It's official. I have been Facebook-disowned by my husband's family.What brought this about? Well, I suppose it started during the presidential election, when I raised a stink about the barrage of racist emails and texts and Facebook posts from those loved ones who seemed to have forgotten that a) I actively work NOT to judge people by outer appearance, i.e. skin color, and b) I have a niece who is biracial - the same mix as our president, to be precise. It hurt, you know? That they would be so thoughtless of MY family? Still, I mostly let it go in the name of family peace and love.
Over the last few months, there's been an overload of crapola posted and sent about health care reform, about how the godless Obama is working to pave the way for Satan to walk the earth, about how health care is not a basic human right, about how "we" don't want to pay for "them." Again, I eye-rolled and chalked it up to ignorance and being misinformed, and again, moved on in the name of family peace and love.
Perhaps I was PMSing, or maybe it's the fact that I've weaned myself off of Prozac so that I can FEEL again, but a few days ago, I finally got irritated with all of the stupid shit I was reading about health care reform on my sister-in-law's (husband's sister's) page - comments made by her friends, not her - and I made the mistake of commenting about backing slowly away from the ignorance... and commented about Jesus and how he probably didn't have a pre-existing condition clause. Well... judging by the response I got, you'd think that I'd just ass-raped a goat and set it on fire. Actually, that probably would've gone over better.
After a few harsh exchanges with my brother-in-law's (husband's brother's) wife and my mother-in-law, which culminated with me telling them all to go fuck themselves (on Facebook, no less *insert shameful emoticon here*), I have since been un-friended by them all, their children, and their spouses. I can only assume that this applies in real life as well.
Now, keep in mind that, over the last 25 years, despite them knowing I am NOT Christian, I have graciously tolerated prayers on my behalf to a God I don't worship and quotes from a bible I don't believe in or read, in the form of emails, cards, texts, and conversations. I actually appreciated the sentiment, thinking that these people were caring in their own way about me, and that their prayers were still good energy that sent love and healing in my direction. What a fool, huh? I didn't want to think that they just didn't give a fuck that I have my own belief system - but after recent events, I guess that's exactly what it was... what it IS.
SO... here I sit, Facebook cast out and former in-law... and I can't tell you how light and airy I feel about it all! The last wall has finally come down - I can now fully be ME without having to censor any part of who I am... and it is wonderful.
Indeed, it IS amazing what one can see by the light of a burning bridge...












