The Handmaid's Tale? Really?

The discussion at the Republic of Austin Facebook page over the link to my last post went in a direction quite different from where I thought it might go.  It went something like this:

So, in the interests of making things clear:  Yes, I like Sarah Palin.  Yes, I've read A Handmaid's Tale.  I didn't care for it.  And the Republic of Gilead, as portrayed by Margaret Atwood, in no way represents either my Christianity or, from what I have seen, the views of Governor Palin.

What, did you expect me to sit back and tacitly accept your ideas of what it must be like to be a conservative in deep blue Austin?  Try asking me next time instead of stereotyping.