Family Fight: My Sister from Florida

[Delarage]

I'm sorry, folks, but I lost one (and maybe 2) in Florida. My sister, who has gradually moved further and further south from Delaware and has ended up in the Taliban region of Florida, announced today that she was going to vote for George Bush and that, if Kerry were to win, would never vote for another Democrat again. She also says that her fiance, an African-American retired military man, would be voting for Bush because "he knows a bad Democrat when he sees one" (even though he's a registered Democrat and refuses to change to Independent at my sister's urging.

Her reasons:

"At least Bush stands for something"
"Kerry is a waffler--first I voted for the bill, then I voted against it."
"Kerry is a hypocrite and liar, saying he doesn't own any SUV's when he does"
"I think the only thing government should do is provide security"

followed by: "The constitution should be changed to prohibit gay marriages because they undermine the basis of our society"

We were raised (successfully, I feel) by a single mother, but my sister goes on to say the only good families are 2-parent, heterosexual couples.

Public education stinks, teachers' unions are evil, etc.

She sings the praises of Zell Miller, the only good Democrat, says that JFK would be a Republican today, all the world's ills are due to Clinton and his power-hungry wife.

In summary: my sister just spouted every bit of Repuke nonsense that I have ever heard. And this is from a vegetarian, animal-rights activist/environmentalist.

Needless to say, I was outraged and I couldn't figure out how this has happened to her. My theory is that she listens to a lot of Hannity, Savage, Rush, and Faux News. She also lives in a really racist (confederate flags everywhere) part of Florida and has "proudly" adopted all their southernisms (much to my horror, she has even adopted a southern accent, like Bush, saying stuff like "the U-nited nations sucks").

To top it all off, she hands me some book about how the left is undermining society by some woman who claims she is a lesbian or something.

My sister is here for one week and I'd like to not have this divide us completely, but damn.

[NMDemDist2]

1. just play AAR while she's there

maybe that will help?

[Career Prole]

2. Best of luck...

The first Civil War was said to pit "brother against brother"...I guess the second one will be all-embracing. :(

[Zookeeper]

3. Maybe she's losing her mind...

as a result of the stress of being surrounded by freepers and fundies? Some folks can't take the pressure of being the odd "man" out.

[Scairp]

24. Hey now

I lived there and I managed to not lose my mind and turn into a Nazi. From what she writes here, her sister is probably living in the same part of Florida that I did, the panhandle, which is still very much the Deep South.

[Lost147]

4. Kind of petty

Don't let politics divide you from your friends. She has the right to vote for Bush like you have the right to vote for Kerry.

[stanwyck]

31. Actually, it's very petty

not to care enough about the future of our country to not realize that a vote for Bush is a vote for the destruction of America.

[arcos]

5. take her to see F911 n/t

[Delarage]

11. She won't go.

Because "Bowling for Columbine" was such manipulated "liberal" propaganda. She uses the word "liberal" like an insult--but I'm proud of it and repeatedly insist that Jesus was very liberal.

[Pachamama]

37. My Father and Stepfather won't go see F9/11 even when I offered to pay

for the cost to go...I asked them both what they were afraid of and they started rattling off the same garbage and talked about Michael Moore as if he was Satan and the biggest liar in the world...Used "Liberal" like an insult too, which is so funny to me because I'm a proud liberal...

Obviously being a Repuke wasn't inherited....My Stepfather is also in Florida and retired military officer from Vietnam...They both can't stop talking about how bad Kerry will be for America...My dad even stated that the Purple Hearts that Kerry have are from Self-inflicted wounds....:WTF:????

I told my dad that as far as I'm concerned, anybody who volunteers to serve in the military deserves a purple heart even if they knick themselves shaving....he hung up on me...I never raised my voice once - he was screaming - that was on fathers day....Before he hung up he said "How can you defend and say Kerry is so great? You can't trust a word he says and he waffles?" I never said Kerry was great - I only said that Bush was a liar and that I'd vote for a self-inflicted wound Ham Sandwich....

