My parents are actually closet liberals!

Dad?

It's only recently, say in the last 7 years or so, where my parents have exposed themselves as Republicans.  To be fair, it was apparent my dad was in that camp well before my mother, but at the same time it's only been the last few years where I cared.

There's been massive cognitive dissonance with the whole thing, because whereas it seems predictable that my parents would be conservative at this point in their life, I also think about all the experiences they pretty much forced on me to become a better human being.  So it's a bit disappointing that not only have I not rebelled against these experiences, I've embraced them ... only to be told I'm an idiot.  Little memories like:

• we moved to England so my dad could be a human resources asset for a pharma company
• my dad taught me soccer, and participated in an English rugby club 
• my grandmother - my mom's mom - her second husband married an educator who went on to be head of a public institution -  President of Indiana University.
• my dad pronounces French words with a French accent, which is incredibly irritating. Dad - it's not "Fronce."
• he also reads a lot of books. And uses big words ... in their proper context.
• we moved to the Chicago suburb of Park Ridge, IL known for its police and fire department unions, not to mention the hometown of Hillary Clinton.
• we then moved to Fairfield County CT, to a little town known for its artistic community. Weston is known as the home of Judy Blume for crying out loud.
• During the 1980 Reagan election landslide, my parents told us they didn't vote for Reagan, or Carter - but John Anderson.
• we were a book-reading family with interest in the arts, including jazz
• I played trombone in the school jazz band and wore the marching band costume in parades
• I was encouraged to try out for the school play and was cast as Binnacle, Admiral Boom's loyal sidekick - a bit part in Mary Poppins.
• once we were in Weston a while my mom and dad befriended the police force ... as we all went bowling
• I was encouraged to go to college in Madison, Wisconsin
• I then moved to California and eventually to NYC - all the while my parents praising how great those two locations are.

 I can only conclude my parents are closet liberals.