I joined Republican Party tonight.

[FLyellowdog]

Or more specifically, I attended a cookout tonight that was made up of only 3 Democrats and 14 Republicans. We very carefully skirted politics until someone wanted to see the car race in Bristol (I wasn't shocked). The guys turned on the tv which apparently stays tuned to FOX at all times so while they waited for the race to come on, they instead were jacked up about FOX News. You should have seen the men stop eating and drinking to gaze longingly at the newscasters...I mean, they literally stood stone still while the news was being broadcast. These white guys are all in their late 60's or early 70's so I guess they have to get their thrills any way they can. (That was mean.Sorry)

I was rolling my eyes and asked why we were watching that stuff. It was apparent to all who didn't already know that I was one of "those bleeding heart liberals"

Anyhoo, that brought the subject of politics to the forefront and so it began.

"How could you put a n***** in the White House? He has no experience, he's a community organizer for god's sake...yada yada yada." I listened to this one guy as long as I could and then I looked him straight in the eye and said "I'll discuss anything you want to discuss but not if you continue to use that word." He said, "Oh, I guess I'm not being politically correct" and I said, "Being politically correct has nothing to do with it. That word is unacceptable." So I got an apology...actually he apologized twice and later made a point to say that things will work out and let's not be angry. (I wasn't).

So I knew I was in a kettle of fish (or a room full of idiots) but I decided to take the bull by the horns and so I said,"Will each of you standing around here (6 repubs to 2 dems in the room at the time) answer me this. If you had a daughter or granddaughter who was raped...think maybe a 12 or 13 year old girl, would you make her have the baby? "

They all began shaking their heads. All but one indicated NO....to which I asked, "Then how can you support a party whose platform makes no exceptions for rape?"

Only 2 people answered...happened to be married to each other. The wife said that abortion shouldn't be a political issue..it's a human rights issue. She even asked me who was trying to prevent abortions under the rape exception and I said "you republicans". She said that wasn't true and her REPUBLICAN husband contradicted her and said that yes, the republicans were trying to do exactly that. BOOLYAH!

Wife insisted that forcing someone to have such a baby has never really happened because she's never heard of it, and I said "And we'd like to keep it that way."

We all had another piece of pie and the evening ended without altercation...but I found the conversation interesting...plainly uninformed and racist from their standpoint, but interesting.

[DesertFlower]

1. i'm speechless. nt

[brewens]

2. One thing about my Facebook friends. You see about every birther or other wackjob issue

posted but no one dwells on abortion. Only a little bit lately because of Ryan and Akin.

I'd love to see someone expose what really goes on. You know wealthy conservatives get it done when they need to. So, where do they go? Is there a discreet overseas option available to those that can afford it?

We haven't seen anyone burned for it since Bob Barr that I can remember. You might remember his wife had an abortion and he wrote the check. Doh! Even though he denied knowing about it. Good one Bob. A Republican Congressman who doesn't have a clue about what goes on with his own checking account.

[FLyellowdog]

5. Wealthy, "right kind of people" get D & Cs. It's simple.

[Angry Dragon]

3. When the republicans come out with their platform perhaps

you could print it out and give each of them a copy..... just a thought

at least they could see what they are voting for

[FLyellowdog]

4. I honestly don't think they care what the platform says.

It's all about the black man in the White House. Sad.

[IrishMidget]

6. "Wife insisted that forcing someone to have such a baby has never really happened"

"Wife insisted that forcing someone to have such a baby has never really happened because she's never heard of it"

Yep that's how Republicans think. Just pretend it doesn't happen and you'll never have to feel bad about it.

[pansypoo53219]

7. don't forget birth control. end planned parenthood, be prepared for more

POOR PEOPLE. idiots, i tried to explain this o a MODERATE and it went straight back they don't wanna pay. PERIOD. shit for brains.

[FLyellowdog]

9. Two of the men said that they'd put their daughters on birth control

so they wouldn't have to worry about rape....Not worry about rape. How nice of them.

My response went something like..."But republicans have been against birth control for anyone not married. They think abstinence-only education is all that is needed."

