De-friended an old high school buddy last night.

[Atman]

The right is just unhinged. I knew this guy through most of my youth. We weren't best friends or anything, but certainly attended a few parties together, hung out every now and then. It seems that since I left Florida nearly 25 years ago, many of my old friends have turned right-wing and fundie, right along with the rest of the state. Anyway, I've only de-friended one other person, another old buddy from back in the day, another one who had turned fundie, who started harassing me via e-mail and PM about me burning in hell for not embracing Jesus. So, this guy last night posts a link to a Fox "News" story about how Obama screwed up in Libya and was "in over his head." I've responded to the guy before, never had an incident...I merely replied something to the effect "You're quoting Fox as a news source? Only Fox could call the fall of Gadhaffi a bad thing and blame Obama for it." Fairly innocuous, imho. Man, the guy went off. Sent me a personal message calling me a parasite and a douchebag and using all of the typical right-wing blather about how I "worship" Obama, etc, etc. Scathing, nasty, mean shit. I responded rather nicely, saying basically "Hey, lighten up, Steve! We've known each other for years, why so harsh?" He blasted back with more hatred. He obviously hates Obama with a very deep passion, and in the end told me to fuck off, and that I was everything that was wrong with society. That based on a couple very short, not-very-political posts.

It's going to be a rough election year. These people are not only pissed off and seething with hatred toward the black president, they're totally irrational.

.

[ensho]

1. yes, they are racist and totally irrational religiously insane

dangerous

[Kurmudgeon]

31. Funny thing is, I had an old friend do me the same, except he's atheist.

However, the right wing part was just the same, the calling of names and plus lots of nice racial references to the President including the N-Word.
Been a hardcore Republican all his life....
He wasn't that obsessed back in the day, now politics is all he cares to talk, excuse me, argue about.

[AlbertCat]

142. except he's atheist.

That is funny... because it is obvious that the vast majority of Repugs (and Dems) are religious. The most vocal religious nuts are conservative. So a miniscule minority (conserv. atheist) of a minority (all atheists) is an interesting anomaly.

[Capitalocracy]

153. I know an atheist like that.

He's an engineer, too, smart guy in everything else, but a total victim of right-wing propaganda anyway. I guess nobody's immune.

[gtar100]

97. I don't know if this is a good sign or a bad sign.

On the one hand, the more over-the-top these people go, the less influence they have on youth who see them as bat-shit crazy and are having to live with the consequences of conservative rule for the last 30 odd years. On the other hand, they are bound to hurt people because they've lost all sense of reason...let alone empathy.

Time will tell.

[muffin1]

2. I've been through the same situation...

I'm actually pretty damned critical of President Obama - and with good reason, I think. But when I hear people going off with their stupid right-wing talking points and dog whistles, I just can't help but jump in. I have only de-friended one person - she kept going on about the "Mosque at Ground Zero". :eyes: At first, I just replied to her thread and explained my side of the situation. She replied back that I had given her something to think about - she was trying not to be so reactionary, she said. The next day there was another hate-filled screed. De-friended!

I've had people defend Sarah Palin, Paul Ryan, and all kinds of asshats on my wall. I love telling them off - can't help it.
I'm just surprised my family hasn't blocked me - they are all super right-wing - they "like" Palin, Beck, Fox...I MUST be adopted. :)

[Atman]

5. That's what is so ridiculous. I'm pretty tough on Obama.

I don't "worship" anybody, especially Obama. The guy wrote to me about how I dreamed of a shirtless Obama, and probably got all tingly just like I do when I hear Chris Matthews talk (another person I have repeatedly, loudly criticized). It was an odd post, with repeated sexual references to Obama. Not sure what that was all about.

.

[muffin1]

11. Oh, good grief.

WTF is wrong with these "people"?

[trueblue2007]

121. what is wrong with the GOPigs? everything

i can't believe how hateful these people are.


born again Christians acting like haters? WHAT WOULD JESUS DO !!!!

[Frustratedlady]

22. Boy, I'm beginning to believe the folks who think Repugs are deep into

sexual inhibitions/obsessions.

Are these coming from Rush, Beck or other talk radio/Repug spokespersons like Coulter? Is that all they think about? Really strange.

[Bette Noir]

62. Fox pushes that Obama=Messiah stuff, class warfare, the whole thing.

Any body who watches the stuff is doomed.

[The Wielding Truth]

160. Propaganda is seriously harmful to democracies. They need an truthfully

informed electorate. At the very least Fox should be identified as an opinion only network.

The Fairness Doctrine should be reenacted.

The Fairness Doctrine versus the Equal-time Rule
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5074525&mesg_id=5074525

Peace Patriot repeats
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5074525&mesg_id=5075124

[PSzymeczek]

115. Projection

Textbook, really. They're obsessed with these things, so they try to redirect and say that we are.

[Nay]

130. Yeah, it's pretty classic. I have come to the conclusion that we are doomed,

because so many ppl seem to become unhinged so easily.

[david_vincent]

145. Check out the book "A Sexual Profile of Men in Power" by Janus and Bess eom

[EC]

64. Remember repubs project... n/t

[Prana69]

93. Wow. That's just bizarre. Do you suspect the guy is seriously repressed? Fits the (R) mold. n/t

[0rganism]

102. Projection, maybe?

Suspicious degree of homophobia and racism on the part of your correspondent indicates that this guy may well have deep-seeded shame and guilt concerning his underlying urges when presented with footage of "shirtless Obama". Dunno about the Chris Matthews thing though - that sounds like pure drug-addled nonsense rage. Conclusion: someone cut his coke line with PCP.

[bongbong]

144. Projection

Another case of repig lust for the President.

[shireen]

52. +1

i've defriended a few people after seeing their posts. Didn't try to reason with them, tho' -- i knew it was useless to even try.

[Divine Discontent]

91. yeah, you're right. I have tried for years to influence a few friends who are out West, and they

are former co-workers at a place we all worked at, and they say all the nasty stuff about Obama, just not to me because they know I'm open-minded. But, as many of us have experienced, these people want to be friends with you, but still keep their bigotry, and I never let them get away with their email forwards, and I correct the email lies constantly to them, but they still keep sending the emails - which means there's no hope.

They just are ignorant and easily led by GOP mind tactics. The only people I can educate are moderates who were GOP voters, but weren't "loons" when it comes to this "muslim" "anti-american" "stealth U.N." "birther" stuff. It's just pointless to argue with someone who believes this stuff.

[Kerrytravelers]

3. They are beyond unhinged.

On a FB note, I am so careful who I friend. I have some criteria. You must be: gay friendly, understand that me and some other FB friends are atheists and we're not going to be preached to, no racists jokes, your can't be right-wing or libertarian.

I have a few friend invites that are just sitting in my que because when I checked their page, it didn't meet my personal criteria.

