My best friend’s backyard has always been one of my favorite places to waste summer days. Her pool provided a cool haven from the blistering Texas heat, while her patio was the finest place to achieve that perfect golden tan. In fact tanning was the only thing I had on my mind, as I laid out on a long luxurious lounge chair one evening. The sun gently caressed my face and my toes with the warm tips of its fingers. I slipped into a fantastic moment of complete relaxation, losing myself in the wide recesses of my mind. A single word pulled me violently from my daze, Politics. Apparently, during my few moments of leisure my safe haven had turned into an arena for a political debate. It started innocently enough, a simple statement from my friend’s father that I would be able to vote in the upcoming election. I laughed as her older brother made some smart comment on my ability, or lack thereof to pick a good candidate. Still smiling I told them who I did plan to cast my vote for.

I still find it funny how one word; a name actually, was able to wipe the smiles off of all their faces. It never occurred to me to think about the crowd surrounding me, and their strict right side view on politics. Maybe this gun-totting, pro-war, animal hunting, Republican family wasn’t the best crowd to be telling my liberal prone views to. Yeah definitely should not have started this conversation, I thought as her brother proceeded to rip apart the Democratic Party. My view on immigration was stupid, pulling out of the war was idiotic, I was retarded for wanting to get rid of the death penalty. He continued his lecture, as his jibes got more personal. I went from smiling to glaring at this oversized, overgrown, big headed, football playing, baboon! How dare he rip apart what I believe in? I was fine with us not agreeing, but he had no right to force what he believed on me. And why should I believe what he thinks, he had obviously been hit in the head one too many times.

Tired of his preaching, I decided to yell back. Granted, he was 250 pounds of pure muscle, it probably was not the greatest idea. The next thing I knew I was upside-down. My head touching the cobble stone ground, and my butt in the air. I let out a wounded animal like shriek, as I was thrown from his arms into the cold pool. I thought about pretending that I had hit my head so he would feel like the jerk he was, but I reluctantly decided against it. With a gasp, and then a fake laugh my face broke the surface of the water. I looked around at this tight knit family that were all now laughing at my completely drenched form. I did love them. They were my second family. However, I had decided without one doubt, I would not be discussing politics with them again. It wasn’t that they all glared at me when I did, or even that they felt the need to rip apart my beliefs, it was that it made me so mad when they did so. I cannot stand when people try to make their beliefs mine. Trust me, I’m smart enough to be able to think for myself, and vote for myself. I just wish people would let me.