5 Absolutely Wrong Ways To Respond To Remorseful Trump Voters
http://www.cracked.com/blog/how-not-to-respond-to-regretful-trump-voters-guide/(Not sure I agree with every point in this, but this passage seemed worth considering)
"People like you have made my life miserable. Why should I care?"
I said earlier that at one point in my life, I thought gay people were a plague. I wasn't exaggerating about that. Half my life ago, before I became friends with people in the LGBT community, I thought there was something physically wrong with them. I thought there was an actual defect in their brains that made them that way. I avoided them because I was afraid if my friends saw me hanging out with them, they'd think I was gay. Like I'd contracted gay cooties or something.
But because they accepted me as an actual human instead of shutting me out, I learned. I grew. I ceased being an enemy and became an ally in their fight. It became our fight. Building an army requires recruitment, and step one of that process is talking and teaching. Every warm body you get to fight for your side is one less fighting for the other.
I'll be the first to admit, though, that it's really goddamn easy for me to say that, being a white heterosexual male. I've never had to deal with the world telling me I'm an abomination. I've never had large racist organizations telling me I need to move back to England where I came from (even though I've never been there). I'm aware this isn't even close to easy. But it's necessary.
(Btw, this article is talking about REMORSEFUL Trump voters...in a few months to a year, there will be a lot of them...and based on his approval ratings, there are plenty who already feel badly about their choice...it is NOT about the guys who are STILL wearing the "Hecho-in-China" MAGA hats and STILL call us "special snowflakes". OK?)
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Jake Stern
(3,145 posts)Those people, remorseful or not, effectively sentenced thousands of Americans to death, set the stage for the triumphant return of back alley abortions and gave Republicans a green light to destroy Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid with their vote for Trump.
Over a trifling email scandal?
They voted for a fascist and act shocked that we got fascism. The only thing they deserve is a good swift kick in the ass for unleashing TrumpenFuhrer on America.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)it's not about feeling sorry for them, as this passage deals with:
"I have absolutely no sympathy for these people. Fuck them."
You don't have to have sympathy for them. You don't have to love them or like them or make babies with them. But you do have to recognize that if you don't at least acknowledge their regret as a step toward positive change, you are perpetuating the problem. By hurling insults and anger, you are actively preventing them from coming around to your side's way of thinking.
I used to be a steadfast conservative. I'm talking the "abortion is wrong and gay people are a plague" type. I'm not that way anymore, but I didn't get there on my own. I talked to people who didn't blow me off as a raging lunatic. They didn't scream at me or throw handfuls of shit. They explained why they thought I was wrong, and guess what? Over time, I found that I actually agreed with them. If I had been met with nothing but hatred and insults, my only reaction would have been "Go fuck half of yourself. Then take a break. Then come back and fuck the other half of yourself."
Leith
(7,808 posts)Who is actively trying to gently help us to see it their way? Is there such a person out there? All I've ever seen is vicious shit throwing, insults, mockery, and the same old "we won! fuck you! get used to it!"
It isn't hard to make nice with people like that - it's impossible.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)Or about anyone who's trying to badger us into supporting the guy.
This is about the people who will realize what they did and will be looking for a better path.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,841 posts)I TOLD YOU SO! at the suddenly remorseful Trump voters. Especially the ones who are completely shocked to learn that their health care will go away. Ignorant voters have given us the worst possible President, and I don't think I need to treat them with compassion or sympathy. A smack up alongside the head and an admonition to pay attention in the future is the least they deserve.
50 Shades Of Blue
(9,967 posts)Just didn't think he would bite them.
Surprise! Not.
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)Thankfully, there are many people who will reach out to them, allowing me the opportunity to care even that much less about their self-centered, self-absorbed remorse without taking away from your efforts.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)If some of these folks get to where they're saying "you know, I really got it wrong in that choice. I want to learn and I'm willing to listen to what you guys have to say", isn't it in our interest to have some response to them other than "Fuck You"?
Even if we aren't trying to convert these people, shouldn't we WANT them to change?
LisaL
(44,973 posts)
niyad
(113,232 posts)than contempt. what the hell good is their remorse NOW? WHAT, EXACTLY, are they going to do to fix the disgusting mess they created????
i am thinking of colin powell and his "remorse" for the fraudulent "yellow cake" speech. that "remorse" couldn't bring back the dead, or uninjure the wounded, or undestroy the country.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)And the article isn't saying, as I read it, that we should immediately forgive these people.
It would be more like "OK, you did what you did. Horrible things happened as a result. You need to listen to rest of us, and if, after doing that, you can stand with us, we can stand with you. Here's some people to hear out and here's some things you should read".
niyad
(113,232 posts)"remorseful" death eaters.
whahhhh, so sorry, had no idea, I was forced, I was scared, blah, blah blah. pretending, now that they see what their actions have caused.
