I just want to add even though I am frustrated at the apparently constant bashing I know it’s because all of us see this as a continuation and escalation of Bush II’s policies not repealed or expanded under Obama and having to deal with people that has actively mocked and made fun of us.
I get greeted by my stepdad, who I live with, by ‘what up libtard?’ And a near constant ‘I am going to act like I want to talk but it’s just a giant dick joke at your expense’ and I don’t want us to turn into those kind of people, or worse the people trumpsters stereotype us as.
So us arguing amongst ourselves just gives them ammo.
There are Trumpsters here in SoCal. I am in the midst of colleagues – seemingly intelligent professionals who are VERY vocal about their own politics here in our workplace. What you listed? THE AFOREMENTIONED COLLEAGUES DON’T CARE. They openly admire Trump, and are gleeful over what he’s rammed through so far. If they were born in Russia, they would openly admire Putin. If alive during Hitler’s reign… well. I’m sure you get the picture.
First, I don’t discuss politics at work. All I know is what I’m exposed to (even during meetings). So I’m not going to engage with what’s amounted to, so far, an old boy’s clique.
Second, sure. We can avoid using the R word (whether or not that’s actually a factor) and deal with what (for example) one in the nodding, agreeing, smiling group says, “Boy. I like what’s he’s doing! C’mon out, guns blazing right out of the gate! Not like do-nothing Obama!” They are happily locked in.
Third. Global warming. The aforesaid group, in spite of the preponderance of corroborative science that we’ve all been exposed to, are doubtful of it, so I suppose that’s another reason for their admiration of Trump, i.e., the dissing of science.
My earlier posting re Putin and Trump and all that it implied? I suppose I could ask the lovely Trumpsters here at work why a loud, lying, obnoxious, bellicose bully is – in their minds – someone to gravitate to, what this country needed. But I have work to do, and if you were here, you’d understand why I don’t engage these particular people.
about a fifth of my facebook friends are trump voters and 5 of the 11 teachers in my grade level at my school voted for trump. i’m an 8th generation native texan who also happens to be a left-liberal democrat who has been active in my county party activities. i was an obama delegate to the state convention in 08 and a jackson delegate in 84. most of the people i encounter on a daily basis are trump voters. i must engage with them because i refuse to be driven from my home.
i choose my moments carefully and i generally take a logical and factual approach with as much empathy as i can. on a couple of occasions i have told people, once in person and once online, “you need to stop relying on breitbart for your news feed.” i am holding a candle to a glacier attempting to melt it but i am nothing if not persistent.
I do but, for example, I grew up in Alabama and still have connections there. A few are quite conservative and vocal about it. I know, because Alabama, those people have a lot of friends in Alabama, probably many who think like them but also some who don’t get exposed to other opinions in a very positive way. Say they work at a car dealership - it’s going to be Fox News 24/7 on the tv there. Maybe they don’t agree but in a sea of Trump supporters they may be quiet to keep the peace - especially women. So I have a chance to reach people who might be quiet about their politics but willing to vote, quietly, privately to screw Trump.
They do have a point. I wish Obama were more like Trump in that respect, and I’m growing increasingly pissed at Obama’s (and the rest of the Democrats’) lack of a spine.
Oh they have their places. I’m trying to figure them out and read because the alternate news zone is where they get their arguments and I need to be prepared.
Nearly 10 years ago I was at dinner at home with my folks. us kids were long since moved out, and so the TV was often on at dinnertime in those days. TV was not allowed at dinner when we were young.
For context: My dad was a conservative, at times a trollish conservative. He hated Ted Kennedy and Jane Fonda equally, but lived in Massachusetts and liked old TBS movies. He liked to rustle jimmies, and was supremely talented at it (serioulsy, the trollies here have nothing on the guy). He was aware that rustling my jimmies for the sake of having a better day would cost us our relationship if he carried on with it with me, and politics had been entirely off limits for discussion for nearly a decade. He had no no-jugular setting on the subject. He profoundly disrespected anyone who disagreed with him on politics.
He was also a bit hard of hearing.
So, it’s dinnertime and I turned off the TV without warning, and I looked at my parents, and I asked them what the added value was to choosing news sources that yell the news at you? I asked them if the shouting was pleasant to them, and if it added to the quality of their experience? Or did they maybe just enjoy being yelled at?
They were a bit speechless, but I could tell that it hit home. Not long after my dad had given up on Limbaugh, and I don’t think i ever saw my mom watching FOX News again. I’m not claiming sole credit, but the moment after i asked that is one I’ll remember a long time. It’s not often a kid teaches their folks something.