[Dogmudgeon]

6. How to deprogram a rabid Right-Winger

Ask them to explain why they believe these things.

Don't get in their face, don't get defensive. Explain that you've heard so much that contradicts their statements, and (this is important) from a number of credible Conservative sources, too -- but that you're sure you haven't heard the whole story yet.

If you ask them why their version contradicts the one you've heard (do this little by little, item by item, and skip the small tings), and they constantly reply "The Liberal Press!", they're going to start hearing themselves making excuses.

Just let them try to work on you. In nearly all cases where I've done it, they end up talking themselves out of their beliefes, one by one.

All it takes is running a bad idea past yourself as you watch how stupid it is. It's not a difficult "technique" to use and it's devastatingly effective.

--bkl

[Delarage]

9. I'll try that.

As it was, we were both pretty much yelling over each other in the middle of a state park. Every fact I tried to throw out was countered with claims of a "liberal media bias," a liberal bias on campuses, liberal this and liberal that. I don't know how to get around that--because it starts coming out of her mouth before I even finish a statement.

I'll just use it as fuel for my fire to register as many Democratic voters as possible.

And whoever said it was "petty" is wrong; a sibling becoming a Nazi is far from trivial.

[Dogmudgeon]

25. That's how Conservatism works

Lies, Rage, Terror. The screaming was the demon Rage working its charm over you two.

Let her talk. When she relaxes and stops for a second, ask her how she knows it. How you can test the idea for yourself.

"You've said it was caused by one liberal thing or another -- what is the source of this? Is there a centralized liberal power structure that makes it happen?"

There are times when it doesn't work, but once a right-winger hears him/herself say that everything is the fault of the liberals, if they don't have a very strong conspiracy theory to explain it, they will experience enough cognitive dissonance to drive a preacher to drink. The effect on them is that they usually start to question what they believe. A couple such episodes, and they won't be able to stop asking questions.

Soon thereafter, sanity returns.

It's an easy strategy to learn but a difficult one to follow. It requires self-discipline, patience, and attention to the message without going ballistic yourself. But the payback can be very high.

--bkl

[freeforall]

45. Excellent suggestion! And it works every time...

I have used this same technique with rabid know-it-alls when discussing different subjects. Shuts them up really fast. They start to hear how defensive and stupid they sound.

[ClintonTyree]

7. I have a brother..............

who's exactly the same way. I avoid all political discussion at all costs and if one should "break out" I walk away and hold my tounge. There is absolutely nothing to be gained arguing with them and it really divides a family. Be the better man (or woman) and swallow your pride. Just walk away and let it be. You'll never reach her and I'll never reach my brother.

[Yupster]

27. Agree DumpGump

Don't let politics divide your family. Propose not to discuss politics and keep your bargain is my advice.

[SharonAnn]

32. I've stopped walking away from them. That lets them control everything

which is what they want. I just say (repeatedly), "Maybe we just shouldn't talk about politics since we disagree with each other."

If they insist on talking about it, I stand up to them and then I repeat "maybe we just shouldn't talk about politics since we disagree with each other."

I don't grant them the right to talk, and jabber, and yell their opinions and take up all the space with right-wing lies. Sometimes I even say "I'm sure you don't want to behave like a bully, so maybe we just shouldn't talk about politics since we disagree with each other."

I'm just tired of this crap and I'm tired of appearing "meek".

"Maybe we just shouldn't talk about politics since we disagree with each other."

I do want them to know that I disagree with them and that I won't accept their remarks or right-wing behavior, especially in my house.

[thebobartist]

8. Don't be too harsh

She may have her own seemingly legitimate reasons for doing this. As little sense as it makes, she has every right to do so.

However, there should be nothing wrong with insisting that you guys sit down and have a talk about it, just so you can understand her a little better.

Be sure to point out the fact that you were raised in a single-parent family, and are fine.

