Reply #17: Had argument with my mother-in-law over this rally [View All]

[Neurotica]

She's visiting from out-of-state (we live in northern Virginia). This rally has concerned me for a while and yesterday I was reading a portion of the referenced article to my husband. MIL chimed in with "that's just sensationalism."

I said it was a news article from the Washington Post and that rally leaders were quoted. I explained militia groups to her. I also told her I continually monitor local RW groups. She had this look on her face I just cannot describe. My husband saw that I was losing it and joined the discussion. He had told me the other day that he himself had gotten into an argument with his mom about the teabaggers because his mom was seemingly supporting them. He could understand then how these groups are preying on people's fears because his mom was clearly afraid of something that she could not articulate (we think we don't want to know too much more).

She tried to say that "there are extremists on both sides" and I was so upset I could not coherently respond. Any good advice for countering this point in the future?