How I've decided to deal with RW relatives/friends/etc

I am going to remain stoically silent and let them make fools of themselves. That is indirect judgement, as I am usually quite the talker myself.

When * or any of his minions come on the TV, or anyone I cannot but speak out against, refute, or attempt to yell through the screen at, I will silently leave the room. Go play with the dog or something.

If they ASK me my opinion on anything, or about any facts (which they do a lot, since they know I am more informed than they - such as last week when they asked me about Israel/Palestine), I will reply with a one-sentence response, with the humble caveat, "in my understanding" tacked on.

This is the only way I can retain my sanity.

what to work on.

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Save the Gulf:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=106&topic_id=22507&mesg_id=22507

Then save the nation!
http://timeforachange.bluelemur.com/electionreform.htm

NGU.

Cut 'em out. I have no RW relatives or friends. (My entire immediate family is RW freeps, but I no longer claim to have a family.)

But then, something snaps, and Katy bar the door. I truly get so red hot angry that I don't think they listen to me, they're so shocked about how mad I am.

What gets me, is the glib way they say things: "Want to hear the stupidest thing I've heard today? Liberals think Katrina is Bush's fault! Ha! As if he could cause a hurricane! What idiots!"

It's all a joke to them.

Want to hear the worst thing I've heard today? "Everything's great, the crappy people in New Orleans have been cleaned out! Ha Ha!"

:grr:

And also, as I've said in other posts, where I draw the line usually and start yelling at them.

THIS IS ABOUT LIFE AND DEATH.

It's not just taxes or gas prices or some other 'policy'. It's PEOPLE'S LIVES. Just like Iraq. Tens of thousands of dead civilians because of 'our' policies. Sorry, I can't abide that. Life is hard enough. The hurricane was already bad enough. The Middle East was already bad enough.

I, too, am sick of thinly-veiled racist jokes about the people coming to our community. I know it's not the majority of people, even here, who feel that way, but, COME ON - these people have NOTHING. Show some respect.

is my explanation for non-response to stupidity, I just walk away.

But if they ask me, 'Why do the Brits resent us over WW2 when we sent thousands of our boys to die over there?' I am going to answer to the best of my ability.

If they refuse to get 'news' from any source but Faux, refuse to read AT ALL, refuse to leave the country (or region of the country, even)... I am being charitable, poor things.

But I am going to become suspiciously silent.

I am not even going to get into a conversation about who is to blame for this. I don't think the hurricane was *'s fault (anymore than it was all administrations since the Industrial Revolution's fault); I don't think we can judge yet where the failures occurred that resulted in no food or water for a week (I suspect, from the little I *do* know, that it rests mostly with FEMA under direction of the admin, but I think there have been mistakes on the part of the locals and states, too); YET - as Shep Smith said last night on Letterman, the point is this: on 9/11 Rudy Giuliani stepped up and provided hope and leadership to people, made it look like someone was in charge, marched down the street with the FDNY, and tried to organize a concerted effort to save as many as possible. This time, even with several days' warning (and you could argue DECADES' warning), no one fulfilled that role. No one stepped up.

I think that's pretty damning. I mean, WHO is the obvious leader here?

Oh, wait, we've got a naked Chimperor.

Don't talk to them at all!

I refuse to let the oligarchy strip me of my family. They've already taken my sanity.

If just for a moment.
No matter what they say, respond with "You've made your bed."
That's all. It puzzles them for a moment, because it's directed at them personally, causes them to wonder what they said to get this response, and allows their nasty words to fall right back on them. And it shows that you know they are complicit with their racist leader.
If they are fundies they'll probably go right to fury, so beware.

It hurt. I already started a thread on it, so I don't want to talk about it anymore.

I feel for you. Thank goodness my mother is capable of having a reasonable conversation, though even she thinks I am radical sometimes.

OH, WELL.

:P