For me, FB is an escape. It's like my home. I don't allow any of the above in my home. We actually ended a very long friendship when the husband went on an anti-gay tirade. He was shocked because "you aren't gay". Well, I'm not Black either, but I don't allow racist jokes in my house.

Like I said, I have limited friends on FB, but it keeps me sane.

[Mist]

4. I'm sorry for your unpleasant experience. I've noticed that what we call "reason" just doesn't

register with certain RWingnuts. They have a big interest in maintaining their distorted worldview. It seems to boil down to "I hate my life/job/marriage/financial situation and my crappy life is all the fault of the unbelievers/liberals/Obama/gays/anyone I disagree with." Rabid delusional hatred is their answer to feeling life ain't measuring up for them.

[adhd_what_huh]

6. your friend has been radicalized by Fox News and Talk Radio

For his new world view to make sense...he must hate all none Fox believers.

[Moostache]

109. At any given moment Fox has what? 5,000,000 viewers? Tops?

How is it that so few (5,000,000 is less than 2 PERCENT OF THE COUNTRY....even if its 10,000,000 viewers that would still be less than 4 PERCENT!!!!)can just be so loud and obnoxious that their opinions and misplaced faith in "so-called free-markets" and "Jeebus" can be seen as, pardon the pun, gospel truth???

The real power here is not in the Fox viewers and their misinformed or mal-informed kin folk...it is in the other media outlets who continue to treat this as a 50-50 argument, a zero sum game where both "sides" are equal and equally valid. BULLSHIT!!!! One side is cravenly beholden to their paymasters and the other side are Republicans!

Seriously, the problem exists because the Democrats and the media are in on the fix. There is no other explanation for why President Obama continues the charade of bi-partisanship this far into the game, or why he has capitulated (and commanded the party to likewise capitulate) on so many core values:

Wars? both still going and added a third for good measure...don't want to be called "soft" do we?....

Torture? No one imprisoned or held to call on this, making it likely to repeat in the future...

Taxes? Bush tax cuts that "had" to go? Still here, with new ownership to boot in the Obama-Bush tax cuts....

Affordable Health Care for All and Entitlement protection? Yeah...riiiiiiiiiiiiight...start holding your breath in 3, 2, 1....about the same length of time it took to throw FDR's crowning achievements onto the deal table for debt "negotiations"

Wall Street regulations and tightening the belt?.............sorry, I was laughing too hard at that last bit and spit Coke through my nose and all over my keyboard....

Fuck it....I am tired of listing the betrayals, broken promises and half-steps one by one...I am just going to turn it into a verb and be done with it...henceforth to do all or part of those things mentioned above shall be know as "to Obama".

[The Wizard]

133. Yes

It's political theater or professional wrestling in business suits. This is the dumbest country on Earth. Now, how many Wall Street shysters who bankrupted the economy and looted the Treasury have been charged with crimes?

[Golden Raisin]

7. I'm in my 60s.

I have NEVER seen the country so sharply divided (and I include the Vietnam Era) and with such meanness of spirit. It almost borders on a Civil War of ideas.

[CleanGreenFuture]

12. I've think we've crossed that border. And we're beyond "almost".

I'm ready to defend this nation against them.

[coalition_unwilling]

16. Yes, I hope this Civil War stays verbal. The alternative is too

heart-wrenchingly sad to contemplate for anyone who has studied the first U.S. Civil War.

[CleanGreenFuture]

19. How are we going to verbalize our way out of having these idiots

continue to influence our elections and our society?

[coalition_unwilling]

23. Sorry, but the price of a democratic republic is that even idiots

get their say.

To paraphrase the great Utilitarian philosopher John Stuart Mill, the best counter to incorrect speech is more, but correct, speech. (Although having a U.S. Grant and W.T. Sherman in reserve when speech fails never hurts :)

[CleanGreenFuture]

26. You really think we're not at a point where these people are having a

dangerous influence on this nation?

I don't know how many young children are in your immediately relation but I'm approaching 10 grand- and step-grand children and I fear for their safety with people like the OP's former friend walking around.

[coalition_unwilling]

68. I do think these people are having a very dangerous

influence on the nation and have been for going on 30+ years, since the days of Reagan.

I take comfort in the hard demographic fact that the working class outnumbers the ruling class and its lackeys by at least 100-1. Right now, I think the most important task is building class consciousness to sharpen the lines of the inevitable class struggle.

Here's a good example. Most, if not all the LAPD that I would see at anti-war demonstrations had and have way more in common with those of us who were protesting than either group had with the ruling class. However, the LAPD has a sorry record of acting against the interests of the working class, even though its rank and file are predominantly . . . working class. Same goes for enlisted members of our armed forces, most of whom have way more in common with those protesting against miltarism than either group has with the ruling class.

0 young children in my life, but I understand your fear (having been physically assaulted by one of the Yahoos while protesting against Bush).

[saras]

119. And the price of idiots getting their say is that you don't get to keep the democratic republic.

Good ol' catch-22 there. How tolerant of intolerance can a tolerant society afford to be?

[coalition_unwilling]

120. These are important paradoxes you bring forward. However, so

long as the principle of 'one man, one vote' is observed along with a Bill of Rights, the idiots will not be able to destroy the democratic republic.

As I have noted up thread (somewhat in jest), having a U.S. Grant and William T. Sherman in reserve doesn't hurt none either :)

[AlbertCat]

143. How tolerant of intolerance can a tolerant society afford to be?

Not at all.

But censorship is not the answer. That's actually what we're getting from THEM.

If there were forceful voices on the airways that had opposing views, then things would not be so nuts. But Liberal views and common sense views are not presented on the TV machine...except in small isolated pockets.

[NutmegYankee]

54. The other problem is geography.

A Civil war wouldn't be one region versus another, it would be a bloodbath like Rwanda.

[kestrel91316]

101. ......which is why the escalating hate radio, so very similar to the

Rwandan hate radio that whipped people into their machete-wielding frenzy, has me very concerned.

[NutmegYankee]

104. Agree. nt

[Diclotican]

159. kestrel91316

kestrel91316

To me, all this "hate radio" and other media outlets, is similar to Dr Gobbels Propganda in the 1930s, off course not as sentralized as in the 3th Reich, but in many ways, it is similar to what Dr Gobbels was able to muster when it came to propaganda for the nazist.. Even tho most germans never was really fan of nazism, as NSDAP never got more than 37 percent of the voting when Germany had free elections.. And even tho they managed to "convince" most germans that it was better to be quiet than in a KZ camp, the "other" germany was large enough to vorry the secret service in Germany all 12 years.. They never managed to "win over" the working class germany to the new order either...

Diclotican

[kestrel91316]

165. I am always inclined to compare RW hate tactics to the Nazis, of course, but

DU's resident RW apologists invariably attack me, claiming that nothing anyone could ever do could come close to the evil the Nazis did.

I guess we have to wait until they actually start openly exterminating liberals before we can make such a comparison??

