some people are just going to force you to go there.

That's what I do , you want small gov, build your own highway, don't call firemen, don't use public libraries etc...

"You pray for me and I'll think for you"

Our mother passed two years ago and it seems we were going to be a bit closer.
But at the campaigns heated up, he started sending me the most vile, disgusting fecal matter about the President.
Every single accusation I was able to refute with FACTS, but that didn't stop him.
He no longer speaks to me.

for me, it's the spouse's siblings.
my wife's sisters are practically birthers...

My parents are voting Republican and they have 2 gay kids.

Some people you just can't reach.

I think he would empathize with your frustration. And I think he would want you to find common ground. That is so hard. I have relatives who are quite far to the right. We debate/argue sometimes...but otherwise, I try to remember that they are family. Or friends of mine with whom I share some special history.

Mainly, I try to listen. Then I try to gently educate. I can get pretty far with this strategy. I just have to know when to stop. Too much education is too hard to take for anybody. Sometimes, I come back to them with hard evidence from laws or speeches or videos -- just to let them know that I was sooo concerned by what they had told me that I just HAD to look into it. And look what I found!

My guess is that the stress you are under with your serious situation did not give you the inner peace you needed to deal with his onslaught. I am so sorry rsmith6621 that you are under such duress. I do hope that situation gets resolved for you soon.

Let some time blow over.

And BTW, prayer may not help; but it never hurt. Let them pray for you. It is there way to show love.

Last month I dropped by Mom and Dad's house to say Hi. Dad was on the porch and offered me a beer. He obviously had been drinking. No sooner then I sat down, he started launching into me about Obama. "Obama is a silver tongue snake." When I mentioned Obama saved GM and Chrysler he said. "They should have failed." At this point he was yelling and I know the neighbors had to hear it. When I mentioned my daughter (his own granddaughter) was now under out insurance because of ObamaCare, he said "So what!" That was all I could get in edgewise between his ranting. I finally had enough, put my beer down in front of him and walked back to my car with my Mom following behind me and apologizing.

He actually did vote for Obama in 2008 so I was a bit rattled by his attitude because we never talk politics. He knows I'm a lefty and before I got there my mom had mentioned I was planning to vote for Obama.

I've dropped by a couple times since then and he hasn't said a word about it. My mom tells me he probably forgot.

When it came time for him to respond he called us "Liberal Democrats" (had absolutely nothing to do with the issue that provoked his threat) as if that was his ultimate insult. My response was that I do not make threats let us settle it now. He immediately left and has not been back it has been 5 years. As he was leaving I made my offer once again, and a promise to the effect if I ever saw him again there would be no further words. I must say his injection of Politics into a personal matter caught me off guard. This is the same person who at one time thought our George W. Bush refrigerator magnet "Is our children learning" was some sort of endorsement of George Bush.

In this case my offer and promise still stand if he deliberately returns. No words or discussions are necessary.

Turnabout is fair play.

he got a taste of his own medicine.

Let's hope he remembers what it tastes like!