I've got to rant for a goddamn second...

[Drunken Irishman]

The family I've ever associated with, my mom's, is pretty much Democratic to the core. My grandparents were Democrats (grandpa was a union man, World War II vet and a school teacher, grandma was a social worker) and even their parents were Democrats (though, I suspect my grandma's dad was a very conservative Democrat since, you know, he was kind of racist). But ultimately, my family has been Democratic since they came over from Ireland and decided the party was for them during the Great Depression era.

Unfortunately, my dad's family (read, not my dad, who was a Democrat prior to his death) are the exact opposite of my mom's. They're low-class drug addicts, or were, who were constantly in and out of jail, as were their kids, my cousins, and just gutter people you wouldn't want to associate with. My dad, realizing what a toxic waste his family was, decided to cut off contact with them. He didn't want druggies and prisoners associating with his family, so, in the 90s, he essentially just cut them out of his life. He didn't speak to any of 'em, well except for one of his sisters, who too cut herself off from the clan, and when he died in 2010, it was really the first time since I was a kid that I actually saw most of his family - sisters and cousins.

Well, the reintroduction to that side of the family, namely on Facebook, occurred around this time. So, whatever. It's only Facebook. I know I'll never really interact with these people in my private life ... but I've come to find out all, except for one of my dad's brothers, are right-wing, Obama hatin', racist Republicans. It is so infuriating to me because of their background.

Look, I've touched on my dad's childhood in posts of past and you may remember them and you may not ... either way, it wasn't easy. At the age of five, his father died in a car accident and left his mom a widowed mother of EIGHT. My dad was the second or third oldest - so that shows you how young the family was.

Anyway, after my dad's dad died, she up and moved the entire family out to Utah, joined the Mormon Church because she was poor and they offered her assistance and then lived off my dad's dad's Social Security and welfare for most of her kids' childhood (she only began working later in her life). I don't begrudge her for it, life was hard raising eight kids in the 60s, but it was not a very functional household.

My mom was actually a friend of the family and knew my dad's older brother better than she knew my dad for much of her younger life. They were pretty close, to the point where my dad's brother fell in love with her in junior high and high school - so, she's always had connection to my dad's family. Anyway, she tells me stories. She knows what it was like back then ... hell, my dad told me stories. He remembered welfare night and Social Security night - when his mom would get money and they could get food in the house again. My mom told me a fine meal for them was limp noodles and tomato soup because that's all they could really afford. They lived in a ghetto area of the city, right off the freeway, and the house was falling apart.

So, this is a family that grew up ON government assistant - Social Security and welfare. This is a family where many still were using social programs well into the 90s when I was a kid because I REMEMBER THIS SHIT. Anyway, they all hate Obama because of the deficit and their belief he's making everyone dependent on welfare. It boggles my fucking mind to hear them talk so low of people on welfare and social programs when they themselves only made it because their mom was on welfare and social programs.

But now that they've got a foot in the door of the middle class, or at least the working class, they're content with just saying FUCK YOU to everyone else. Well golly, good thing no one told them FUCK YOU when they were kids. Eight children - all poor ... all in need of assistance and I wonder if they balked at the idea back then?

They're losers and hypocrites and assholes and white trash fuckers that I can't stand. They post shit about Obama being a Muslim and the anti-Christ and how evil he is and I just want to smack them for it. My dad's sister is the worst because she just loves Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan and yet, her grandson, who she just loves for being who he is, is gay. I'd be pissed if my grandma was supporting a goddamn bigot like Romney.

I know this rant is lame ... but I needed to get it off my chest. I wish my dad was alive and on Facebook because I know he'd school these twerps like no other. The same shit happened in 1992 when he kicked his own mother out of his house because she didn't like Clinton. He was a draft dodger and she could never support a draft dodger since three of her sons served in the military.

My dad was quick to remind her the ONLY member of the family to actually see boots on the ground action in Vietnam was HIM and he sure as hell was voting for Bill Clinton and if she didn't like it ... she should go stay with some of her strung out loser daughters.

I guess, after 20 years, nothing has changed. Except now they're both dead. But the battles continue. I just can't smack 'em down like my dad used to, though.

God I miss him.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. It's a great rant, my dear Drunken Irishman...

It's NOT lame.

You have every right to post this...

[Nostradammit]

2. Maybe they need reminding of their past everytime they post nonsense.

Something like -

"Of course, our whole family would be dead if it hadn't been for the social safety net put into place that saved our grandmother.

