Hate is a Cheney family value | Ana Marie Cox | Comment is free | theguardian.com

Liz and Mary at Republican Convention

Hate is a Cheney family value | Ana Marie Cox | Comment is free | theguardian.com: But the timing of the controversy gave the elder Cheneys an especially good chance to exploit an emotion I'm not sure they understand themselves: empathy. "This is an issue we have dealt with privately for many years, and we are pained to see it become public," Dick and Lynne said in a statement. "Compassion is called for."

His (Dick Cheney) own endorsement of marriage equality in 2009 was typically detached and nonchalant almost to the point of dismissiveness: 

One of my daughters is gay and [that's] something that we've lived with for a long time in our family. People ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish.

I admire the remark's broadness, but its impersonality suggests he arrived at the position as the result of a technicality, or perhaps via the kind of acceptance one has for a family member with a disability: Mary's sexuality is "something that we've lived with for a long time".

Poe and Mary

 The elliptical statement about compassion also left unclear whom we are supposed to feel it for: poor benighted Liz, who is desperately trying to appear as conservative as possible for her Wyoming Republican Senate primary campaign? The Cheney family as a whole, again in the spotlight over sharp words not meant for public broadcast? (Really, this is a pattern for them.) Obviously, one should feel for Mary and Poe, who have to put up with this crap.

To start with, the Cheneys appear to have a very low bar for what counts as a "kindness", treating a family member with "love and respect" is a baseline for most people. More important, they imply that Liz's willingness to continue a relationship with sister shouldn't be used as proof that she is anything but a righteous homophobe. This argument is the opposite of how most families justify a holiday invitation extended to that one uncle who still says the n-word and has elaborate Birchian theories about the New World Order. In that case, mom and dad point to the backwards uncle's work buddy who is black and his great relationship with his Jewish neighbors: "Ignore his explicit statements of ignorance and hatred, focus on his everyday tolerance." Here, the Cheneys argue, "Ignore her everyday tolerance, focus on her explicit statements of ignorance and hatred."

***

"Obviously, 

one 

should feel for Mary and Poe, 

who 

have to put up with this crap."

  

NOT WITH THIS TRULY BLUE BLEEDING HEART LIBERAL!

In spite of the similarities between mine and Mary's predicament with our families,

 just not the case.

Mary's getting exactly what she deserves.

Look for upcoming attempt 

using 

Two Faced Mary Cheney, 

Pathological Lying Useless Green Acre Faggot Charles Bliss, 

and 

America's First Female Self-Made Millionaire Madam C. J. Walker 

explaining my point.

It's all about empathy and perspective;

whether 

looking uphill or downhill.