Wing-nut Relatives

[maxrandb]

So, I went home to Ohio last week for a visit. A little background: I have two brothers who are former ditto-heads that have seen the light and returned to sanity.

We all came from a proud, hard-working Democratic Family. Our grandfather helped organize coal miners, and our grandmother, who lived to 99.5 years of age, worked everyday until she was 82, and survived on Social Security. To make a long story short, one of my brothers is married to a woman who is active in local Repuke politics, and my other brother drives a delivery truck and was exposed to 10 hours a day of Limpballs, Insanity, and local "cooki-cutter" wing-nuts. I on the other hand, joined the Navy, earned a commission as an Officer, and have just completed 23 years of service (so far).

Last election they both renewed their registration in the Democratic Party.

Anyway, my sister-in-law (the one who is finding it harder and harder to admit she's a Repuke in Ohio), is a kool-aid drinking, Repuke talking point spewing wing-nut.
During my recent visit, we again got into a bit of a heated argument. I was pointing out all the corruption within the Repuke Party nationally and in Ohio, and the hypocracy regarding the Foley scandal. This is essentially part of our conversation (summarized):

Her: "The devil has been tempting Republican's in the hopes that the Democrats will win the election"
Me: "BLANK STARE"

Seriously, how do you reason with a person like that? Better that she gets some help, and backs slowly away from the voting booth.

[treestar]

1. Is she serious? She sounds like she is living in 1628.

[Kerrytravelers]

10. Aye, sir. Shall I call the Mayor of Salem to rid her of the demons?

'Tis important we drive the devil from her.







It's like watching The Crucible. http://imdb.com/title/tt0115988/

[maxrandb]

14. Hard to Say

I don't mean to "swift-boat" her, so I should add that our conversation had touched on some religious themes throughout, with her arguing about the evils of the Democrats, and me pointing out that Jesus was probably a little to the left of some of her heroes, and how I'm sick and tired of repukes using religion to divide the country, instead of unite the souls.

There's a chance that in that context, she pulled this out as a weak defense of the Pukes, but still, it left me speechless.

[BOSSHOG]

2. She has a point

We all know that republicans aren't responsible for anything. Its all someone else's fault. That's why they are the party of responsibility. Continue with that blank stare.

[Kerrytravelers]

11. It's Clinton's fault! Of course! That must be it! Devil schmevil!

[itsrobert]

3. Next time

Give her a blank stare for about 5 seconds. Than start busting out laughing, than fall to the ground and do a TMX Elmo.

[aquart]

9. Yes. I definitely recommend the laughter.

It's like throwing water on a witch.

[Virginia Dare]

4. Doesn't she know Bush is the devil?

Hugo Chavez said so! :crazy:

[tanyev]

5. So she's voting for people who can't resist the devil's temptation.

OooooKay.

[hurtsolong]

8. Number One Rule in my family

Number One Rule in my family is no discussion of politics allowed. Politics can be an ugly machine that can shred family members apart. I truly wish you and your sister-in-law are still in good term, at least for your brother's sake.

[newyawker99]

22. Hi hurtsolong!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[tinfoil tiaras]

29. Welcome to DU!!

:hi:

and about the wingnut relatives, we just try not to discuss politics with my (smart, but wingnut) uncle and his family....

[RobertSeattle]

6. You can't reason with people who derive their ideas without reason

[catmandu57]

7. Ted Haggerd

followed by maniacal laughter should do the trick.

[ThoughtCriminal]

12. Sometimes it's good to take a big drink of milk

just so you can spray it through your nose in response to a comment like that. Sure - it's gross, but nothing you can say presents a better editorial.

[Deep13]

13. Response: "It seems to be working."

Add a "ha-ha" like Nelson on the Simpsons as punctuation.

[sinkingfeeling]

15. Response: "Then I guess God really isn't on the side of the GOP."

[sqarebis]

16. lol - Republicans can be so bizzare at times

"The devil has been tempting Republicans..." :rofl:

I'm sorry that you have an insane sister, I really am.

[Vorta]

17. I'm going to get flamed for this

I don't get Republican women and women who "like" football. Now when I say "like football" I don't mean the ones who have adapted to the utter waste of a beautiful afternoon in front of a TV, occasionally admiring men who have an excuse to be into football because they make money off couch taters like her husband. I mean women who have season tickets and go to the game anyway when hubby is sick.

I don't get Republican women. I get Republican men, I've been accused of being one. Actually, for a brief period during the Ford adminstration I thought I was one. That's not to say that I get why men vote Republican, just that as an Anglo male I sometimes feel the urge to assert my sense of entitlement and cultural ownership of this country without some granola crunching idiot trying to shut me down. Then I remember that the Republicans think I am an abomination in the eyes of Jay-sus and that with many rather entertaining exceptions they are a bunch of people would rather not spend time with.

I don't get Republican women because even more than most Republican men they seem to vote against their own interests. I'm not talking about abortion, I'm talking about everything else from healthcare, to education, to workplace issues, to war.

[huskerlaw]

19. What does football have to do with anything?

:shrug:

:wtf:

[Vorta]

25. Exactly!

I just don't get football. I get why some men watch it, it's expected. But women aren't expected to watch it, so why would they endure it? The same thing with Republicans: no one expects a woman to be a Republican. IN fact, when women's voting was proposed, it was assume that they votes would cancel their husband's.

Football is somewhat like politics. People choose favorites without good reason. It takes four hours to complete a one hour task. People are loyal to teams regardless of whether they are doing everything right. There are probably more similarities, but I'm getting tired.

[knitter4democracy]

27. So, women shouldn't do what we're not expected to do?

I knit. I knit a lot. You'd probably say that, since it takes me weeks to finish something I could buy in ten minutes, it's a waste of my time and a lot like being a Republican.

Football is like watching 3D chess with many unexpected possibilities. Each coach calls a play, hoping it'll be better than the other guy's play. The 22 guys on the field may or may not execute that play well (higher chance of it not going well the younger the players are, which is why I like college and high school football better). Sometimes you can see what'll happen just by seeing how they line up, but many times you can't. That's what's interesting about it. It also is good knitting time, not to mention straightening and vacuuming time (I usually keep the sound off, since the announcers are total idiots).

[Vorta]

28. I sew while watching reruns of Law and Order or Star trek

I tried knitting, but it takes too long.

[knitter4democracy]

32. Depends on what you knit.

Some projects are faster than others. Big yarn and big needles mean faster project.

[huskerlaw]

30. That's an overbroad and uninformed statement

Some women watch it because they LIKE it, believe it or not. It has nothing to do with "expectations". It's not something to be "endured". It's fun and enjoyable. Not to everyone, obviously, but some women as well as some men do truly enjoy it.

Since your basic premise is flawed, so is the rest of your logic. I don't think football is anything like politics whatsoever.

[Vorta]

31. OK

You are correct, of course. Every now and then I forget that some things are simply a matter of what a person enjoys. I like sailing, and some people think it's boring.

I should confess that I actually went to a football game only last week at the local high school. It was a completely different experience than watching it on TV. I still wasn't all that interested in the game itself, but I enjoyed watching the people and I like marching bands. I have lived four blocks from the high school for some ten years now, and can hear the games in my family room, so I thought I would ride up there and have a look.

[Deep13]

21. A lot of women like football around here.

I don't. In fact all pro sports seem a bit pointless. It is not like the winning team gets to pillage the losing team's city.

[Vorta]

24. Oh my

It is not like the winning team gets to pillage the losing team's city.

I think I am going to like you.

[knitter4democracy]

26. Football? Excuse me?

I grew up in a football family, and while I wouldn't go to a game without Hubby (it's not as much fun without him), I like to watch the games on TV while doing other things. Unless it's a good Michigan State game, which hasn't happened this year, and then that's a different story.

What's wrong with football, and why should women not like it? I'm confused.

[Arugula Latte]

18. Damn! She figured out the game plan!

I was hoping that would remain secret. Well, foiled again ...

[Vorta]

20. Well the first mistake can't be undone

I don't get it, never have, never will. If I was born in Ohio, my life's goal would be to live within walking distance of salt water. Now you just think I am being nasty, but there must be some reason why Democrats pretty much control the coasts. The red states are red for a reason, we need to figure that out. People aren't born Republicans, they are molested in childhood and become Republicans. They can be saved.

Your sister-in-law is probably just doing this for attention. In my family, she would be very quiet because she would know that the entire family thinks she is an idiot. She would tolerate us during those time when we needed to be in the same house. Your brother is the one to worry about. Was she the only woman left?

Seriously, get your brother's permission to deprogram this woman.

[Bake]

23. Did she turn you into a newt?

And did you get better?

Bake