If you found out a friend or coworker was a neocon

[SemiCharmedQuark]

But they didn't talk about it, would you still lose all respect for that person?

On the myspace page of a coworker that Ive had to my aparment a couple of times for poker and been on friendly terms with, I see he has "I enjoy reading Ann Coulter". To me that might as well be "I enjoy the occassional book by David Duke". As a minority, a woman, and hell a HUMAN, I just cannot accept that. My husband wants to believe that the guy is kidding, but the rest of his profile, save obvious jokes, is serious. Also, on his other comments, he's bashed Kerry as a loser. I told my husband I do NOT want a racist bigot in my home. And someone that agrees with Coulter is a bigot. Am I being too sensitive?

[slackmaster]

1. I judge people only by how they treat others

Reading books that express views you don't like does you no harm.

Am I being too sensitive?

I would never presume to tell you how to feel about anything.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

How about books that encourage others to think less of your family?

Or encourage hatred towards your family? Her works have belittled my heritage and encouraged racial profiling. That DOES affect me. Im light skinned. I wonder how he'd act towards me if I were dark skinned.

[slackmaster]

23. I've read Mein Kamph by Adolf Hitler

Yet by some miracle I haven't turned into an anti-Semite or a vegetarian, and I don't care much for dogs.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

31. Somehow I doubt he reads her books for the literary/historical value

But you're right, he might. I guess that is where the answer lies. Thanks


And PS, hitler WASN'T a vegetarian.

[slackmaster]

36. Most sources say Hitler ate no meat in the latter part of his life

Primarily because of gastric problems.

If that makes him not a vegetarian in your eyes, so be it. (It doesn't matter either way.)

I have to give people the benefit of the doubt. There are all kinds of reasons one might read a book by Ann Coulter, and not all of them mean the guy is a neocon.

[Alizaryn]

2. If it were a friend...

I'd consider an intervention!

[wtmusic]

3. It's hard

to maintain respect in a situation like that.

My neighbor is a very nice man who's had us over for parties, etc. One day he put a "U.N.-AMERICAN" bumpersticker on his car. That's exactly the wrong message to send this neighbor. :grr:

[Kerrytravelers]

10. Hi, Mr. Music!

:hi:

[wtmusic]

13. Backatcha kiddoo

:hi:

[Kerrytravelers]

18. Check out this link regarding * in Rancho Cucamango

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x14064

Wanna go? Can we get a group since I really don't want to go to the IE alone... kinda rethugy out there, you know? Brian will be at work.

[wtmusic]

21. Hmmmm

I'm down for it. May have to reevaluate when the time gets closer.

[FloridaPat]

4. Maybe he has the hots for her and her trashy mouth. I can't imagine

her being on the top of anyone's reading list. I use to enjoy listening to Limbaugh on the radio when I drove long distances. I couldn't understand how we could both start out with the same facts and end up with different conclusions. Listening to him got my temper up which got my adreniline up which kept me awake. That only lasted a couple months. Now I can't listen to him at all.

And bashing Kerry as a loser - which he actually is - isn't too bad. Like I said, it is a fact.

[Kerrytravelers]

5. In the past, I'd have said yes... but now, things are different.

We have distanced ourselves from the known neo-can *loving freaks that we even barely knew. There is one friend who is married to a Dem whom we think is border line rethug... we've stayed friendly ebcause she may change. Mr. kt's paretns are fundy nuts, and they are even on the outs over the hateful emails they've sent to us. They made it personal.

Be cordial as you must be in the office, but I certainly wouldn't want these people around my children. My in-laws will never be around our children unsuperivsed. That has been decided.

Am I over reacting? It's really hard to know how much is just my reaction from the past five yers. Some day, years and years dow nthe road, I'm sure my outlook will be different... but right now, I can't stand being around someone I even know is a neocon nut. Hell, I can't even watch Everybody Loves Raymond (patricia heaton) and vince vaughn movies because they're *-lovin' fascists.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[cascadiance]

7. We should ask James Carville this question...

[jilln]

8. It does have to do with how they treat people...

Not just whether they talk about it. For example, one dept. in my office is made up of 3 very Republican Bush-loving women and one gay guy. The women all LOVE the gay guy and treat him well as a friend. However, they all voted for Bush and agree that gay men should not marry. I know it hurts the gay guy even though he refuses to talk about it to them. To me the women seem very hypocritical, hanging around the guy all the time and then voting to keep him a second-class citizen and fawning over a pResident who thinks this gay guy is an abomination to God. I get along with these women fine at work but no, I have no respect for them.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. I would, but be silent about it. (nt)

[acmejack]

11. I don't know anybody rich enough to be a Con!

I guess I don't move in the same social circles as the Cons do either.

[MissWaverly]

12. don't jump to conclusions

does he enjoy reading her books, or just looking at her profile on
the cover, I don't really see how anyone would enjoy her rants, as
for Kerry is a loser, we live in a winner take all society, losing
is akin to loss of self worth, I personally like Kerry and I still think
he would make a good president, this guy may just not be a deep thinker,
I would wait and see.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

33. I will have to wait and see.

Perhaps it's more like you or others have said and not reading and agreeing, but just reading.

[MissWaverly]

34. we are in evil days

judge people by their actions, we have people spouting religion who
are advocating killing people, if he is a hater, you will have to distance yourself, but he may just be clueless

[Solly Mack]

14. Yes (on the loss of respect)

I don't think you're being too sensitive. To me it speaks directly to overall character .....of those who support people like Coulter, Bush, Rush, Hannity or they believe Fox is actually news, etc.
...and it doesn't speak well of them.