[lastknowngood]

10. Just tell her that bush* is telling her what to do inside her own

body and ask her how her hubby will feel when he's back on the plantation.

[Delarage]

12. She's anti-abortion and pro-death penalty

Because children are innocent. I asked if she thought any innocent person was ever executed. Silence.

I happen to be anti-abortion, but I would not make it illegal. And she says "smart" black people are Republicans because they know it's better "to give a hand up, not a handout." When I asked what a "hand up" consisted of, silence.

[eaprez]

13. Here's A List of Bush's Flip Flops

Another DUer posted this today and I copied it for myself -- there seems to be a couple of items missing from the list --- however it is still effective. You should not let your sister/BIL make arbitrary statements (such as he stands for something --- WHAT does he stand for? Then why do repubs keep making the government BIGGER?) Anyway here's the list...don't know which DUer posted it...


President Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief
June 1, 2004

From the beginning, George W. Bush has made his own credibility a central
issue. On 10/11/00, then Governor Bush said: "I think credibility is
important. It is going to be important for the president to be credible
with Congress, important for the president to be credible with foreign
nations." But President Bush's serial flip-flopping raises serious
questions about whether Congress and foreign leaders can rely on what he
says.

1. OPEC


BUSH PROMISES TO FORCE OPEC TO LOWER PRICES..."What I think the president
ought to do is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say
we expect you to open your spigots...And the president of the United
States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price."


...BUSH REFUSES TO LOBBY OPEC LEADERS With gas prices soaring in the
United States at the beginning of 2004, the Miami Herald reported the
president refused to "personally lobby oil cartel leaders to change their
minds."


2. Iraq Funding


BUSH SPOKESMAN DENIES NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THE REST OF 2004..."We
do not anticipate requesting supplemental funding for '04"


BUSH REQUESTS ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR IRAQ FOR 2004 Again, this is not her
personal preference; this goes back to a matter of principle. There is a
separation of powers issue involved here. Historically, White House
staffers do not testify before legislative bodies. So it's a matter of
principle, not a matter of preference.


BUSH ORDERS RICE TO TESTIFY:


...BUSH ADMINISTRATION REGULATIONS IGNORE SCIENCE "60 leading
scientists<~>including Nobel laureates, leading medical experts, former
federal agency directors and university chairs and presidents<~>issued a
statement calling for regulatory and legislative action to restore
scientific integrity to federal policymaking. According to the scientists,
the Bush administration has, among other abuses, suppressed and distorted
scientific analysis from federal agencies, and taken actions that have
undermined the quality of scientific advisory panels."


5. Ahmed Chalabi


BUSH INVITES CHALABI TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS...President Bush also
met with Chalabi during his brief trip to Iraq last Thanksgiving


...BUSH MILITARY ASSISTS IN RAID OF CHALABI'S HOUSE"U.S. soldiers raided
the home of America's one-time ally Ahmad Chalabi on Thursday and seized
documents and computers."

6. Department of Homeland Security

BUSH OPPOSES THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY..."So, creating a Cabinet
office doesn't solve the problem. You still will have agencies within the
federal government that have to be coordinated. So the answer is that
creating a Cabinet post doesn't solve anything."

...BUSH SUPPORTS THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY "So tonight, I ask
the Congress to join me in creating a single, permanent department with an
overriding and urgent mission: securing the homeland of America and
protecting the American people."

7. Weapons of Mass Destruction

BUSH SAYS WE FOUND THE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION..."We found the weapons
of mass destruction. We found biological laboratoriesfor those who say we
haven't found the banned manufacturing devices or banned weapons, they're
wrong, we found them."

...BUSH SAYS WE HAVEN'T FOUND WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION "David Kay has
found the capacity to produce weapons. And when David Kay goes in and says
we haven't found stockpiles yet, and there's theories as to where the
weapons went. They could have been destroyed during the war. Saddam and
his henchmen could have destroyed them as we entered into Iraq. They could
be hidden. They could have been transported to another country, and we'll
find out."

