I'm sad that I was born there

It's still several months before I have to deal with it. But I have family in Virginia - a significant amount - and the reunion every Thanksgiving is there. I'm scared to go back, now. I've always had to cover my ass at such events anyway, being one of oh-so-few liberals in a gigantic conservative family (eek! a long-haired male! we don' know what to do with our worldview!), and now I can't tell what will happen if I do go back. I have a horrible irrational fear that the topic will come up at dinner, in the context of some family member praising the decision, and I'll have two choices. Either I keep my fat mouth shut and fume in the corner, or I speak up to defend myself and my friends, and incur the hard feelings of half my extended family. Sadly, even some among the other half of my extended family would not approve of my opinions on the matter, either.

It's still soon. Someone's bound to take them to task quickly enough, and we'll see how it holds up. Until then, I'm very much on the other side of the country.

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