[Diclotican]

166. kestrel91316

kestrel91316

It is never easy to tell the "truth" as some say it, even if the evidences are out in force.. As it is here. Some parts of the RW radio and other media outlets would have loved to be part of Dr Gobbels propaganda.. In fact I figure that some candidates would have managed it better when it came to outright lies than even Dr Gobbels himself managed to do. And he was a pure master of the trade..

Off course the RW have not managed to do what the nazis did in the 1930 - at least not yet. But if anything is going, they would not hestiate, if their extreme parts ever was to make it to power, they would try the best they can to do it.. And if I dosen't recall wrong, persons on the right, have many times over the last couple of decades killed and maimed others, becouse of their belife or what they was doing for a living.. So, no they are not there yet, but they are dam close to it... Specially in the US.. In Europe, they still can be put in a mental hospital for many years.. In US, they got a shoot for the presidency..

Diclotican

[YOHABLO]

118. So Who's Side Will the U.S. Military be on?

Doesn't it make sense that the far-right is counting on the U.S. Military to come to their aid .. if in fact it comes to a Civil War? I mean we're already in a Cold Civil War.

[oldhippydude]

127. well as i type

the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.. is dominated by Christian Dominionists, openly hostile to non believers.. not sure about all the armed forces..

[cheneyschernobyl]

155. IMHO, the most conversative group in the world is

the Roman Catholic church. The 2nd most conservative group in the world is the U.S. Department of Defense. Throughout my Air Force career I was severely out-numbered by RW nutjobs. A First Sergeant berated me for reading a Michael Moore book while eating lunch at the food court on base. I told him "even if I disagreed with Michael Moore 100% of the time, he's still an American and I will put my life on the line to guarantee he has his right to express his opinion". Then I went on to say that he (Mr. Moore) has a right to put out a book, and I voluntarily bought it so I can read it; what's the problem with that?

The First Sergeant instantly shut up and went on his way.

[PatSeg]

39. I'm in my 60's too

and I've never seen anything like it either. I'm not sure if the right-wing media created the extreme attitude or if it just brought out fears and hatred that were already there.

I wonder if it is even possible to deprogram some of these people. They seem to have moved so far from reality, they could be beyond reason.

[Mojorabbit]

56. I am in my mid fifties and I also have never seen anything like this.

I just want to cry when I see some of the things that Obama's admin. is doing but I really want him to succeed. These people on the extreme right scare the crap out of me. There is no reasoning with them.

[MadMaddie]

61. The Republicans have wanted this environment for 40 years

They hated the Civil Rights movement and President Obama has defied their plans to make sure no minority could reach that level of success.

The Right wing hate machine is terroristic in nature and they have crossed the line over and over again....They have studies of people who have stopped listening to the hate and their lives actually got normal again, their health improved etc.....

[oldhippydude]

128. yes i remember the Birchers

from teh 60's thye just never went away.. was not until the right wing radio invasion of the early 90's till they had any real effective voice..

[EC]

66. Watched "Hotel Rwanda" again yesterday

and was reminded how much of the civil strife started over there, through radio and TV calling one segment traitors constantly.

[Raksha]

117. I'm in my 60s also, and I know exactly what you mean.

I've never seen it this bad either.

[CleanGreenFuture]

8. They are dangerous and need to be...well...fill in the blank.

[coalition_unwilling]

9. I heavily pruned my circle of 'friends' during the run up to

Operation Shocking and Awful in 2002-03, so I know whereof you speak.

I think one reason these people are so pissed off and seething with hatred is that they know deep down that it's pretty certain Obama will be re-elected (way more certain than it was for Bush in 2004, for example). That's not to justify or excuse their hatred but to explain it.

[Fumesucker]

10. I had a family member who really should know better tell me Obama was the most vacationing Prez evah

This is by far the most liberal and informed person I associate with.

Sometimes I just want to cry.. :cry:

[unblock]

13. we all knew this would happen; i'm surprised there isn't more of it.

put a black man in the white house and it was always going to bring out the worst in some people.

i've seen more people in non-political settings announce themselves as anti-obama, using phrases such as "nobama" and "don't re-nig" (!!!) and often from people you never would have guessed were racist or political.

there's a SERIOUS hate-filled propaganda push going on, has been going on for some time, and we underestimate it at our peril.

[CleanGreenFuture]

14. "...we underestimate it at our peril" ... Indeed.

[patrice]

79. People are confused and they don't know how to think effectively. Then there's the media pigs. I

I know racism is real and deeply seeded in a strong and hence significant minority, but at least SOME of what we're seeing is people just grabbing whatever and referring to it as "what I think", because they have discovered that they have to think something, and given the right mitigating circumstances at least some of them are going to come around, at least about Obama. I fear to think though what residual effects there may be, toward other members of other races, from them allowing themselves to go there in the first place though.

[The Backlash Cometh]

15. You're losing friends because the world is upside down in Florida.

The Libertarian experiment is in full force down here. Our local governments have forged "partnerships" with the private sector and, outside of their public missions, they collude, conspire and defraud the rest of the people in their own towns and cities. It does give you a feeling that the world is turned inside out.

If you think those insane rants are bad in email, imagine living among them.

[im1013]

30. I used to miss Florida

Lived in Broward County my entire life, until 1 month before the first stolen presidential election(2000).

It's really not the same place anymore.

[The Backlash Cometh]

45. No. It's not the same.

And I'm getting really tired of the snowbirds who can come and go as they please because they're not helping the situation. They couldn't care less about local politics.

[chervilant]

168. hmm...

We humans are manifesting a level of mental disease that is both frightening and corrosive. Far too many of us are in react mode, driven by inchoate fears and resentments. Far too many of us are willing to pollute our spirits with negativity, eagerly engaging in name-calling and other forms of vilification. Far too many of us are willing to glorify violence or resort to violence, often just for entertainment or personal gratification.

We seldom acknowledge the import of overpopulation, but Calhoun's research with rats has proven that when a critical level of overpopulation occurs, the outcome isn't pretty. With rats, abnormal sexual behavior, hyperaggression, eating their young, and increased mortality are a few of the problems that occurred. With humans, well...isn't it past time we acknowledge that our species has passed a critical tipping point?

When I was younger (and naive) I thought our species was in its adolescence--obsessed with sex, drugs, and all other forms of self-gratification, especially as regards our economic behaviors. However, I've come to understand that overpopulation is a macro-level manifestation of our species' hedonism. Regardless of how much energy we devote to denying the ravages of overpopulation, they are writ large by our increasingly sophisticated, increasingly corrosive socio-cultural and technological constructs--the very same constructs we use to remain in denial, and to externalize responsibility for our collective hubris.

Bearing this in mind, I feel overwhelmed with disappointment about the choices we (as a collective) have been making, because we seem to be moving inexorably back into 'balance' on a planetary scale. When it's time for Gaia to roll over and scrape us off her backside, the inevitable consequences of our hedonistic overpopulation and denial of personal responsibility promise to be extreme.

