...i surrendered...(?) -- {a short story}

i have for a long time told mike that i "long to debate a liberal"...
tonite i had my opportunity at my in-laws house-
my sister-in-law, sandi, is a nice person, and we have gotten along well for the last 10 or so years since i became a 'part of the family' (in fact, we got along really well in the beginning, she said i was [normal] and was thankful that i had become part of the family to bring sanity! ha ha)

over the years, we grew distant...she is about 15 yrs. older than me and i began to see the differences in her and i, as i began to pay attention to current events, study history, and become interested in politics (and did i mention, too, that i also began to share my opinions??)

nothing really ever became of our differences, we always maintained 'polite conversation' and it never really escalated or 'got ugly'.... just more and more differences of opinion began to arise...

that is, until today-

i feel very strongly about the "ABSURDITY OF SOCIAL SECURITY" as i like to call it--
the invention of SS in and of itself (to me) is a convoluted idea from the jump: why ((for any reason)) would WE THE PEOPLE ever subscribe to the "good idea" of handing over our $$ to the fed 'to manage/hold on to/save' for our "future" to then gift back to us when they deem appropriate (age 55, 62, 67?)??? either i am completely misguided or that was just dumb to begin with!
furthermore...lo and behold...an "unlikely turn of events" has, in fact, occured: NOT because we have given $$ from this fund to those who have NOT contributed (especially those here illegally), NOT because we miscalculated the formula, BUT because of corruption in ALL kinds of forms {who would've seen that one comin'}

back to the story (now that you have a little background)...

during our quaint little family visit for Thanksgiving, a conversation arose regarding the "state of the nation" [these are always quite revealing when my father-in-law participates, as you know and understand, that he LIVED it and therefore he KNOWS! i, on the other hand, am an idealist] it's all good, i enjoy the debates with him, it keeps it interesting and there are no hard feelings...

in the course of the conversation about oba-mao, oba-mao-care, and all things liberal and destructive--i (politely) shared my opinion on SS, which didn't go over too good...my father-in-law was in disagreement and proceeded to school me in the grand idea! no problem, i am open to other's ideas, i do long for understanding...the 4 of us (mike, leonard, and brother-in-law terry) went around a couple times trying to "get on the same page" ... apparently, i was not 'understanding' leonard ((according to mike & terry)) leonard was trying to explain to me that the "intentions of the program" were good because people were going to the POOR FARM hmmm.... is that like the ghetto? gee, i wonder, how in the world did they do it in the 1800's and couldn't seem to do it in the early 1900's -- so, from, say 1880 to 1934, the American people just lost all hope of survival, save the idea of those that for the first 13 years contributed to SS????
seriously? am i supposed to believe that?? if so... then, oba-mao-care MAKES SENSE!! oba-mao wants to mandate contributions to "healthcare" for 10 years to recieve "benefits" for 6 years-- you know...for all those that CAN'T AFFORD IT????? too bad i didn't go to college, this may've made better sense?!?!

anyway, i didN'T get my point across very clearly at all, so i decided to sit back in my chair and consider that i should just keep my mouth shut, after all, i am not a very "educated" little girl, ya' know~

10 minutes later...
mike & terry found their way outside (i think they just wanted to get away)
my sister-in-law finds her way to the kitchen table---with a question for me...

SANDY: so what do you think we should do with these programs?
KIM: i think we should stop all of them
SANDY: ya' know what - you're just spouting what you hear on FoxNews! that is where you get all your information, you don't even have the facts, you just repeat what you hear...
KIM: -
SANDY: ya' know... what about the people?? ... the ones ... the girl that is raised by her alcoholic father and can't - - - -she struggles ... what is she supposed to do ... she needs help ...
--a long pause ... silence - she stops short -- she just looks at me a little dumbfounded--
((i, personally, think that she may have quickly realized that as she was trying to paint herself "the victim" - that her and i have a similar story, only we made severly different choices - i choose to walk with God, and i believe as a result - HE has seen fit to bless me abundantly -- she, on the other hand seems disgusted at HIS very name, and is, therefore, miserable))

i felt myself get red, my heart racing, shaking a little - i decided i didn't know how to....
"Say what you mean, but don't say it mean" that i would better serve my mother-in-law to Get Up, Walk Away and say a little prayer~

later on, back at home...

after talking with mike, i came to the conclusion that i had been given the ability to "debate a liberal" and it was NOT satisfying, maybe what i was longing for was for someone to 'break down' the liberal logic - but, now, after some contemplation, i realize that there is NO LOGIC, thus the attacks & victimhood! i am still learning and have a VERY LONG way to go...praying for Consecration upon the return of Jesus Christ, my Lord & Savior, in the meantime, trudging~