An observation about RepubliQan assholery. Have you noticed this? [View all]

[Squinch]

I come from a large family. There are staunch Liberals and staunch RepubliQans. The day it snowed last week, we were having a very pleasant text conversation, sharing photos of the snow from our respective and far-flung homes. It was a safe subject that had nothing to do with politics.

And then my most RepubliQan relative threw a political smear of my Democratic governor into the conversation. It was a total non-sequitur, it had nothing to do with the subject at hand, and it was certainly meant to annoy the Liberals among us in the conversation. Then he threw in a laughing emoji at the end to give him cover to say, "Lighten up, it was just a joke" to anyone who called him out on it.

I am pissed at myself that I did not call him out on it. The text convo just went silent after that. It is certain he will do the same again sometime, and I do have a response ready for that.

But it made me realize that, in most of these conversations with politically mixed groups, it is ALWAYS the RepubliQan who throws down some political gauntlet designed to denigrate or bug the others.

Is this your experience? Do I just notice it more when it comes from those I disagree with, or is there a common trait among RepubliQans that they need to pick the fight in every conversation?