[salinen]

17. It's called

compassionate conservatism.

[classof56]

18. I'm disturbed that self-proclaimed christians have descended into this dark place

When I was young, I spent almost all my time in fundamental churches and attended a Bible College whose mission was to train students to go into the world and preach Christ's gospel, being willing to lay down our lives if it came to that. The goal was to serve God and love the unsaved into the kingdom. Evangelize, evangelize was the mantra. These days I am appalled at how far christians have come from that, as evidenced by your buddy who informed you you'd burn in hell for not embracing Jesus. Where's the love in that? The hatred for Obama is sickening and frightening. I no longer attend church and I do not engage in conversations with these mean-spirited people who call themselves christians, and I long ago realized it's a waste of time to respond to their ugly anti-Obama e-mails. As you point out, it's impossible to reason with the totally irrational.

Gonna be a tough election year indeed!

Tired Old Cynic

Edited for dumb spelling error!

[CleanGreenFuture]

21. It's not just a hatred of Obama. It's also a hatred of all blacks and hispanics and Mulims

and it's a hate for anyone on the Left.

[classof56]

24. Yep, you are right on.

I'm pretty sure they hate me, too--sad to say, since some are relatives. Guess that concept of Christian love we grew up with has eluded them. And I used to think love trumped hate. Oh, I was wrong about sooo many things!

Tired Old Cynic

[The Wizard]

136. And all liberals are Jews (NT)

[Cetacea]

163. Then there are male-bashers (code word: penis)

which creates a nice little back door for Palin to slip through'

[nenagh]

20. I'd be interested to know the studies that have been done..

by the RW.. proving that if you anger a population sufficiently.. they will stand in line longer & longer to vote.

:cry:

[PatSeg]

25. They truly have become unhinged

It is like a cheesey sci-fi movie where basically normal people are exposed to some chemical and they transform into angry, incoherent crazies. In the past I've seen this happen now and then to an acquaintance, but now it seems to be happening on a global scale.

FOX News, right-wing radio, and power crazed churches are brainwashing large segments of the population. I've never seen anything like it.

[im1013]

27. Yeah, I get the right-wing "libruls are evil" emails all the time.

Unfortunately, they're from my father.

So, I bite my tongue..... hard!



:banghead:

[TwilightGardener]

86. Why would you bite your tongue? Are you 11?

[DrDan]

28. "along withthe rest of the state" - quite a generalization - better check your demographics

super-UNREC

[Atman]

29. Check my demographics? Florida is redder than a Minnesotan on spring break!

I grew up there, my son just got back from attending college there, all my in-laws still live there, I am there on a regular basis. Florida is crazy-rabid Republican. There is no denying that.

.

[DrDan]

35. " despite the fact that registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by about 600,000"

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/orlando_opinionators/2011/07/the-job-no-one-wanted-democratic-party-chairman.html

btw - lived here for 28 years. Plenty of Dems here.

[CleanGreenFuture]

38. The why does right-wing BS dominate your state? Disclaimer:

Right-wing BS dominates my state, also.

[DrDan]

40. because we have a spineless state party

The R's dominate, even though fewer in number.

[Fuddnik]

89. That's an understatement.

Incompetent, corrupt, clueless,.......

[iamthebandfanman]

122. my state is proof that doesnt mean jack...

i mean, here democrats out number republicans by a large amount..

yet we are as red as they get ideologically and representatively.. (not in basketball and grass tho lol)

[Mojorabbit]

57. Not my county. nt

[Mr Dixon]

32. IMO

Sorry to hear that, you did the right thing don't feed the hate.

[Octafish]

33. Brainwashed Masses

PSYOPS: Why television is so dangerous.

Because many, if not most, people haven't read a book since high school, people believe the tube.

And, once set, it's very difficult to alter another person's belief system.

[JVS]

34. I was defriended by someone who posted an article about Joe Biden illegally imprisoning a journalist

He posted the article and was like "zOMG! I can't believe this is happening in America! If Dick Cheney did this the media would be all over it "

I commented, "You shouldn't believe it, it probably isn't true. Besides, it isn't like anyone got shot in the face."

2 days later an article by the journalist who had been supposedly trapped comes out explaining that the situation had not been so dire. I post the article and say "It looks like you owe Joe Biden an apology."

A few weeks later I notice this guy isn't on my friends list.

[gateley]

112. "Besides, it isn't like anyone got shot in the face."

:rofl:

[JVS]

156. My friend didn't see the humor in that.

[gateley]

164. Another good reason to de-freind. Fuck 'em if they can't take a joke. nt

[hfojvt]

36. I have read on DU a few times

that I was everything that is wrong with society.

I think I was an enabler or something even though I did not personally stop anybody from buying pop with food stamps, smoking or eating at Olive Garden.

Are you on disability, or just like me, one of those lucky SOBs who don't make enough money to pay income taxes? What's with the parasite name calling?

[Atman]

37. The parasite part I don't get at all.

I think he one of those who thinks all liberals are parasites, although I've never, ever been on welfare, food stamps, or even collected an unemployment check. I've paid into the system my entire life, and now the GOP wants to take away my "entitlement" to get that which I paid for. For that, I guess I'm a "parasite."

.

[mnhtnbb]

41. I just unfriended a woman I worked with (hired, actually) 25 years ago

and we'd stayed in touch all these years. We had more in common than employer/employee
relationship having gone through divorces and remarriage about the same time.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1778149

Same thing. There was no Fox 25 years ago and she's become a total Fox nut. She's just
not the person I knew and there's no having any kind of discussion with her about
anything--if she's seen it on Fox. She gets defensive, nasty, name-calling...I think
it's a big problem with these folks who've been brainwashed by Fox.

[Robyn66]

42. I stopped talking to friends I had for 20+ years

Same thing. libruls are evil e-mails, they became religious fundies and when I asked them to stop sending inflammatory and inaccurate e-mails (at least to me) they blasted me about "the truth" and I haven't really heard from them since. Its so sad. I just dont understand it.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

43. I've been awfully lucky with my Facebook friends.

Then again, I don't friend people willy-nilly.

[Atman]

44. I actually know every one of my friends. Or used to.

Even a few celebs on the list -- our tiny high school churned out some good ones, from Kelly Slater (the surfer) to Dexter Filkins (the best-selling Iraq war correspondent) and even a Playboy Playmate. I still communicate with many of them. Ironically, being from the Space Center town of Cocoa Beach, most of us were the children of rocket scientists, and therefore tended to be more "liberal." Not much use denying science when you're working on launching rockets! But somehow, many of these people veered right -- far right -- over the years. Florida used to be mostly northerners anyway, and leaned fairly left when I grew up there. But now it is seriously right, and it is sad to see. The radio is all Christian and/or country music. Anti-abortion and Jesus billboards are everywhere. It's kinda creepy.