No matter how nice they may seem on the surface - I wonder what's going on with them below the surface.

[lildreamer316]

15. I have this problem

One of my best friends is republican. We have not discussed anything political since last fall; at that time she was dating (!!!) an Army Recruiter from Fort Bragg who also became a friend (he dosen't call much these days; he really is a nice guy though). We have been friends throught alot of life-heavy things and I think she is as glad to have me as I am to have her. However; the fact that she is a self-proclaimed WICCAN AND A REPUBLICAN just kills me. HOW in the HELL is that possible? I fight with myself at least once a week about wether or not to bring up politics and see if she has changed her mind; but to be honest I just don't have many friends and would hate to lose one of the few I have left. It is quite a confusing thing for me; I'm not sure what to do.

I'm sure that dosen't help you in the least. Sorry I hijacked the thread. Best of luck; but I don't think you are being too sensitive.That is what it is gonna come down to eventually.

[Eloriel]

16. Nope, not at all.

At this point *I* would be having some serious issues with my husband, if he wanted to defend an ass like that.

Anyone who supports ANYthing Anne Coulter has EVER said is not worthy of a second of my time, and certainly wouldn't be allowed to set foot in my home.

[wli]

17. I'd ostracize the bastard. n/t

[BulletproofLandshark]

19. I know tons of right-wingers from work.

My county (Shenandoah Co.,VA) went 70-30 in favor of * in 2004. Oddly we don't talk politics much. I think they got tired of getting their ass burned every time they tried to spew their talking points in my direction.

[RebelOne]

20. I'm in the red state of Georgia and quite a few

of my co-workers are Republicans and pro-war and pro-Bush. Even though I have anti-Bush and anti-war posters hung all around my cubicle, we do not discuss politics. I guess it is because they know my political leaning concerning the asshole in the WH and the war.

[applegrove]

22. People have different belief systems than me. If they try to make the

world a better place day in day out..and don't have any right to hate them ... all I can say is that they have a different belief system and I hope they have a "soft landing" when their leaders are finally shown to be wrong, wrong, wrong & wrong. Just so long as they don't try to impose their ideas on me - or act in a baiting, diminishing or hating way towards me or others. If they bring the topic of politics up..they better be ready for my opinions too. But I would rather just develop the friendship or colleagueness based on what we have in common.

They are human beings on a journey..just like me.

Now for the freepers and the role players and the paid mouthpieces..

[porphyrian]

24. Yep.

Anyone who still willingly supports this administration is a fucking traitor. Period.

[Extend a Hand]

25. I would have to ask him

how can you possibly stand to read that racist slimeball Coulter?

and then let the chips fall where they may.

[BlueJac]

27. No kidding

No one can stand that bitch!

[growlypants]

26. Yes. Anyone who believes this war is good and justified is an uninformed

idiot and is brainwashed. I do not deal with these people. At all

[RageFist]

28. I would be careful what labels...

you drop on people...readers of Ann Coulter are not bigots by default. They might be more LIKELY to be bigots, but not bigots by default.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

32. Ok, those that agree with what she is saying

and read her books for that purpose are bigots. You can't agree with "kill arab leaders and convert their people to christianity" and NOT be a bigot.

[otohara]

29. Sensible - Throw The NeoCon Out

what do you have in common with this person now that you know this? Nada!

[htuttle]

30. If they were here in Madison, I'd report them to the authorities

A few weeks in our Municipal Reeducation Camp would turn them around.

Yes. I'm joking.

As far as how to deal with a coworker with those sensibilities: I wouldn't deal with them outside of work. Am I too sensitive? Nah, just sick of bullshit. I just can't put up with it anymore. If I hung around a person like that, we'd just argue all the time.

[getmeouttahere]

35. I understand how you feel....I would avoid the guy....

I even spend a lot less time with my cousin, who has always been like a brother to me, because he supports BushCo. He may be softening his stance, but he'll have to demonstrate that to me.

[LTR]

37. Nahhh

I've worked with a ton of them, and they're usually not bad people.

Just as long as the conversation stays away from politics.

I did work with one guy who was pretty religious. He said Bush was a great president because he brought prayer back into the White House. Of course everyone laughed their asses off, including myself. I said Bush needs to pray because that's the only chance of salvation he'll ever get. Plus, anyone who needs a president to tell them to pray is a weak minded fool.

[slackmaster]

38. Religious people at work can be a real PITA

I have one coworker who tries to turn almost every casual conversation into an abortion discussion.

[NaturalHigh]

39. I work with lots of people whose politics are different.

Some are way to the right of me, but a lot are way to the left of me. We don't ever take it personally, though. In fact, even last October and November, I don't remember anyone getting bent out of shape.

[B Calm]

40. Just about all my co workers have drank the kool-aid. I do have

one co worker who thinks just like me and we have a ball putting down Bush and the republican party around the others.. I enjoy printing off political cartoons and showing my friend at work. He in turn will show the cartoon to the others just to piss them off. Yesterday I printed off the cartoon of Bush in the child seat in the back seat of the limo speeding pass Cindy. My friend really loved it and passed it on to one of the right-wingers. The first guy who had the cartoon waddled it up and threw it in the trash. It was a real hoot!!