May I make a suggestion?

[Catmusicfan]

Yes, I know I am new to the board and I probably have no right to do this but I am. The reason why I am saying this is not only because of the races tonight BUT because of a post earlier today asking if Megan Kelly's looks was the reason why people on this board felt the way they did about her.


Here is the thing we have got to realize: We are all citizens of this country. We are not each other's enemy. National politics have helped to make us so polarized. Once upon a time (with the events of certain times in our history) we were groups of people that worked toward a compromise for the common good of the country and our fellow citizens. Yes, at times we fell sort but at times our compromise did so much good.

Here is the thing we need to stop looking at our neighbors and family as the enemy ruining the country. We need to start dialogging about each other. We need to see the human in each of us. Maybe if republican and democratic neighbors start compromising on small things when faux news start spewing and those terrifying political ads do start playing we can have dialogs about the real issues and maybe change some minds.

Yes those races had been closer than they might have been. Maybe I am speaking out of fear. In my mind I am seeing one political party taking over this country in almost a coup like strategy with help from one of America's greatest advisory.

Maybe it is the helpless feeling I have because I read too much and this whole Trump RUssia thing is unfolding so slowly. I am just thinking if we humanize each other not lecture but conversations and humanizing events it might make things better the next election.

I'm tired of looking at enemies every time I go to the store and I'm sorry if I offended. Maybe I just needed to vent. I understand if I am kicked off.

[left-of-center2012]

1. Yes, you may make a suggestion

But I'm going to be 71 next month and I'm tired of "dialoging".

13 Republicans are hiding behind Senate doors putting together a health care plan,
and the Democrats are shut out.
That's just one example of how Republicans dialog.

And my GOP neighbor still thinks Obama was born in Kenya,
and Trump is God's gift to mankind.

But ~~~ welcome to DU.
Please continue to participate, and (speaking for myself) suggestions are welcome.

[Catmusicfan]

4. Thanks. I understand your fears. I am just thinking

The power of the citizens. Look at what people protesting and getting out their the weekend of the first travel ban. I do completely understand you being tired of talking. It does at time feel like a brick wall.

[TomSlick]

2. Thank you.

I live in a very red state. People here aren't evil, they're misinformed. They are misinformed because they receive a steady diet of misinformation.

If Democrats hope to correct the misinformation, we must calmly and intelligently explain the facts. We cannot hope to persuade folks by viewing or treating them as enemies.

[Catmusicfan]

5. That is what I see as well.

[Luciferous]

7. The problem is that most of these people don't want to hear it. They don't

care. Facts are now "fake news."

[Catmusicfan]

9. I found that talking to some of them and presenting the facts as how it will effect them works.

[ecstatic]

3. People are fearful of what's to come. It's hard to have

a rational conversation with ignorant people who insist on taking us down that path. It's like having a calm, rational conversation with a home intruder.

[TomSlick]

6. I couldn't disagree more.

There is no alternative to persuasion except anarchy. About 30% of the population are die-hards and it is a waste of time to argue with them. Spend your time attempting to persuade the others.

[Catmusicfan]

8. I can understand you metaphor but to me

It is like those misinformed republicans are holding a gun to your head because those republican politicians are holding a gun to their head saying you kill or be killed.

[Meowmee]

10. I think that has been attempted for many years

And it isn't working clearly. Thus millions voting for a monster. There is NO excuse for it no matter how you try to explain it away. There are a lot of very stupid and evil people in this country. I always knew that this could happen. What is happening now is very different. Fascism has taken over for real this time.

[luvMIdog]

11. I can't cozy up to them. They are busy painting targets on my loved ones and friends.

Maybe when you're white with no visible noticeable signs of being outside the spectrum of what the right wing considers 'evil', you can afford to slip back in a warm fuzzy feeling of thinking they aren't so bad for their beliefs. But if you are a Muslim in this country I guarantee you might feel fearful for your life, your family , and your job and housing at this point in America. Disinformation is being spread far and wide by the radical Christian element of the far right and they are reaching out to others with this disinformation and spreading hatred like wild fire. They are talking camps, and violence. They are doing the same thing the Nazi's did and continue to do about the Jews with their propaganda. Maybe if you are not Jewish you can sleep at night without ever having to worry the country you are in will turn on you overnight and you won't be safe. Maybe if you aren't black you don't fear for your life when you get pulled over for a traffic ticket, or beat , or shot. Maybe if you aren't Latino you don't have to worry about being 'accidentally' deported to a country you did not grow up in and being separated from your family members. Maybe if you are not LGBT , you don't have to worry about being called an abomination 'hated by God' and stripped of your human rights. Maybe if you have enough money to pay for health insurance then you won't have to worry about poor people dying because they can't afford it.

Tonight I read some posts on another site that were so arrogant and so full of hate I cried. Then at the end of all their lies and hate they said that democrats worship Satan and not the loving God they worship.

I can't stomach the ignorance and the arrogance . Anymore. I'm white, but I have no desire to meld with those kind of white hate spreaders. They make me sick.

I just realized that it might look like I'm trying to insult the original poster and I'm not. I didn't mean it that way. And welcome to DU

[MLAA]

13. You said it! n/t

[Catmusicfan]

15. I had a Muslim uncle and I do have friends and relatives who are part of the LGBT

Community. It is why I made the suggestion. Because I am afraid we will see a second civil war in this country. I am terrified of the path we are headed down.