.

[muffin1]

46. I don't either. My falling out happened with two people

I USED to be best friends with. One was a friend through middle school, and another through high school graduation. The problem is these women have hidden most of their profiles - just name, pic, maybe their city. When I found them, I couldn't really drill them before friending them - well, I could have, I guess. It just seemed a little weird to do so.

The woman I was friends with through graduation kept posting "Jesus" stuff, and seemed a little put-off with some of my liberal rantings - but she also kept insisting that we get together. I finally messaged her and told her exactly where I stand politically (and that politics come up in conversation a LOT in our house). I asked her to think it over before we reunited. She defriended me. :)

[mwb970]

137. I would never have a right-wing Friend on FB.

The LAST thing I want to read on FB is right-wing crap like we see on online discussion boards and in comments to articles. I only have about 40 FB Friends, and I am proud to say that not one is a right-wing extremist!

[abelenkpe]

47. I had to de-friend family over the same kind of nuttiness

And you are right. They are completely unhinged.

:hug:

[muffin1]

147. I block most of my family from my "News Feed'.

I just couldn't stand seeing them swoon over Jesus, and then complain that poor people might get help from the Government - not that poor people will EVER get any help.

I'm pretty sure my family haven't blocked my posts - my Dad comments from time to time on pics of animals/cute things (rarely do I post things like that - about 95% of my posts are political). The one time he commented on a Rick Perry post, he agreed that Perry was "scary". I messaged my Dad, thanked him, told him I was surprised, and asked why he didn't like Perry. I was hoping dear old Dad would say that he thought Perry was too extreme or something. Nope. He said he didn't like that Perry "flip-flops" on issues. x(

[Vinnie From Indy]

48. Gee Steve, I did as you asked and got in touch with my religion and guess what?

I could not find a single instance of Jesus ever telling someone to fuck-off. I could be wrong though, he might have said that when he chased the "money changers" out of the Temple. Cheers!

[Atman]

49. Damn...wish I could re-friend long enough to send that to him.

:rofl:

Perfect!

[shireen]

50. i wish i understood where the irrationality comes from

is it lack of education?
inherent prejudice?
brainwashing?

These people are behaving like members of a cult.

Do we try to reach out to them? Or are they a lost cause?

[Blue_In_AK]

51. I graduated from high school in 1964

in South Houston, Texas. I've reconnected with a few of my classmates, most of whom have never left Texas, and they are ALL a bunch of right-wingers. I just try not to get into political discussions with them or approach political issues very carefully. It certainly is a different mindset down there, especially among the ones who have never left the south.

[chervilant]

100. hmm...

Robert E. Lee, class of '74. Still live close to where I grew up--nearer to Webster. Democrats are rare, liberals are like hens' teeth. Joel Osteen draws a capacity crowd at the old Toyota Center. Daily, I find myself rebutting rabid fear- and hate-mongering.

Can't get a job teaching, and running out of unemployment, so I expect to be in DC for the Oct 6 event, then homeless in DC over this winter. I will miss the mild winters here, but I sure won't miss the "meanness of spirit" (thanks for that turn of a phrase, fellow DUer upthread...).

[Blue_In_AK]

106. I'm sorry you've had to deal with that

One thing I really like about Alaska is that even though a lot of people tend to vote Republican here, we have some strong, committed progressives, as well, so you can always find someone who agrees with you. The state has been corrupted somewhat by oil and Texans, but progressivism was written into our constitution -- thus, our state-owned resources and socialist permanent fund. I also particularly like the privacy clause which has protected abortion rights and private possession of marijuana (decriminalized here since 1975). No death penalty either.

But I imagine you want to be someplace warmer. Good luck with your quest.

[chervilant]

167. Thanks

I appreciate your comments. I am likely to end up living with a friend in north Arkansas, where I'm sure to enjoy more distinct seasons. I'll occasionally see snow and ice, but that doesn't bother me at all. (And, I do wish I could see Alaska before I die...)

I find myself surrounded by conservatives, no matter where I go. I think conservatism correlates with the increasing fearfulness among our citizenry, and the astonishing number of functionally illiterate people. Part of my activism now is helping people grasp the fact that they have a fully functioning brain, fully capable of learning whatever they want to learn. This is, I think, a fairly benign way to open the door to new ideas.

Moreover, I hope our species can remove hierarchy from intelligence. Abraham Maslow contended that we humans have an intrinsic need to create or achieve. *WHAT* we create or *WHAT* we achieve is as varied as there are humans on this planet. I would add that we humans fervently desire to be recognized or esteemed for what we create or achieve (which is a likely explanation for our species' conflation of personal *power* with *wealth*).

Indeed, our species *thrives* on esteem and recognition. If we hope to help our fellow ignorant slobs humans recognize the stultifying and objectifying Bernaysian mindset cultivated by the corporatists bent on securing their hegemony at our expense, we must extend to our fellow humans the esteem and recognition that is the raison d'etre of our species.

[AwareOne]

53. I too have lost friends to ideology

A guy I worked with for years. Always knew he was a good ole boy but we still had enough in common to get along and even become friends. We fished together, went to ball games, cooked out, hung out drinking beer and what not. He started sending me these vile right=wing internet forwards full of all kinds of bullshit. I had enough when he sent me one about the ACLU suing a military base commander for praying on base, it was a total bullshit story easily debunked by a visit to snoop.comm. I replied to him and told him I was an ACLU member for decades and that the ACLU only tries to make the govt. uphold the constitution and defends everyones civil rights. We were both veterans so I told him "you and I both took an oath to uphold the constitution also, just like the ACLU. Never heard from him again, it's been about five years now. Sometimes you just have to stand on principal and move on. This was also in Florida, sadly, most of the people I work with are right wing racists.

[Ikonoklast]

55. What;'s his screen name on DU? Sounds like he'd fit right in here.

Only thing is his loony rantings are coming from the right instead of the 'left', as we have here.

Pretty much the same rhetoric, however.

[bluestate10]

58. Exactly. I can't tell the difference. Guess there is no difference between a

teabagger and a firebagger. Gee, I sound like Ralph Nader.

[patrice]

72. I'm not at all sure it is the Left. They appear to have NO idea what a dialectic is.

Does that seem strange to you? You'd think your average Leftie would understand Marx a little better than that, right?

They also like to throw Chomsky around, but appear to have no idea of how what Chomsky is saying IS about a dialectic, so whatever they THINK they are saying about Obama-lovers, they ARE actually saying about themselves too, just with different labels, because they buy into that whole false-dichotomy paradigm.

And don't even get me started on what they don't appear to understand about Science, but if the Left is Liberal, rational empiricism is a foundation for Liberal principles that are basically INCLUSIVE. Without some logically systematic epistemology, Liberalism, and hence the Left, would be nothing but chaos, or . . . anarchy! Hmmm, maybe it's a mistake to equate what calls itself "the Left" with classic Liberalism. Maybe what they really are is anarchists.

