I have always disliked people’s tendencies to vaguely hint at their criticisms of things, or to try manipulating people. One of my skills of often to nail a dogwhistle into a specific question or statement that they are too embarrassed to engage in. From my perspective, the only reason for being so furtive is that they themselves don’t believe they have any compelling argument for their professed position. So it’s an exercise in empty partisanship.
Something about my demeanor really chafes religious conservatives, who often single me out for scrutiny for what reasons I can only imagine. Complete with allusions to even being able to recognize evil (me!) by sight. At my previous job people sometimes confronted me with weird signalling about religion. Some of the most drastic horror was when I explained that because I am clergy, that I refrain from discussing religious matters in the workplace, so as to not be perceived as proselytizing.
When people seem to be dropping hints about the essential Christianity of the US, I sometimes muse along the lines of: “Oh, yeah, that’s that weird middle-eastern cult I have heard about on TV.”, which results first in confusion, and then anger.
Many of my responses are a counter to attitudes of faux-nativism. It sounds like I am agreeing about conservatism and the need to assimilate to American culture - except that it become apparent that I am referring to Native American culture. If those who refuse to adapt should be expected to assimilate or leave, that that just as easily applies to people from Western Europe who fail to adapt to life in the Americas.
For those who seem to be whistling authoritarianism, I often drop suggestions about toddlers and their terrible tantrums. Better do what the spoiled brat says or you are really going to get an earful! Let the big baby dominate! What could go wrong?