8. Free Trade

BUSH SUPPORTS FREE TRADE... "I believe strongly that if we promote trade,
and when we promote trade, it will help workers on both sides of this
issue."

...BUSH SUPPORTS RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE "In a decision largely driven by
his political advisers, President Bush set aside his free-trade principles
last year and imposed heavy tariffs on imported steel to help out
struggling mills in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, two states crucial for
his reelection."

9. Osama Bin Laden

BUSH WANTS OSAMA DEAD OR ALIVE... "I want justice. And there's an old
poster out West, I recall, that says, 'Wanted: Dead or Alive.'"

...BUSH DOESN'T CARE ABOUT OSAMA , Governor Bush will work toestablish
mandatory reduction targets for emissions of four main pollutants: sulfur
dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury and carbon dioxide."

...BUSH OPPOSES MANDATORY CAPS ON CARBON DIOXIDE "I do not believe,
however, that the government should impose on power plants mandatory
emissions reductions for carbon dioxide, which is not a 'pollutant' under
the Clean Air Act."

11. WMD Commission

BUSH RESISTS AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION ON WMD INTELLIGENCE FAILURE... "The
White House immediately turned aside the calls from Kay and many Democrats
for an immediate outside investigation, seeking to head off any new
wide-ranging election-year inquiry that might go beyond reports already
being assembled by congressional committees and the Central Intelligence
Agency."

...BUSH SUPPORTS AN OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION ON WMD INTELLIGENCE FAILURE
"Today, by executive order, I am creating an independent commission,
chaired by Governor and former Senator Chuck Robb, Judge Laurence
Silberman, to look at American intelligence capabilities, especially our
intelligence about weapons of mass destruction."

12. Creation of the 9/11 Commission

BUSH OPPOSES CREATION OF INDEPENDENT 9/11 COMMISSION... "President Bush
took a few minutes during his trip to Europe Thursday to voice his
opposition to establishing a special commission to probe how the
government dealt with terror warnings before Sept. 11."

...BUSH SUPPORTS CREATION OF INDEPENDENT 9/11 COMMISSION "President Bush
said today he now supports establishing an independent commission to
investigate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks."

13. Time Extension for 9/11 Commission

BUSH OPPOSES TIME EXTENSION FOR 9/11 COMMISSION... "President Bush and
House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) have decided to oppose granting
more time to an independent commission investigating the Sept. 11, 2001,
attacks."

...BUSH SUPPORTS TIME EXTENSION FOR 9/11 COMMISSION "The White House
announced Wednesday its support for a request from the commission
investigating the September 11, 2001 attacks for more time to complete its
work."

14. One Hour Limit for 9/11 Commission Testimony

BUSH LIMITS TESTIMONY IN FRONT OF 9/11 COMMISSION TO ONE HOUR...
"President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have placed strict limits
on the private interviews they will grant to the federal commission
investigating the Sept. 11 attacks, saying that they will meet only with
the panel's top two officials and that Mr. Bush will submit to only a
single hour of questioning, commission members said Wednesday."

...BUSH SETS NO TIMELIMIT FOR TESTIMONY "The president's going to answer
all of the questions they want to raise. Nobody's watching the clock."

15. Gay Marriage

BUSH SAYS GAY MARRIAGE IS A STATE ISSUE... "The state can do what they
want to do. Don't try to trap me in this state's issue like you're trying
to get me into."

...BUSH SUPPORTS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT BANNING GAY MARRIAGE "Today I
call upon the Congress to promptly pass, and to send to the states for
ratification, an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting
marriage as a union of man and woman as husband and wife."

16. Nation Building

BUSH OPPOSES NATION BUILDING... "If we don't stop extending our troops all
around the world in nation-building missions, then we're going to have a
serious problem coming down the road."

...BUSH SUPPORTS NATION BUILDING "We will be changing the regime of Iraq,
for the good of the Iraqi people."