[Divine Discontent]

92. I find that absurd. Disputing the administration on policy is far different than

what so many of us hear at work, relatives, etc that say things which are so shameful, or believe the silly "stealth Muslim", "he's destroying America for the enemy" BS we all hear.


http://www.cafepress.com/barackobama12

[in_cog_ni_to]

59. There's gotta be somethin' in that Florida water...I grew up with a guy, he lived right next door

and was the person who gave me my first cigarette back in 1970, gave me my first joint and many other firsts ;)....he was Mr. hippie. A bleeding heart, Tree-Hugging, commie-pinko Liberal... who has since, years ago, moved to Florida and is now a damn TEABAGGER! I was SHOCKED when I saw his Facebook page and he was repeating all the Rethug, RW religious wacko bullshit and campaigning for the TEABAGGERS. :puke: *sigh* It's gotta be the water in Florida. :( He use to be such a cool FUN guy to hang out with. Now he's been ruined.

[southerncrone]

60. Re-enforces my feeling that Faux Noise is using subliminal messages

to control their viewers & turn them into some sort of mind-controlled angry mobs. Tea Baggers are just the beginning.
They are truly a lunatic bunch. I've had the same situation w/some of HS friends here in the South. Pulpits are just encouraging Faux as THE news source that "channels" Jesus. :crazy:

[sce56]

63. Too Bad! My final reply would be "FOAD" n/t

[DeSwiss]

65. He was never a friend. - K&R n/t

[Skittles]

67. I read that article yesterday - OMG - fucking ridiculous

[FourScore]

69. You did the right thing, Atman.

I am from GA originally. When I signed up with FB, a whole bunch of old high school friends found me. I am stunned by how radical some of them are. It's always nice to see the liberal ones -- though there are not many of them. Most of my old high school crowd keep politics off FB. If they do post political stuff, it gets pretty ignored. I try to stay a-political on FB, but on a couple of occasions, I've posted a NYT article or a cartoon or something. Once someone unfriended me after one such post. I couldn't even figure out who it was, so I guess it didn't matter. Now I'm more savvy on FB -- if people I haven't been in touch with in years (and they weren't my best buds) try to friend me, I read their profile to get a feel for who they are today. The ones I recognize as really out-there right wingers, I just don't friend 'em! I don't need it.

I will say, I have a friend from college who found me. Christianity was a big part of her life even back then. She always said that she wanted to spend her life serving God. Today, she does missionary work in Haiti, and her work is so amazing. She raised her kids primarily in Haiti. Now, her oldest is finishing med school and working in Africa. She and her family symbolize for me (the agnostic) the epitome of Christianity. She is non-judgmental and loving and gracious and welcoming and accepting of differing ideas and wonderful. I absolutely love her and her family. Some people I am happy to have found again. Even though we are so different.

[Mr Deltoid]

70. Black and white thinking

I see it at work. 'If you disagree with me it's because you are evil'

A sure sign of brainwashing.

[patrice]

74. Unwillingness or Inability to engage in honest critical thinking is the same thing no matter what

rhetorical LABEL it is wearing.

[Mr Deltoid]

81. A republican I work with

...went on a year long tizzy because I disagreed with him about Socialism. He was bragging about 'people getting a check every year in Sarah Palin's Alaska'. I told him that they get checks every year because Alaska socialized their oil resources. After that he started blowing up at me and tried to withhold work from me. I told him iI would go to the Washington state human rights commission and file a suit against him if it continued. The extreme behavior stopped but he fumed about me to other people for over a year. The. Whole thing was sooo stupid. He seems OK now but I don't think he ever fully got over it.

[patrice]

84. People are the most reactive when they are the most weak. They'll never admit it, but they

sense their own vulnerabilities and that's what all of the bluster and aggression is about.

[Mr Deltoid]

103. When I talked about politics with him

He diidn't know anything that I was talking about. He claimed to have many sources of news but was clueless about basic current events. They live in a hermetically sealed information world.

He is also a Baptist minister.

[kamaro]

71. Does anyone feel like me?

On one hand, I want to backslap people for their ignorance. This is a perfect example. Limited military engagement, NATO sponsored, 6 month duration, no US feet on the ground (supposedly), and now a paraiah is on his way out. Really, does it get much cleaner than this?

I want to defend the President from ignorant attacks.

On the other hand, I can't vote for him again, I just can't.

[patrice]

76. So don't. Who cares? Are you looking for approval or an argument?

[ConnorMarc]

113. Where Will You Turn To?

Or who rather?

The Republicans?

Haven't you, and those who think like you learned from 2010.

Staying at home sitting on your hands brooding is NOT the thing to do.

The Republicans are going to take over if you do this.

Time to man up and do what you know you must.

You don't see Republicans doing that shat...they supported Bush all day up to the end.

It's only until AFTER he's gone, then they feebly come out and say "I never liked the guy" "Bush wasn't a real conservative" "I didn't support his policies", etc. But they voted for him TWICE and they still defend him.

We could learn A LOT from these people.

Obama needs support, not angry petulant people who give up when the going get's tough.

Snap out of it!!!



*this goes to all of you on that tip*

[LittleGirl]

73. Done the same

defriended several friends because I made the decision that I would not continue to defend liberals on facebook or anywhere else for that matter.

[liam_laddie]

75. Abandoning friends

I'm fast closing in on 74; have never seen so much ignorance-based hatred and deep division in this country. I've severed friendships with some very old friends beginning way back with a few who supported Nixon, later Saint Ronnie, during the dark Dubya era and now, those who are hiding their racism behind "look how he's effed the economy."
They are too stupid to realize that it's repukeliklan policies and roadblocks via filibuster threats, etc. that the President has been unable to do what needs to be done. I'm also quite angry that he still seems to believe that he can compromise with the bastards. Maybe it is true that he's been co-opted by Big Money. It certainly seems that way. What about We the People, Mr. Prez? Huh?
I think he's in an ideological bubble initiated by Rahm and his cohort. Just way too isolated.
And damn Roger Aisles, Rupert Murdoch, Karl Roverer, Mitch the Chinless, Michele the Clueless, and certainly Rick the Prick. Yes, GODDAM every one of the lying a-holz. DAMN them all! Even the Pathetic Palin. I think charges of sedition or maybe treason might be in order...
BTW, who or whatever's in charge of Reality, keep and protect Keith, Thom, John, Stephen, Rachel (and the many I'm forgetting) for their voices of reason and truth.
I am one angry sumbitch these days!

[Stardust]

94. I'm with you on all counts. nt

[Ikonoklast]

148. I am glad to see you are going against the trend of becoming *more* conservative as you age.

Kudos to you, Good Sir.

[paparush]

77. Their leaders use language and imagery to fuel hatred and inspire violence.

It's not even done in code.

