tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315122152878888464.post6101264868645116119..comments2009-03-20T22:56:44.800-04:00Comments on Some of My Other Random Thoughts: Talking Politics (or not)Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07649785222746456308noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315122152878888464.post-70475135425373303352008-09-07T19:56:00.000-04:002008-09-07T19:56:00.000-04:00My extended family is similar. My aunts have been...My extended family is similar. My aunts have been trying for several months to convince me that Barack Obama is a secret Muslim and once he is president he is going to attack! I don't so much care what they think if me and I might be a little bit antagonistic towards them about these things, but for some reason I really care about what my grandparents think. I think that might be similar to the situation with your dad. My grandparents probably wouldn't bring these issues up, but my aunts do knowing that there will be a conflict and it has caused me to just avoid spending any time with them. That probably isn't the best way to go about it.Emily https://www.blogger.com/profile/02567288576975288440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315122152878888464.post-55502170583705477342008-09-06T15:50:00.000-04:002008-09-06T15:50:00.000-04:00What I think I failed to make clear is that they B...What I think I failed to make clear is that they BELIEVE everyone at their church feels the same way. And that belief is the most important part of the communal experience. Personal faith plays a distant second fiddle. <BR/><BR/>Additionally, I think B'OR can be pretty persuasive as it pertains to his own impartiality. If one doesn't know any more about the news than what one sees on "The Factor," his "fair and balanced" techniques can be very convincing.Peter Ruxpinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00201617769539355597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315122152878888464.post-46353038341125421192008-09-06T15:33:00.000-04:002008-09-06T15:33:00.000-04:00Hey, I go to that church, so maybe we shouldn't as...Hey, I go to that church, so maybe we shouldn't assume that everyone believes the same political thing. I'm sure it's almost everybody, but still. You're right though, that I probably shouldn't bother. I'm surprised I cared. <BR/><BR/>P.S. <I>Mom</I> was defending O'Reilly last night--"Really, he's not as harsh and judgmental as people think. He's pretty fair." I choose not to watch to find out if she's right. Time too precious.<BR/><BR/>I'm glad I'm not the only one in the family not voting R.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07649785222746456308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315122152878888464.post-93531565025107822008-09-05T18:01:00.000-04:002008-09-05T18:01:00.000-04:00People like Dad are not interested in being made a...People like Dad are not interested in being made aware of their inconsistencies, lack of logic, or incorrectness. For them, there's no separation between their politics and their belief system. Everyone at their church believes the same thing about the Bible and about Barack Obama. (The Bible says what the preacher tells me it says and B.O. is a secret Muslim, "Manchurian candidate," or just a radical, uppity, white-hating black man.) Or at least they BELIEVE that to be the case. And BELIEF is the most important part of their lives. Ironically, truth is relative (while they would tell you nearly everything is black or white). Once it becomes clear that the facts cease to matter, it's best to just let it be. Don't bother. Really. The best thing to do is to allow the ridiculous statements he makes to just hang in the air and let the outlandishness waft over everyone in the room.Peter Ruxpinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00201617769539355597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315122152878888464.post-26275291852782420972008-09-04T20:02:00.000-04:002008-09-04T20:02:00.000-04:00Eeeek. I also was raised by Republicans, and am no...Eeeek. I also was raised by Republicans, and am not one now. And this election is making me want to call my mom (my dad's a lost cause) and say, "C'mon. Seriously. You're so GREEN. How can you vote for these folks?" But I won't.JGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03812906367424720600noreply@blogger.com