.
Brigid: No, I will bring you to my side eventually.
D2: That’s why I love talking to you, Brigid. You have a real fire that few people have. Anyways, since we’re running low on time, I want to recommend a book to you since I read your recommendation of The Republican Noise Machine.
Brigid: Alright, I’m interested in what book you want me to read.
D2: I recommend a book by Paulo Coehlo called The Alchemist. It’s a well-written, subtly powerful book about a young boy realizing his true destiny, or his Personal Legend as Coehlo calls it. The twist to realizing one’s Personal Legend is captured masterfully by Coehlo. I remember one point he made about people who have realized their Personal Legends. Those that have can see those who have realized their Personal Legends and those who have given up on them. You and I have realized our Personal Legends.
Brigid: Sounds like a book I should read.
D2: I have a copy back in my apartment. We’ll drop by there before your study group.
Brigid: Speaking of which, we should get back to campus.
D2: Very well. Let’s go.
[D2 drives by his apartment, runs up and grabs his copy of The Alchemist, and hands it to Brigid. He then drives back to her apartment.]
Brigid: Hey, it was fun. I’ll see you next semester!
D2: Don't worry, red headed Brigid, I’ll be back better than ever. Oh, and we are going to be doing this once a month. Next time I choose the place.
Brigid: Hold me to that.
D2: I will.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
Hint, hint
Date: 2005-12-27 07:33 pm (UTC)Re: Hint, hint
Date: 2005-12-27 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 07:55 pm (UTC)Yes. Herein lies the problem. Marriage is not the right. The right exists in the tax breaks and other government instituted benefits to married couples. Marriage itself is God-given and God-instituted. That's what people need to be convinced of.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:10 pm (UTC)So what about atheists, agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus...
if they want to get married, they are affecting not only my life but our posterity as well.
That's one thing that bothers me. See, if gay marriage is legalized, or the government decides not to define or restrict marriage and leaves it to individual churches to decide (I prefer the latter idea over legalizing gay marriage because I don't think a church should be forced to marry gay couples if the church doesn't want to), and two men or two woman are allowed to marry, I don't see how that will affect "straight" marriage. Will more people get divorced? Will people decide that since the government isn't denying gays the right to marry, then perhaps marriage isn't so good after all? Will gay people somehow "screw up" marriage?
See, the way I see it, with the divorce rate and Hollywood (I always use Britney Spears' 55-hour "joke" marriage as an example) and rich folks marrying other rich folks mostly for money, straight people have damaged the "sacred institution" of marriage enough. Straight people have screwed up marriage by themselves. Why should they have all the fun? :)
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:22 pm (UTC)+1
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 09:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:18 pm (UTC)I see no reason why it need to be that. As a married atheist, I see no need for any religious ceremony to make a marriage.
Also, your statement lacks any kind of argument, which isn't helping your case much.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:52 pm (UTC)A bigoted conservative would just say God is omnipotent and appears everywhere. It's just that people have misinterpreed Him.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:25 pm (UTC)I think I got through about 60% of it before I skipped to the inevitable conclusion...
One thing that hung me up tho: Brigid. Traditionally, that name with that spelling is pronounced with a hard G - Brigg-eed as it were... so I spent more than half the entry with "Friggeed Briggeed" and "Frijid Brigid" running through my head as neither worked for me! Ah well.
Do you truly have an eidetic memory? or just a good one? Just curious.
I think I'll refrain from entering the political debates - I'm sure you'll have plenty of response to that. But for the record? it's more than possible for two people to have a healthy romantic relationship with opposing political viewpoints. To whit: James Carville & Mary Matlin.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:42 pm (UTC)Yeah, this experiment failed. As a lot of my experiments do.
Do you truly have an eidetic memory? or just a good one?
Both.
it's more than possible for two people to have a healthy romantic relationship with opposing political viewpoints. To whit: James Carville & Mary Matlin.
We are diametrically opposed on more than just politics. It's just that politics is the least volatile of our debates.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:50 pm (UTC)I bet you're going to end up married anyway.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 10:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:58 pm (UTC)It would indeed be accurate to say that there is a precise difference between an entry being unreadable and an entry being really frikkin' long.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 10:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 08:59 pm (UTC)I think I just found my next Quote of the Day. Thanks, Mrs. Ferrett.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-28 12:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 09:30 pm (UTC)I liked the examples of how the two of you disagree yet get along.
You could tell us that you disagree but get along, but showing it has value as well.
I mean, I perhaps wouldn't be happy with a novelist who did the same thing, but as an illustration of the interaction between two real people, I liked it.
no subject
Date: 2005-12-27 10:27 pm (UTC)