[lonestarnot]

78. Good fucking riddens to that.

:toast: :hi:

[matt819]

80. Take a look at Jon Stewart from last Thursday

The hate demonstrated by Fox and other RW and Libertarian commentators is breathtaking. I'm convinced that if Fox wasn't part of the national debate/dialogue, we'd be a different country.

[patrice]

82. Agreed.

[Initech]

83. The damage that Fox News, the Freepers, and the Limbaugh/Hannity types have done to this country...

Will take *DECADES* to repair, if ever. America is FUBAR for listening to these stupid, spineless motherfuckers. And it sucks that ordinary people like your friend get sucked into that shit. Until we get rid of the evil known as the Fox Ministry Of Propaganda, America might never fully recover. We can kill the Tea Party Express 1,000,000,000 times over, it'll just come back to life, sprout new legs, and be bigger and scarier than before, with no chance of killing it. Much like the end scene from the Terminator.

[Lorien]

85. I saw a guy in his late 60's get out of a large cadillac that was plastered with

"support our troops" magnetic ribbons. On the rear window there was a big handmade sign that said "Obama is destroying America! End the Obama-Nation!" I would have liked to have asked the nutjob just HOW he thought Obama is destroying the Nation. Certainly it can't be because he gives into the GOP time and time again!

[Divine Discontent]

95. lol... painful! I would have laughed but it's more angering...

Many of us here are not thrilled with the president on some very big issues, but he's far from the loony right, and we all know it. These people you describe are terrifying to be around. They are zombie like. I wonder if they're under some cult like daze, seriously. I have old friends from my past that believe the anti-Obama crap, I just shake my head...

http://www.cafepress.com/barackobama12

[WheelWalker]

87. I call them 'Zombie-friends' n/t

[Shagbark Hickory]

88. Politics destroys yet another friendship. Such a pity. Thank the msm for it.

[Hippo_Tron]

105. I think this goes boyond politics

I argue politics on facebook, from time to time, with a Paul Ryan/Mitt Romney worshipper. He's got some pretty nasty things to say about Obama and Democrats that I'm not wild about. I've got some nasty thoughts about Republicans, although I try to keep my arguments a little more issue based (it's my style). But we both respect each other as decent intelligent people. The guy genuinely believes in this free market will make us all prosperous nonsense. I don't believe that he's greedy or stupid. I just think he is ignorant of many of the world's realities and likes to remain that way.

It probably helps that he's not a huge social conservative. I have a hard time dealing civilly with racists and homophobes. So usually I just don't deal with them at all...

[Shagbark Hickory]

141. That doesn't sound beyond politics to me.

It sounds like he listens to just enough limbaugh to go running off at the mouth about free market nonsense to everyone and everything. Ignorance doesn't just grow on trees.

Ok, maybe some of it. But when it comes to political nonsense, someone has to start it.

[Prana69]

90. Yeah, you think you know someone, then.....out come the fruit loops. n/t

[chervilant]

96. Well...

Unfortunately, the right doesn't have a lock on 'unhinged.' I received the following email here on DU:

hello
From: jul61252
Date: Aug-21-11 02:02 AM

STFU you stupid cretin.

I'd love to carve your stomach and watch your entrails spill out onto the ground below.

I wish you a truly slow, agonizing, and pain-filled demise.

Block correspondence from jul61252 | Alert | Delete | Reply

I used the Alert option, and that DUer is no longer visible under 'User Profiles.' However, that level of vitriol is beyond scary.

[proud patriot]

98. they hate their President more than they love their country

or the people within it.

[mwb970]

138. They seem to hate America, at least the way it is now.

They hate it that we give rights to gays and blacks and Muslims and hispanics. They hate religious freedom. They hate it that we separate church and state. They hate it that the government provides a safety net for the most vulnerable citizens. And of course they hate our president with an (ironically) white-hot searing passion.

Basically, despite their maniacal flag-waving, they hate everything that makes America the great nation it is/was. I do not hear any love for America from teabaggers.

[ffr]

99. They're always unhappy.

Looking at it that way, just do what you feel is right. It wouldn't matter if you agreed with him or not, he'd still be lathered up pissed.

So if they're unhappy, then we must be doing something right.

[Hippo_Tron]

107. Your old "buddy" has serious issues if he can't separate you from politics

When I read right wing posts on facebook I either roll my eyes and move on, or constructively engage said person in a debate. Two of my best buddies are Republicans. We usually avoid political discussions, but we also respect each other enough that we can have civil ones from time to time.

[Major Hogwash]

126. Well, that wasn't what happened to me.

I saw a guy over there who I sort of remembered from high school so I sent him a message saying hi.
That's all I said, just "hi".

But, he remembered how I used to rail in high school against Nixon in our American Government class, and how I said he should be impeached for secretly ordering the bombing of Cambodia and not telling Congress about it.
The Pentagon Papers came out in 1971, and the Nixon administration tried to keep the New York Times from printing any of it, as you know.

Yet, here it was, 40 years later, and after I said "hi" to that guy, he sent me message after message that were pro-Bush.
About how great of a President Bush was.
He sent me messages telling me that he had met Barbara Bush.
He even changed his avatar to use a picture of him standing next to Barbara Bush.
And then he sent me about a dozen articles from Faux Snooze or some other rightwing site to try and tell me how bad President Obama was.

Simply for saying "hi" to him.
I admit that I wasn't one of his close friends in high school, but I certainly wasn't his enemy.
He wasn't in any of my classes, except for the P.E. class we took together as sophomores, so I was kind of surprised that he even knew who I was.
I didn't have anything in my profile or on my page that even suggested that I was a Democrat.

[mckara]

108. If You're Everything Wrong with "Their Society," You are a Good and Decent Person

Imho, your ex-friend is a dick.

[rpannier]

110. Sned your x-friend a list of good psychologists nt

[gateley]

111. Yeah, Atman, it's people like you that have wrecked our society!

We need more rational, thoughtful, thinking people like your de-friended friend. :wow: Don't they see how perilously close to the edge they are? :scared:

You know, people keep saying that there's been this much tension between Parties before, but I don't think either side has had this level of fucking insanity. Truly frightening.

[Stumbler]

114. Psychological Projection 101 and Systemic Hypocrisy

"Sent me a personal message calling me a parasite and a douchebag" - While I don't know who your former buddy is, many of his ilk are more than happy to be "parasites" and douchebags, sucking off the government teat while proclaiming that no one else has any right to do so.

"the typical right-wing blather about how I "worship" Obama" - If you acknowledge(d) any of the various war crimes perpetrated by Shrub's administration, his worship-ful devotees (like this buddy) would accuse you of high treason. If you now acknowledge any upside to any portion of the Obama administration, you're equally guilty of high treason via 'worshiping' a false idol.

"Scathing, nasty, mean shit." - Ah yes, and Fox "News" calls us "angry" and "Hate-filled liberals" at every opportunity provided to them.

