How to argue with your racist Facebook uncle this Thanksgiving

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Congratulations on your losses?

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Thank you. After 30ish years of being attacked and ganged-up on at every wife related family event, the holidays seem so chill now. My blood pressure doesn’t know what to do with itself. I wish everyone some peace these coming holidays. You all deserve it. Seriously.

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Yea, that’s where I’m at with this as well. If people are despicably toxic, and actively vote for and support someone who is a bigot, a rapist, and literally campaigned on taking away people’s healthcare and destroying the environment your kids will grow up in…why the fuck does anyone spend a second with them??! “Tolerating” despicable people is assuring that they and their ideas flourish,regardless of logical pushback. Just shun them into the ground and forget them.

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Yep. You’re not obligated to endure abuse. Respect is a 2 way street and there’s simply not much respectable about being a trump supporter.

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There is always a point at which beliefs and position on a topic are inexcusable.

That being said, it’s important to recognize that each person’s position and worldview is a product of their life experience, which might be vastly different from our own. Try to look through their lens to better understand where they are coming from.

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I think a lot of people who have Trump-supporting family members probably could forge some kind of actual connection and thereby probably move their family members further from Trump (since caring about other people is moving further from Trump).

Either that or get enough trust with them that when the civil war comes you’ll be able to launch a surprise attack.

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Great idea! Getting a head start on subterfuge.

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How to argue with your racist Facebook uncle this Thanksgiving

Yeah, no. Either we have actively disinvited the assholes already, or it’s, “Shut the fuck up, Stu. Eat your yams.” He doesn’t like it, he can leave. Dumb motherfucker.

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One strategy might be to simply make up your own “facts” for your counter argument.

“Oh, not that old chestnut?! Haven’t you heard that there has been a net emigration to Mexico since Trump has tanked the economy? Yeah, Trump is trying to get the wall built to prevent people fleeing back to South America. And did you hear about the Pizzagate Investigation? Apparently Trump owns the lease on Comet Ping Pong. Forget Pee-gate, we are probably looking a Paedo-gate.”

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I stand apoplectic at the continuing science denial reflected in this funny but ineffectual “guide”.

  1. This DCCC piece would receive an F in any cognitive psychology class. As much as it hurts to hear it, decades of work in cognitive psychology, behavioral economics and social psychology show that facts and logic are not terribly persuasive -people are far more motivated by moral values (i.e., beliefs about right and wrong) and emotions. Conservatives have known this for half a century.

  2. Humans are not the rational actors we like to think we are. Nobel prizes have been awarded for the science that proves it. Put another way, if simply presenting facts and logic actually worked, we’d already have all the voters we need.

  3. Never, ever, ever, repeat your opponent’s talking points. I can’t imagine why this is not obvious. Mentioning your opponent’s points strengthens them by repetition and keeps you in the frames your opponent has chosen. Republican strategists know we do this; don’t take the bait! You are under no obligation to answer any of their talking points. Instead get on with your message.

  4. Have a conversation about why you care about an issue and what you believe is right or wrong. Relate it to real people and real situations. Doing this almost always results in a less confrontational conversation. Sometimes it will get even Uncle Fred to say “I never thought of it that way”. Seed planted.

  5. Practice political triage: Crazy Uncle Fred is not your target. If you had infinite time and energy you might undo decades of right wing propaganda, but is Uncle Fred really person the DCCC thinks we should spend our time on? And would the ensuing food fight convince anyone else at the table?

Here’s hoping the next time the DCCC hires the talented graphic designer they also create something that’s a product of this century, not something from a thoroughly debunked old theory the Republicans rightly dropped in the last one.

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I thought we already decided we were going to lace the gravy?

I know, I know. It’s a terrible, immoral, unethical idea. But 24 hours from now, you’ll be thinking you should have done it.

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The Spectator is a right wing magazine, which was edited by the current British prime minister 15-20 years ago. There may be some truth in there but it should generally be treated with suspicion. My gut feeling is that ignoring the racist uncle may not be the best move, but neither is a big fight.

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Ask Hillary or Joe. <sigh>

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I’ll just leave this here.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-jr-thanksgiving_n_5ddfaa63e4b00149f72a3fc1

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That boy’s efforts to build his national platform are getting more and more pathetic.

And in my experience, it’s Trumpkins who get easily triggered, not “liberals.”

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Like how Trump Jr. got triggered at their own book signing by right-wingers who didn’t agree with them?

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