I agree with Michelle Obama that those who've made it through the door shouldn't shut it for others."


At any rate, that's what I'd probably say. That or, "Fuck off, you miserable fucking hypocrites!"

[Cha]

5. Ah, perfect to bring up what Michelle said

about this, Nostradammit! It needs to be said whether or not it's appreciated.

[Nostradammit]

7. !!!

Off Topic - 113,316 posts! Wow!!!

[Cha]

8. Ah, yes..

been around since the early bush-cheney years posting like a mad fiend.

Took a break in 2010 until now.. back posting with a vengeance.

[Drunken Irishman]

9. Cha has no life.

[Cha]

11. You'd think.

I posted a lot before and now that I'm retired..I don't have to take work breaks.

But, I did retire to Kaua'i so I have a little life. DIrish

[Drunken Irishman]

13. Can I come live with you?

[Cha]

14. I'm in a studio loft(for hobbits)..

but the location is awesome! 2 blocks from the Ocean, Library, Bike trail, and I live above a natural foods co-op which is what I retired from in NY. My kind of store.

You should definitely check out the Islands somedayDI! We're about to elect a Democratic Senator who was our Congresswoman, Mazie Hirono. She's running against a horrible repub who was gov for 8 years and now she's trying to make everyone forget her record. ugg!

Sorry, about your relatives on your Dad's side. I wish there were someway to deprogram those who get sucked into the vortex. Just zap their heads with a good dose of reality and have them deal with it.

[Nostradammit]

10. I thought you looked familiar!

Post on, good Cha, post on!!!

[Cha]

12. LOL!

I thought you looked familiar too, Nostra..

[Egnever]

28. Welcome back old friend.

Me too

[Cha]

29. Hey, Amigo!

"Me too"? Does that mean you took a break, also?

Egnever

[Egnever]

30. Holla

Yup actually mostly stopped following politics for a bit. Had faith in the guy in office so figured I could relax for a while and just live life.

The election season is bringing on the fever again though so here I am again

Great to see you posting and glad to hear you are living the good life near the beach. I am more than a little jealous

[Cha]

31. It's still a challenge like anywhere

but it's also like a freaking Postcard two blocks down where I run.

So good to see you around again, too, Egnever. It is like old friends..cyberbuddies as it were.

[jberryhill]

3. Your Dad was wise to cut off contact with them

Maybe he didn't want you "re-connecting".

He might have had a good idea there.

[Indpndnt]

4. Agreed

I would either drop them as FB friends or hide their posts. It really isn't worth the stress and anger. Coming from family, it's all multiplied. The OP's father definitely had the right idea.

[Live and Learn]

6. How about reminding them that the Irish

were once the looked down upon. In fact, being of Irish descent myself, I am well aware that many Irish seized upon the racism against African Americans to get the heat off of them. Many immigrants have used other immigrants plights similarly, but it is especially heinous in lieu of the way African American immigrants were brought here. Not a part of our heritage to be particularly proud of.

As a group, people of any heritage are quite capable of using the struggle of others to lift themselves up, by denigrating them.

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

15. I finally joined FB and it was people I went to High School with that post crap...

Only one has really tried to dialog with me, but when I post links to news reports she calls the "Liberal Blogs" and says they are all lies. When I posted the link of Faux Views telling the Florida Judge they didn't have to tell the truth, "they were just entertainment," she quit sending notes...

I post links to DU on my FB page.

[JustAnotherGen]

16. Vent away

And think your dad and my dad would have been good friends.

[Swagman]

17. it's sad that FDR's welfare reforms created a booming USA and a huge middle class

and now so many forget it or think they actually operated in a vacuum and did it all on their own.
Not a word about corporate welfare dependence (including the 'war machine')

people seem to have forgotten recent history.

[NBachers]

18. For what it's worth -

The less you have these people in your life, the better. You've got good family on your mom's side to relate to. The other ones are vampires of your attention, your intentions, and your energy. They will meet their own self-made fates; better than anything you could ever arrange for them.

Your rant is valid and appropriate.

Keep posting here. You've got good, heartfelt Irish writing genes in you. And yes, somehow, some of that comes from the deep, dark pool of your Dad's side. You can draw from that well without dragging the flops into your life.

[Carolina]

19. well said

and I totally agree. I steer clear of people like the OP's kin because their willful ignorance, hatred and hypocrisy cannot be fought with factful words. The only thing that happens when you try dealing with such people is your blood pressure, frustration and stress levels all rise.

