Just spent time with my racist, Obama-hating 1%-er FIL

[AnnieBW]

Who is 92 and on Medicare. Well, he's kind of my stepfather-in-law. He's my MIL's third husband, after her first two died. (Venice, FL is apparently like Peyton Place for seniors.) All weekend long, all I heard was "it's Obama's fault" and "the economy isn't going to get better until someone shoots Obama." The kicker was him going off on Hispanics "taking over" and saying that "Hitler was right." Ugh! I did my very best to not react, because I didn't want to get into it with this 92-year-old coot out of respect for my MIL.

Oh, and did I mention that one of his sons works for Goldman Sachs? I'm just glad that he's good to my MIL. Because otherwise, he's a total asshole.

[gateley]

1. Oh. My. God. I wouldn't have been able to stand it.

I'm so sorry you had to go through that! I bet your blood pressure was in the red zone!

:hug:

[AnnieBW]

3. Thanks for the hug!

I did remind him that the Federal Budget was in the red because of all of the people on Medicare. He got pissed at that.

Other than that, I just had to breathe a lot.

[Kali]

8. "I did remind him that the Federal Budget was in the red because of all of the people on Medicare"

:wtf:

[AnnieBW]

15. Just to needle him

I know that's not the case, but I wanted to gauge his reaction. It wasn't pretty. :D

[MedleyMisty]

2. "Hitler was right"

But oh no, we can't call it fascism or draw the obvious parallels!

[Nye Bevan]

4. To "Hitler was right" I would say "some of my best friends are Jewish....

.... you think they should be murdered? Would you do that yourself?"

I try to give people that old something of a pass, but he just sounds nasty.

[AnnieBW]

16. Some of my best friends ARE Jewish, Black, and Hispanic

He's just an old bigot, and I'd rather not get into a battle of wits with someone who's losing his.

[RoccoR5955]

5. I'd tell him to stfu, unless he wants me

to call the police on him for threatening to assassinate the duly elected president of the US! But hey, that's me.

[Poll_Blind]

6. I hope I don't put this too bluntly- but it sounds like he's losing his goddamned mind.

Just sayin'

PB

[PoliticAverse]

7. This is why you need to choose your parents carefully...

You have my sympathy.

[JoePhilly]

9. If I ever get that crazy, I hope one of my kids will place a pillow over my face and sit on it.

I do not want to be remembered as a crazy psycho.

Perhaps I'll get lucky and by then, you will be able to leave this world on your own terms.

[Bonhomme Richard]

10. I find that when people get older that filter.......

that prevents them from saying really stupid hateful stuff just stops operating properly. I went through this with my MIL before she died. She started talking like it was the fifties again.
Write it off to old age.

[PETRUS]

11. I myself am quite critical of Obama.

(Although I voted for him.) I've been critical of every president holding office during my adult life (turned 18 on Ronnie's watch). But I try to confine my criticisms to official actions/policy. Obama has definitely brought out a weird, unsavory, emotional - and yes, racist - hate/rage in a bunch of people. It's frightening.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

12. My sympathies

[Initech]

13. My uncle is that way - drives me crazy!!

[phasma ex machina]

14. A sad situation. You might try to ever-so-gently change the subject next time.

Political talk ought to be banned from family get togethers because life's too short.

[riderinthestorm]

17. My mother's the same. It's unbearable. And she loves to "bait" me, it's her favorite pastime

when we get together. She's a Faux O'Reilly fan, loves Sean Hannibot, thinks Rush has all the answers.

Spending time with her is beyond insane because she KNOWS I'm a political junkie and she can't resist making a scene (at her age). Its been like this for at least 30 years which is why I know it's not dementia, just plain old meanness.

I have no answers. I do my best to also "not react" but that only fuels her. She thinks she (and Rush, Sean and Billo) are right and I'm just a typical lily livered Lib who has no response to her genius. She talks over any response I make and in general, ignores anything I may rebut.

yup a total asshole. :evilfrown: