When you find out an acquaintance supports *

[Kira]

Do you ask him or her why? Or do you just not bring it up? I found out a mother of a girl my daughter goes to school with is supporting *. She has a huge sign on her lawn. I just can't understand how a mother can support him. I don't even know where to begin. He has failed in every area possible. There are so many lies to expose. Has anyone had this conversation with someone they know? Can you be friends with someone who supports *? I feel like I can't. I just don't have any respect for that stupidity.

[Guava Jelly]

1. I feel your pain i have sisters like her

Just wait until after the election then it wont matter how stupid she is.
Bush will be gone

[SW FL Dem]

2. Most of my neighbors support Bush

All of my son's friends and their parents are * supporters. Some people know I am Dem and support Kerry (more now that I have a bumper sticker and yard sign). In 2000 my area went over 70% to * so it's hard to avoid them. I will engage in civil discussions with anyone that wants to talk, but for the sake of my family, I don't get in their face. I have had to agree to disagree with many acquaintances who are evangelicals.

[indie_voter]

3. I struggle with this too

Fortunately most of my friends and all my family are Kerry Supporters.

I backed away from a few on-line communities (not related to politics) because of the rabid * supporters. I have no respect for people who think * is the right choice.

[merbex]

4. I got into a discussion this summer with a B* supporter

gushing about how "moral" he was.

I asked ,What's moral about leaving our kids the biggest deficit in American history?

Suddenly the subject was changed. They have no answer to facts.

[crispini]

5. Depends on what kind of relationship.

Friendly-acquaintance, or simply-courteous-to-each-other acquaintance?

If I feel like breaking the ice and talking politics, in a non-threatening way, I simply say, "So, I'm curious... I see you're a Bush supporter... can you tell me the top five reasons you're voting for Bush?"

Then listen, see what she says. Take the temperature of the conversation.... maybe work in a rebuttal or two if they are open... but you may just have to leave it alone.

There are a LOT of Shrub supporters I know who I simply don't discuss politics with, or simply trade quips and barbs with. They know if they give me any shit I'll fight back with humor, so sometimes they give me shit just for fun. It's all for fun... no one gets hurt ... and I'm not going to be a whiny, indignant liberal, because that doesn't help, but I'm sure as hell not going to sit around and take it anymore....

[AzDar]

6. My dear , sweet Mother-In-Law supports * , she is Mormon..

and unfortunately spouts the Church's position, even though she is completely uninformed politically. She told my 8-year old this week that John Kerry was a liar, but when he asked what JFK lied ABOUT, she had no answer for him. He retorted that Bush lied about WMD, and she was speechless. Now, I certainly don't want him to be disrespectful, but if one is going to make a sweeping accusation like that, one should be prepared to back it up.During the course of the same conversation, he apparently also told his Grandma (whom he adores)that
his Mom says that a vote for Bush is a character flaw! (LOL) I stand by my statement. It just demonstrates how this Moron is the most polarizing political figure since Joseph McCarthy. I cannot wait until he is GONE!!!

[Kira]

7. I can't wait either

That's really funny that your son knows the truth better than she does! Good for him.

[bliss_eternal]

9. There's only been one time that I did call someone on their

support of the Republican regime and their policies. It was loooong before this presedential election, though.

Some guys dh grew up with (they were best friends--past tense), had signs on their lawn supporting the measure that was against gay marriage here in California. I went out of my way to not bring it up. These were the kind of people that just made the assumption that EVERYONE thinks like they do. They've lived in this tiny community their entire lives and just don't understand anything different from them (i.e diversity, different religions, lifestyles, classes, etc.)

Over dinner they brought up how happy he was that the proposition had lost. (WTF?!) He went on and on about how it was protecting straight marriages rights, weren't we happy too. Dh and I exchanged glances as we had discussed this frequently and neither of us felt that way. I felt dh gave me the ok with his look and I tore into this guy.

I asked him how it was 'protecting our rights'. He couldn't respond. I asked him if he had any gay friends. Of course he had none and really hadn't even known anyone gay. I went on to ask him if he had ever been present for the end of a gay person's life, when they were estranged from family based on their lifestyle. By this time he was completeley silent and just looked shocked. I told him that in these cases people that they don't even speak to are called on to make choices regarding this person's life and they don't even know the person anymore.

Then I told him unless he was in that position or wanted to be--he needed to reconsider his stance. That they should have the rights the rest of us had in this regard. Dh then added that as part of a married couple he didn't see why they couldn't have the rights we do--that there was a time it would have been illegal for us to marry (we are interracial).

They all looked so surprised. I guess because they just assumed we all thought the same. Then he said he had never considered any of what I said and just thought of it the way the politician's had spun it.

Thankfully, we aren't in touch with these people anymore. Their blatant stupidity and 'following the crowd' mentality made me want to scream and shake the shit out of them everytime I saw them. What's worse is they have children and are perpetuating their ignorance. How scary is that?

These people are poster children for the fact that a college education is NOT a measurement of intelligence.

I go out of my way to NOT get into discussions with people I am acquainted with about this stuff (after that happened). NOW I avoid it like the plague. But I do see people differently when they bring it up in my presence, and I have stopped associating with quite a few that did. I have also distanced myself from a few boards that have allowed some to stomp on the beliefs of others regarding this election.

Sorry so long--this just made me think of that scenario and how uncomfortable I felt, yet at the same time it was like something came over me and I felt I HAD to speak up, because these folks were so sheltered, they never were exposed to anything different. I doubt it made a difference. LOL. But I put it out there at least... (lol)

[captain disgruntled]

8. I have no answer for this either....

especially since (see my post about today's article in the Washington Post) the support of most Republicans for * has NOTHING TO DO WITH FACTS!!!!!

Their support of him seems exclusively emotional, and you just can't argue with emotion. Rationality hardly comes into this at all, especially this late in the game.

[leftofthedial]

10. I ask them why

If they have reasons, which very few do, I try to reason with them

If they persist, they become ex-acquaintances and go on the fascist list.