Depending on how old you are, it's just not worth it. I am too old to fight these fuckers now. I simply end conversations, walk out and walk away. I once, very sweetly, ushered a loud mouth rightwing co-worker from my office while informing him that was polluting the air and upsetting the sanctity of my work space. He looked quizzical as he left because he stupidly didn't realize what I meant!

Anyway, these types of people will meet a a fitting fate (or so I pray) while the OP and the rest of us can have some equanimity.

One last word: when they reap what they've sown because of their political position --- i.e. lose some safety net they needed but didn't want others to have --- I am not above rubbing their noses in it by saying: That's what YOU VOTED FOR!

[northoftheborder]

21. I just steer clear of people like that - I'm too old to deal with the stress -

I have to preserve my equanimity to enjoy my own life. I know what I know - and others will have to try to educate the ignorant. I applaud those who you who have the strength to take them on!!!

[RedSpartan]

20. You don't need to smack 'em down like your dad used to...

Doesn't sound like they'll ever change. But by recognizing them for what they are and standing up for who you are and who your dad raised you to be, you do him proud.

[Doctor_J]

22. They're bombarded with lies and hate 24/7

until that is fixed, there is no hope.

[madmom]

23. I have cousins exactly like that. Their father

left when they were young, so they were raised on welfare. I ignore what they post and bombard them with news items about the negative things their candidate does/says. So far I've noticed one is now posting pro Obama stuff and another's husband is a little less arrogant and is trying to have a dialog. So keep posting, you never know what might make their brain click into reality.

[lunatica]

24. I think it's the kiss up, kick down syndrome

The hatred they feel is against the way they were treated when they were on welfare. They were probably the kids in school who wore everyone else's hand-me-downs and who didn't have the perfect haircuts or the shiny shoes. They were probably treated terribly by their peers, humiliated and beat up and ostracized. They grew to hate themselves and those who treated them that way.

When they grew older they realized they could never get even with the people who were better off than they were and so they directed their hate to those who were worse off. It's a form of self-hatred which never finds satisfaction or an outlet on those who mistreated them so they look for it by hating and mistreating 'weak' people like they were.

Hatred is a substitute for the success they never have. Hating up is useless and more frustrating in their lives, but hating down gives them the momentary satisfaction of being 'better' than those they hate.

Their childhood experiences don't make them grateful because what is there to be grateful for when you're the object of derision and humiliation and bear the scars of a terrible childhood for life?

edited to add more

[progressivebydesign]

25. Well deserved rant. So, why are you in contact with them still?

I have a few cousins that I reconnected with on FB a few years ago. We grew up playing together and lost touch. Their family was upper middle class, and because we were usually struggling, they'd give us their hand-me down clothes, etc. No mind you, they never reached out when my Dad deserted us, and my Mom was struggling. No, but they'd give us old clothes sometimes.

So when the cousins reconnected, then one of them, a tea bagger, started making shitty comments on anything vaguely democratic, my family just cut the contact completely. Just because someone is related to you, doesn't mean you have to be in contact at all. It's the same for old friends who friended me on FB. I can accept that some have differing opinions, but when they are hate-filled, or seeing their comments makes me feel awful, I unfriend.

I would seriously let them go, and realize that just because FB is out there, doesn't mean that some people belong back in our lives. Sorry you have to deal with that.. but seriously, let them go.

[Egnever]

26. You cant smack em down?

I dont buy that for a second.

You are one of my favorite posters on here. If you really wanted to I suspect you could run circles around them.

Sucks to have family members that spew that crap believe me I know My father is a freeper despite the fact he is only alive and not homeless today because of medicare and SS. Doesnt matter how many times I show him how uninformed or misinformed he is he still clings to his fox and friends talking points.

I have given up trying to talk sense into him, it doesnt matter how many times I make him look foolish with facts he just refuses to absorb them.

Anyway I feel your pain but dont be down on yourself about it. You absolutely could smack them down any time you wanted to. I suspect its more a case of you not feeling its worth the effort.

[ailsagirl]

27. I agree 100% with Egnever

I'm fortunate enough that my family are all Dems. And my friends. I sympathize with what you're up against. But you know the truth.

And you can so smack them down or else find a way in which to deal with them that doesn't upset you. Like refuse to talk politics. Save it for your Dem friends and, of course, all of us here.