In the fourth episode of "The New Normal" politics appear! Uh oh! Conservatives vs. Liberals! In a rather surprising turn, it is revealed that Goldie (the soon to be biological mother of David and Bryan's child) is voting for Mitt Romney.
As would be expected, the guys are very upset and try to convince Goldie that she needs to vote for President Obama. What I really like about this discussion is that it's a super real debate happening in almost every home in America. Sure, not every home has a single mother having a baby for two gay guys with an extremely expensive wardrobe, but not every family has Ellen Barkin either. So there.
I think that everyone can relate to this theme in some way. The idea of politics coming up, and the shock that follows when you hear someone you know and love is voting differently than you. These are heated times because so many insanely important things are on the line, and when someone close to you disagrees, it can be hurtful on a personal level.
I wrote a piece for the Huffington Post recently about how the time of "I love you but I don't believe in gay marriage" or "women's rights to choose" or "universal healthcare" or whatever are over, and I think this episode told that story in a really nice way.
There will always be people who disagree with your politics, and there will always be family who disagrees with your politics but there's something about now, 2012, that feels different. The stakes are as high as the emotions and that can lead to family meltdowns at the dinner table.
What we should take away from last night's episode is that yes, everyone is different and politics are politics and that doesn't mean you can't love someone who disagrees with you. However, what we should also take away from this is that it IS important to stand up for your rights, your beliefs, and what you truly think is fair. I am guilty of avoiding confrontation at all costs. When I dropped out of college I basically ran away in the middle of the night, but now is the time to stand up for what you believe but remember to do it in a kind, loving way. And not, as Bryan and David did last night, immediately accuse someone of being a racist.... or whatever else might come out of your mouth in the heat of the moment.
It's almost the holidays and the election will be over, but the emotions will not be. Let's take last night's episode as a reminder that it's possible to express your feelings to your family who might disagree with you, in a coherent and loving manner.
But more importantly, NENE WAS BACK! YAYYYYYYY!