No rebuttal was forthcoming.

[freshwest]

12. Excellent points you made. Might tell them they'll pay one way or the other.

Last edited Sun Aug 26, 2012, 02:13 PM - Edit history (1)

At the very least these poor folks will be so disadvantaged, they won't be able to shoulder their share of taxes, and the hole in that sinking boat will bring everyone down.

Next up to appeal to them, that the good people which these people think they are, so superior and all, will end up having to pay for more police, damage from vandalism and prisons being built which will come out of their pockets.

And worst, by not paying to lift others out of the situation they, the superior ones think they will never be in, and letting crime be created (because the 'superior' ones always blame the poor for street crimes) that they might personally be the victim of a crime by the poor, as they consider them the criminal class anyway (not true, but how else would they be so dismissive?) or that their family or children might be.

Then it might be seen as worthwhile to not allow the poor to go into the depths of misery so much that their lives will be affected?

Just a few ideas. Sorry for that horrific run-on sentence.

[indivisibleman]

8. Wow, the N word straight up. A little surprised by this even though I shouldn't be.

I bet there weren't any blacks in attendance.
People are more subtle where I we live. More stereotypical assumptions, innuendo, suggestions and subtle slights against people of color.
The way you describe their reaction to Fox News sounds more like an addiction than an interest.

[FLyellowdog]

10. Correct...no blacks there.

These people are really more like psuedo-educated hillbillies who are truly low information voters. I grew up with them...but even then the area was changing from mostly liberal to now mostly conservative...I still can't figure out how the change took hold.

What changes someone from being liberal to being knee-jerk conservative?

[freshwest]

13. I'd say it it the Fox addiction. I have relatives who were moderate to liberal, then after decades

Of couch potatery, inside in the heat, where the A/C was located and hungry for entertainment, started watching Fox. After a while it was impossible to talk to them as they went nuts over the latest thing that Beck said. That had nothing in the world to do with their lives, not at all. But they were so angry and overwrought, they'd scream into the telephone, that I must agree!!

Even if I said I didn't want to talk about it, they thought it was necessary to life and limb. And 'Uh, huh, sure, okay' wasn't sufficient. They wanted enthusiasm and a show of agreement. Or I got abused. I had to quit talking to them, they're lost.

What some people don't realize is how consolidated the media is in some parts of the country. The conservatives own the airways, cable stations both national and local, the radio band, etc. And they have the farthest reach of signal, sometimes there is nothing else for someone driving down the road.

There is also an element of Fox that is highly addictive because it's all about excitement and stimulation and fear and things that affect people in such a way that it causes fear. And if not fear, a state of constant low level anxiety that keeps them watching, because something might happen that was dangerous.

And the commentators tell that blatantly it is the truth so much that they are totally brainwashed, not just by repetition but by the tone of voice, showing contempt or praise, because we take that in. They praise their viewers as being the smart ones and call others traitors, stupid, perverted, whatever. In other words they are innoculated from hearing another point of view, with prejudice.

Here is what I got from the Duchess's page, and it's an apt description of what we're dealing with talking to these folks. It's correct, because when one listens to Beck or Rush or O'Reilly, as they inject the propaganda meme or the day (and it really is coordinated over several types of media at once to give it more emotional weight) they also add in the disclaimers to all arguements that will be put against the view. But to the quote:

Deep Thirteen
August 22, 2012 at 9:12 PM

The reason you cannot argue with wing nuts is because their claims are not really arguments. They are pre-programed rhetorical responses designed to deflect any threat to their core beliefs. You cannot convince them because they are not actually considering your arguments.

Instead they have built a wall of soundbites, trite slogans, and counter-accusations around the part of their brains that might be inclined to consider your point of view. Unfortunately, this is the default position of the human mind. Rationality must be learned and sadly an awful lot of us have not quite figured it out yet. Think of how many people in this world still consider blind faith to be a virtue.

Hope that any of this helps in your next opportunity, but I'd say you were great!

[FLyellowdog]

14. Well said.

[7wo7rees]

11. Good report.