[HughBeaumont]

16. That "path" is being blacktopped with darkened hate courtesy of Republicans.

Courtesy of their horrible candidates. Courtesy of their media. Courtesy of their churches. Courtesy of their corporate benefactors.

You make it sound like this tango took two.

[luvMIdog]

24. they are bound and determined to turn this country into a totalitarian pseudo Christian regime..

I don't feel like being sweet to them is going to stop their greedy grab for the entire cake.

It's like the attitude of an abused wife. The woman keeps thinking 'if I only do this or that and am patient he won't beat me anymore'. Then she discovers no matter how nice she is the asshole will beat her because that's his nature. Maybe he's ignorant. Maybe he had bad role models. Maybe his father beat his mother. We can think of many reasons why the asshole might beat her, but he's beating her and she needs to try and put a stop to it while she can to survive. Rolling over and letting the ignorant asshole have his way never seems to stop the beatings & yeah sometimes he's a nice guy and takes the kids to the park to play- but the beatings will continue because he knows he can do it and he's gotten away with it before and she always forgives him.

When they manage to take all my heath care I will die. I have some serious problems. They do not care. I have no value to them. I should have been 'smarter' or less 'lazy'. It doesn't matter to them that I worked very hard all my life. I simply don't deserve to live. They have dehumanized me because I need something they are afraid will take money out of their pockets. They seem to be good at dehumanizing EVERYONE that is not in their cult, but it will affect the poor within their cult & that just has not hit home yet to those poor within their cult.

I will add here that I'm sure some southerners previously thought if they did their best to explain to other southerners that owning another human being and raping them out of eyesight of their wives was wrong...but it did not seem to have a whole lot of effect.

[MLAA]

12. One should never

Catmusicfan,
One should never feel unwelcome for respectfully expressing a differing opinion among people who appreciate discourse! So my vote says you are welcome here.

I disagree, however, with humanizing those who are misogynists, racists, compassionless and proudly support proven liars that promote violence. Give an inch in the name of humanizing and you get Texas ....where I recently read about their latest plan to withhold social services from LGBTQ children. Children!

[Catmusicfan]

19. Those racists you mentioned cannot be reason with

The ones I hope to reach out to are the Republicans who do have common sense. The ones that yelled at the representatives at town hall meeting trying to save Obamacare/ACA. The ones that are -yes slowly- realizing what is happening and don't want it to. I have a relative who use to watch Rachel Maddow for amusement. She doesn't anymore. When Rachel started doing the whole Russian connection stories and the hearings started she is shell shocked asking what has become of her party.

[sprinkleeninow]

14. Hello, my banana split is melting, but I'll respond as quickly

as possible.
I'm also gonna hit (yikes) seven-o next month and have lived thru all previous administrations, mostly detrimental except for the Democratic ones, naturally.
What we got today is hideous, heinous, and all those other descriptives that apply.
RW's are in my midst, however few and far between, except for those who have not exposed themselves yet. I shut a close one down not too long ago. He really pushed my buttons and I lost it. Let him come to the end of himself.
We had a rabid family member (mom's sister's husband) who was in love with nixon. We dreaded going over for family get togethers and my cousin's birthday. He would 'boom' on about the crook, thus putting a wet blanket on the festivities. My poor auntie/Godmother!
These are unchartered waters. No precedents.
I'll be dammmed if I play nice guy to these uneducated that blindly suck up all the pure crap spewed by radio, tv, internet, CHURCH.
My purpose at this stage of my game is do my level best to promote the Democratic Party no matter where or in what manner. I was never an industrial strength activist or 'militant' of sorts, but I'm feeling that stance coming on strong. It's required of me.
Here in NC, they gerrymandered up the yingyang. Also other dirty tricks. We have a new Dem governor, but he's hamstrung by repugnant legislature.
So, I'm a return DUer because of last November, not having a ton of posts.
Good you joined us. However, not being 'way' critical of what you suggested, but I'm beyond that.

Peace be unto you.

[HughBeaumont]

17. Half a kitten isn't half as cute -

- it's a bloody mess.

[BainsBane]

18. welcome to DU

and thanks for your post. It's sage advice.

[bigtree]

20. republican politicians, some 98% of them, are a clear danger to humanity

...and most republicans I know and speak to are in full support of their party's anti-American views and actions.

I'll be damned if I'll regard someone angling to deprive me of my rights, liberty, health and well-being, as less than an enemy.

You might want to inform your neighbors and family of this.

[ck4829]

21. I'm not really sure how to compromise on my relative's healthcare

With him being called a "high risk" at best under Trumpcare. He's a toddler by the way, but his rare disease has only become all the more worrisome because of our 'greatest healthcare system in the world'.

I don't think I can compromise with people who consider the Muslims in my circle to be secret enemies of the state.

I don't picture any of us even being able to compromise with the people who would rather gouge out one of their eyes than dare to say a liberal is right about something.

This isn't just Fox News saying this, this isn't just Trump saying this... This is Republican people on the ground saying this.

[KingCharlemagne]

22. Oh, please, I am the enemy of the 1%. Are you a 1%-er? - nt

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. Best to avoid Trump Davidians and all zealots.