"He blasted back with more hatred. " - Again, he's told that we're the 'angry party of hatred,' and so it appears he responds in kind.

"and in the end told me to fuck off, and that I was everything that was wrong with society." - This actually may be projection coupled with cognitive dissonance: the inability for two contradictory ideas to reside in the mind at the same time. One part of his brain understands that his beliefs are not helping him or his society to advance, which makes him feel bad, but the other parts (influenced by Beck and Limbaugh) tell him it's not at all his fault - it's those damn, pesky libruls...

For example: A Bush-era deficit is the delayed result of Clinton-era economics. An Obama-era deficit is the result of real-time Obama-era economics. W plays no role in any down-side of the economy. Period.
Another example: Any job-growth during Clinton's reign is a delayed effect of Reaganomics; Any job growth during W's reign is an effect of his administrations' policies. Any job-losses under W's reign is a delayed-effect of Clinton's economics. And any job-losses under Obama's reign is his own fault.

Regardless, your former friend will continue believing in what makes him fell most comfortable, even in the face of obvious and abundant contradictory information.

[blkmusclmachine]

116. That's what the mind-washing of Faux Nooz and Rash Limpballs will do to you.

n/t

[obxhead]

123. Unrec for piss poor paragraph formation.

I hate to be a Nazi on grammar etc, but a run on paragraph destroys the message.

[doccraig67]

124. Defriend

Yeah, just had to do the same to an old friend. This came as a result of a chain email about the killing of Osama bin Laden where they knocked Obama for claiming it was all him. Of course they changed the text to make their argument. After pointing this out to the sender he claimed literary license. What they had done was take 1 paragraph out of his statement and claimed all that he said was (I) and (me), I think it was radical narcissist, something like that. The argument finally degraded to the point that he emailed me "how much income tax did you pay last year? Everybody should support this country you know." Of course I'm on Social Security, so he knows that I don't pay any Income tax. That was the last straw. I don't expect this accomplishment will be treated any more fairly. I'll miss making an ass of him though answering his wing-nut emails.

[rbee01]

125. Yeah, happened to me too...

Was de friended by an old high school buddy, after I defended
health care, funny, she also isn't connected to anyone else
via FB from those days either...

[Enthusiast]

129. I understand.

But when President Obama goes on Fox "News" for an interview he is bolstering their credibility. I do not understand why the President doesn't know what is so obvious to the rest of us -that Fox News is neither fair nor balanced and is nothing more than a conduit for right wing propaganda.

[The Wizard]

131. Ask him

if he's been resigned to hand relief since his wife/girlfriend/partner/sister took up with a minority.

[trumad]

132. That ain't nothin...

I de-friended my tea bagger Mother.

[harun]

134. Had similar experience lately. I am originally from Wisconsin and during the Scott

Walker union busting I found out some of my old friends had gone fundie. I don't defriend them unless they actively post nonsense. I ended up defriending 3 of them, it was the first people I ever defriended on Facebook.

[customerserviceguy]

135. Facebook gives people the impression

that they can pick right up with where they left off, no matter how many years it's been. Of course, people grow and change, or in the case of your ex-friend, devolve.

Life just does that to us, and anyone who's been disillusioned at a class reunion knows that.

[LaurenG]

139. Just so you know they haven't changed since Obama took office

they just have a target for their venom. Nothing has changed in their thinking over the last 3 years they are still unhinged and deeply disturbed. You were smart to make him disappear and you have saved yourself harassment from the depths of hell that he lives in. There is nothing they like more than to make you feel as sick inside as they do.

[AlbertCat]

140. seething with hatred toward the black president,

Bingo!

Racism straight up... as Janean Garafolo said 2 years ago.

[david_vincent]

146. Agreed. And they use "socialist" as a code word for "black"

So they can feel free to hate the "socialist" President when what they really hate is the fact that he's biracial.

[Ikonoklast]

149. It used to the code word for 'Jew'.

I agree, they just can't come out and say what they really want to say about this man, so they use terminology that paints Mr. Obama as the 'other'.


They use this to appeal to the Nativist element in our society.

[bongbong]

150. Friends of mine

I have just a couple of rabid republican friends. I lost at least one friend a couple of years ago who was ostensibly left-leaning but went unhinged when a black guy became prez.

But my two friends aren't your ordinary GOP voters. Both of them admit repigs are big thieves and liars, even bigger than Dems, but think repig tax policies will benefit them. One of them was a big backer of Elizabeth Warren, too, so I guess he is even saner than I thought. However, he hastily denied being a Liberal when I joked with him about his support.

[LiberalFighter]

151. Don't feel bad. I have email from by b-i-l sent directly to junk.

[awoke_in_2003]

152. Having lived in Texas for the last 18 years...

I was kind of used to republicans hating democrats. When Obama was elected, the hatred went to a whole other level. I have never in my life seen the vitriol and burning hatred I have seen the last 3 years. And you are right- it is all because he is black.

[Ganja Ninja]

154. People like this are exactly why I'm ready to go out and vote for ...

the dumbest Republican I can find. I want to give them exactly what they deserve. I want to embrace the madness. I want to put the calamity on fast forward. I want to hurt them in the worst way possible and I'm about ready to give up my last dollar to do it. A Perry/Bachmann ticket sounds like sweet revenge to my ears. Bachmann/Perry even better! I'm tired of protecting these morons from themselves and I'm tired of worrying what will happen if we don't. They have it coming, I say let them have it.

[InvisibleTouch]

157. You are well rid of him. Don't waste any more energy or attention on him. n/t

[momrois]

158. Happened twice 2 me

One just flat blocked me; the other just de-friended me. The one who blocked me is a rabid tea partier on disability (!!) who started his rant about mortgage modification and went downhill from there. When I told him I knew he wasn't an idiot so please stop acting like one, he went off about mulato this and half-breed that, and Obama worship...then proceeded to block me. Good riddance, I guess.

The other friend was just your everyday Republican who was more concerned about Spitzer and Weiner than Ensign and Sanford, claiming he didn't know who they were. When I said that he maybe should find out who they were and the issues before he comments on others'. Unfriended!

A third friend had the best response, however. He was police chief of our small town until he retired, ran for sheriff and served as sheriff until retirement again, and then ran for county commissioner and lost. I love this:

"Why can't we all get along, instead of getting alone? I'm gonna chastise him. You, I already have. Used to be I couldn't even spell politician, then I were one. Now I'm not. Better."

Thank you, John.

[BlueDemKev]

161. That's the mentality of right-wing extremism....

...and they say that liberalism is a "mental disorder". Whatever. :eyes:

[BlueDemKev]

162. That guy needs to embrace Jesus HIMSELF.....

....before he goes around telling others to do the same. I can't stand self-proclaimed "Christians" who live lives that are totally opposite of what Jesus instructed. :puke: