sometimes I wonder if I am seriously misreading conservatives.

Well, yes. Plenty of conservatives are generous and hard-working people who think that the poor should be looked-after. They give to charity and volunteer, and foster abandoned dogs and teach kids to read. And their difference is that they disagree with you on gay marriage (because they're obedient to their religious authorities and don't know they know any gay people), or on foreign policy (because they've allowed themselves to be convinced that all of Islam is a menace), or on fiscal policy (because they honestly believe that their hard-earned pay will be dissipated under a liberal administration, and they want to choose how to distribute it).

Those, by themselves, are not sufficient differences to cause this huge divide.

I know I'm going to regret asking this, but why?

Voter intimidation. In the video, Fox says the Black Panther is in a semi-military stance or something.

Here's a Wonkette link:

Fox & Friends: New Black Panthers Back And Intimidating Voters By Holding Door Open For Old White Ladies

Consuela, the Firefly marathon is on Sunday.

So do I intimidate black people when I hold doors open for them? WTFF?

Fear of the other. And the the irony is that Other is part of brOtherhood. Stupid xenophobia.

People are deeply stupid.

I was standing at my polling place -- we are in the richyrich district, but our house is in the not-rich but average hood-- and every damn person there was white. A black man walked in finally and I wanted to kiss him.

Damn, I love my neighborhood. I was one of only 2 or 3 white voters at my polling place.

So he's intimidating them by being black I see. I notice he's not following them inside, or asking to see their ID or reminding them of the dangers of being jailed for in-person voter fraud. WTF is happening to our country?

sometimes I wonder if I am seriously misreading conservatives

hard to misread when they make racist statements and have fun theories about rape and procreation.

I don't necessarily ascribe personality characteristics like selfishness to conservatives, but the racist, sexist statements (and the ones about the 47%) are shit they own.

When did politeness become intimidation?

when a Black person is polite.

Dude. I thought you were joking about the door-holding. Lordy.

I appear to be choosing my City Treasurer based on the candidates' favorite books. Masters of Rome vs the Bible.

I have no idea what Masters of Rome is, but the title makes it sound kinda scary. Why the hell do people have to list their favorite book?! I mean, I can't pick just one, and also it starts to get weird, when you're picking a book to pander vs an actual favorite. Like, Miss America style. (I think in general I might have to go with "A Brother's Price" by Wen Spencer. It's a romance, fantasy, adventure, and feminism, all rolled into one! Hits all my faves!)