17. Saddam/al Qaeda Link

BUSH SAYS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEEN AL QAEDA AND SADDAM...
"You can't distinguish between al Qaeda and Saddam when you talk about the
war on terror."

...BUSH SAYS SADDAM HAD NO ROLE IN AL QAEDA PLOT "We've had no evidence
that Saddam Hussein was involved in Sept. 11."

18. U.N. Resolution

BUSH VOWS TO HAVE A UN VOTE NO MATTER WHAT... "No matter what the whip
count is, we're calling for the vote. We want to see people stand up and
say what their opinion is about Saddam Hussein and the utility of the
United Nations Security Council. And so, you bet. It's time for people to
show their cards, to let the world know where they stand when it comes to
Saddam."

...BUSH WITHDRAWS REQUEST FOR VOTE "At a National Security Council meeting
convened at the White House at 8:55 a.m., Bush finalized the decision to
withdraw the resolution from consideration and prepared to deliver an
address to the nation that had already been written."

19. Involvement in the Palestinian Conflict

BUSH OPPOSES SUMMITS... "Well, we've tried summits in the past, as you may
remember. It wasn't all that long ago where a summit was called and
nothing happened, and as a result we had significant intifada in the
area."

...BUSH SUPPORTS SUMMITS "If a meeting advances progress toward two states
living side by side in peace, I will strongly consider such a meeting. I'm
committed to working toward peace in the Middle East."

20. Campaign Finance

BUSH OPPOSES MCCAIN-FEINGOLD... "George W. Bush opposes
McCain-Feingold...as an infringement on free expression."

...BUSH SIGNS MCCAIN-FEINGOLD INTO LAW "his bill improves the current
system of financing for Federal campaigns, and therefore I have signed it
into law."


TOPDOG04.COM

[americanstranger]

35. That is getting copied quite a bit.

It's from the Center for American Progress. It's the source material for my latest flash.

http://www.americanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?c=biJRJ8OVF&b=42263

There's a copyright notice at the bottom of the page. Mods, should you maybe be concerned about it being copied in full?

Just askin'.

-as

[debannbull]

14. Moral Politics

Great book, compares the thought processes that lead to belief systems ala' the "Strict Father" (conservatives) vs the "Nurturing" (liberal) models that define what is moral. Excellent reading for understanding why "they" think the way they do.

[Carni]

15. SO she's going to marry an African American and she's white?

Or is she white? (sorry..I don't know you)

Obviously whatever the case is (since if she's black and her fiance are black they are both delusional to side with the GOP)

I think it's time to haul out the confederate flag and Bob Jones U type materials...hoist that baby up and tell them they have shown you the light, because you have decided to vote for bush--then in the event that you and your sister are white state very piously that you are sorry but you can't let a black man into your house because your new idols like Trent Lott wouldn't approve of a mixed relationship such as theirs.

WTF are those two smoking?

On a serious note... I feel for you, I have family that I haven't spoken to in a year because of bush co.

[seventhson]

16. The Bushes were prosecuted for trading with the enemy (Hitler) and

in Carlyle and Harken and Arbusto they were partners with the Bin Ladens and Saudis.

Ask her" does she really stand for THAT?

Cite the evidence.

If she wants to support people who do business with terrorists and fascists that is her business and her karma.

My philosophy is you cannot convince someone of these facts or to believe what you believe - you can only convince them that YOU believe them - and that will shake their faith in their false illusions.

Good luck

[Spinzonner]

17. Regarding Homosexual Marriage

You mentioned that her fiance is African-American. Because you made a point of it, I assume that you and your sister are not.

If that is so, you might point out that Interracial marriages were prohibited in most of the states at one time or another and it wasnt until the 1960's (I think) that the Supreme Court finally banned such restrictions nation-wide.

So ... it's always OK to restrict someone else's freedom to love and marry but your own right to choose should not be - or does she think that the states should be able to go back to restrict and disrespect the kind of marriage she is choosing.

I'm sure you can knock down the rest of the anti-gay-marriage arguments such as child-bearing on your own.

[Delarage]

22. My sister and I are white

She points out that Robert Byrd was in the KKK. There is no way in hell that Republicans do anything good for African-Americans or any other "minority" group.

As far as gay marriage goes, she says she's in favor of civil unions but that, if the word "marriage" were to be used, the fabric of our society would unravel immediately. Homosexuals comprise 3-10% of our population. Not everyone gets married. So how does a relatively small number of marriages unravel society?

Republicans freak me out.

[Scairp]

26. I see

But straight people getting married and divorced over and over again (ala Lush Rimbaugh) doesn't damage the fabric of our society? Uh huh. Maybe it would be better if you all didn't talk politics or anything controversial during this visit. It could make for an unpleasant one.

[Yupster]

30. I agree with her

That electing a former "Knight Rider" of the Invisible Empire of the Ku Klux Klan is an embarrasment to the party, but I've been saying that for years.

[Mari333]

18. both of my brothers are Bushites

Not much I can do about it..I just dont speak to them anymore...in my heart, I love them, but I dont have to like them one bit nor will I allow them in my presence. I only allow healthy, decent people in my life, who have compassion and empathy and are kind hearted. I am very picky in my ageing years.
I learned one thing about having a biological family...you may not like some of them as you get older and have your own family, and you may even want to ask yourself "Do I want to have anything to do with these people...would I want them as friends?"
Sadly, we are more divided then ever..thats what LIES do to this country..and right now we are a country so knee deep in lies from this administration people cant see straight..
Give your sister time..sounds like shes spouting off her husbands rhetoric..in time, she might grow up and wake up as she matures...
Be patient...but that doesnt mean you have to listen to crap when she comes to visit..
I wont allow republicans on my lawn or on my property. Seriously! Unless they detest Bush, then they are invited for dinner =)))))

[SharonAnn]

33. I'm with you on this! The right-wingers are very dysfunctional,

at least for me. I can't be around sick people like that and interact with them. It pushes all the wrong buttons.

I have former friends and relatives, even siblings, whom I rarely see any more. I only am in their presence at gatherings like family weddings, funerals, etc. and I don't spend much time in conversation with them other than "How are you doing? How's your spouse and the children?" and "That's nice", or "That's too bad." Interestingly most of them have very screwed up family lives, are divorced (even multiple times), have kids on drugs or in legal trouble, etc. My husband and I have been married 25 years and so far, the kids are fine.

Life is just too short to put up with the right-wing sh*t.

Those who truly buy-in to the right-wing viewpoint become greedy, selfish, opinionated, self-righteous, and even sanctimonious. Unless they were that way before.

One thing I do which drive 'em nuts is say "Oh, for Pete's sake. you've been listening to Rush Limbaugh too much." Then I change the subject.

[eaprez]

19. Keep in mind...

...that the conservatives have owned the airwaves for some time now -- its the only side of the story one has heard unless one has looked else where or done some fact checking on their own.

[Mountainman]

20. Don't get into discussions where you know her view is opposite yours

There are other things in life to share with your sister besides politics By brother and I disagree on a lot but we know what those things are that get us into shouting matches. We just don't go there.

You don't want your sister to try to change your mind and you probably won't change hers. Agree to disagree and be loving siblings.

[wtmusic]

21. It is impossible to be a pro-Bush environmentalist

Ask her what Bush plans to do about the Kyoto accords

[onecitizen]

23. I've got one(or more) in my family too.......

and it really is upsetting. OK, plan your next encounter with her. Be prepared. Every time she says Kerry waffles tell her that bush is a Bait n Switcher which is much worse than waffling. We can't be kind or nice any longer cause they NEVER have been neither kind or nice. They've always gone for the juggler and so should we. My cousin is my Nemesis. He's a Col. in the Marine Corps and works at the Pentagon. So, he should know some stuff but alas, he doesn't. Last time he was here he brought up the famous "Clinton could have had Bin Laden given to him by the Sudanese and refused to take him" story that we see here each week. I was ready for him. He got really quiet and accepted some print outs I had on the subject and left. He's never brought it up again.

My point is I guess, we have to be as prepared as they are cause we have the facts and truth on our side. We're right, they're wrong. End of story(I hope).

[gauguin57]

28. Honey, sometimes they're just

lost causes! You either have to take them to a cult deprogrammer or just love them as they are and try not to talk politics. It will just give you acid reflux trying to save her soul when she lives in freeperville!

I have a relative who gets more right-wing every year. I just steer the conversation elsewhere, cuz he ain't gonna listen to me. Faux has stolen his brain, and without professional help, we ain't gonna get it back. As soon as he leaves the room, we get all our political talk in till he comes back.

[bobbyboucher]

29. Your sister is a moran.

Let her vote for the idiot monkey.

[thebobartist]

46. Ironic!

Ha!

[sam sarrha]

34. brainwashed and wrung out to dry...

[Warren DeMontague]

36. Sounds Like A Textbook Case

Of overexposure to Hate Radio and right-wing agit-prop. There are people who I get into these discussions with, and as soon as they drop little, cloying bits of invective or lingo, I know it's pretty much useless- because every single answer will be a regurgitation of one of about 10 "talking points" that these various sources are all putting out, constantly.

Everything is "liberal media this" and "Kerry is an anti-american flip-flopper" and "George Bush is a patriot who is keeping us safe". Never mind that these assertions bear no relationship, whatsoever, to reality... They are self-evident, axiomatic truths in AM Radio land, like the idea that most Merkins' hard earned tax dollars are lining the pockets of bon-bon eating welfare queens, and not, say, Halliburton Execs.

She may be a lost cause, unless you can get her plugged into some alternate sources of information.

[mandyky]

38. Confederate flags don't mean racist

She can't live in THAT racist of an area if she has a black fiance!
I am assuming she is white.

I would suggest not talking politics with her, since she is only here for a week. It's pretty obvious she has her mind made up. The dodo is about to hit the fan on Plame among other things - maybe she'll come around once it becomes more obvious to her how criminal these people are.

[mitchum]

39. Your sister is a goddamn idiot...

looks like you got all of the brains in the family
Slip some animal fat into her food while she's freeloading off of you this week. To hell with her.

[Pachamama]

40. My Father and Stepfather won't go see F9/11 even when I offered to pay

for the cost to go...I asked them both what they were afraid of and they started rattling off the same garbage and talked about Michael Moore as if he was Satan and the biggest liar in the world...Used "Liberal" like an insult too, which is so funny to me because I'm a proud liberal...

Obviously for me, being a Repuke wasn't inherited....My Stepfather is also in Florida and retired military officer from Vietnam...They both can't stop talking about how bad Kerry will be for America...My dad even stated that the Purple Hearts that Kerry have are from Self-inflicted wounds....:WTF:????

I told my dad that as far as I'm concerned, anybody who volunteers to serve in the military deserves a purple heart even if they knick themselves shaving....he hung up on me...I never raised my voice once - he was screaming - that was on fathers day....Before he hung up he said "How can you defend and say Kerry is so great? You can't trust a word he says and he waffles?" I never once said Kerry was great - I only said that Bush was a liar and that I'd vote for a self-inflicted wound Ham Sandwich....he took that as meaning I thought Kerry was great....well, yes, I guess so... :)

[merh]

41. Take her to dinner and Michael Moore's movie. . .

And, if as you say, she has embraced the confederate flag waving mentality (thinking that it is equivalent to the U.S. flag) then ask her if she realizes that the confederate army fired on and killed members of the U.S. army. If, as confederates claim, they were protecting their homes and cities and lives from the invasion of the Union armies (U.S. Army), then ask why it is she cannot empathize with the nationalists in Iraq, many of whom have been forced to take up arms against the U.S., and invading and occupying army.

If she is concerned with protection of the U.S. then ask her to check to see how many nuclear plants, chemical plants, oil refineries, and ammunition depositories surround her home. Ask her to notice the lack of security at the ports, rail ways, etc. and point out that soft targets such as chemical plants and oil refineries are not adequately protected because providing that protection would cost the corporations that own them too much money. If you have any of those soft targets near by, point out how the security guard is one or two unarmed guard with a uniform and a flashlight.

Then point out that the majority of the forces fighting in Iraq are National Guard units, those units that are supposed to be in the states to protect the citizens. Since she is in Florida, ask her what happens when a hurricane strikes the mainland, but our forces are oversees protecting us by killing Iraqis, what happens then.

If any of these points cause her concern, then she needs to rethink her position. If any or none of these seem to bother her, she is hopeless and you definitely don't need to talk politics.

[tom_paine]

42. Dlon't know if I could stand that

"get the fuck OUT of my house you ignorant Fellator of Tyrants. You gullible, easily lead, easily lied to cannon fodder for Evil men who care about you LESS than the dab of shit they just scraped off their shoe. Go to Communist China if you want a One-Party State, you stupid, ignorant bootlicking Totalitarian bitch!"

Or something damned close.

I've got no patience left for Nazi Monsters.

NONE!

I purposefully got pissed off and shouted loudly at the local Sporting Goods Store. To be quite frank I was HOPING that someone would speak up against me.

Unfortunately, Phony Rigged Polls aside, with the Emperor* at an ACTUAL approval rating of about 25%, not a word was uttered in his defense.

Pity.

[mvd]

43. You can always try telling her about DU

And also you can try telling her to give Air America a listen if she can get it. If those things don't work, maybe the debates between Bush and Kerry will help. And if none of that works, I'm afraid she's lost to the dark side.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

44. Does she go to fundie churches? Pentacostal? That would explain a lot.

Also, this part doesn't make sense:

"announced today that she was going to vote for George Bush and that, if Kerry were to win, would never vote for another Democrat again. "

Why does Kerry winning or losing influence why she'd ever vote for another Dem? Sounds like she's already decided she'd never vote for one anyway. What, she's saying if shrub is re"elected" that she'd still consider voting for Dems in the future? Whaaa?

Did she vote Dem in the past? Or just apolitical?

[kerry-is-my-prez]

47. Yikes! In 2 days I'm going up to visit my all-Repub. family.

I'll probably get some of the same. Actually, I think my brother and dad are not so enamored of Bush (my brother had actually been really impressed with Kerry during the Dem. nomination period). My Dad has actually sort of agreed with a few things that I've said about the Repubs.

My Dad USED to go ballistic when I would talk politics but lately he listens. If my family turned against Bush - that would almost be too much of a shock for me... They have been Repub. forever and are mainly that way out of habit and because EVERYONE around them is Repub.

[ithinkmyliverhurts]

48. Get really drunk with her one night,

let her have it, unleash to power of DU, refute all of her silly claims, get belligerent, allow her to be belligerent, tell her you love her, wake up the next morning with a hangover, do it all again the next night.

Hell, if you don't bring her around, you'll at least have had some WONDEFRUL, honest, cut-to-the-bone arguments. After that, everyhting else just falls into place--whether you agree or disagree (hell, at least you'll catch a good buzz).

Seriously, I have good friends who are Japanese, and getting hammered and letting it all hang out is just part of their routine. I've adopted it. So have many of my in-laws. We throw the drinks down, play some cards, and let the politics fly. We all love it (even when I cal them willfully ignorant). It took the sisters awhile to get used to it, but the brothers-in-law have a great time. The sisters now join in the fun. There has been a real sense of freedom ever since we all know where each person is coming from.

But we all have much love for one another as well. I guess that makes a difference. Stupid, Nazi repub. ass-clowns.