Posted on 11/01/2004 11:32:18 AM PST by Jenya
I'm a loyal and fierce Massachusetts Republican. I'm praying for our President's re-election.
Given where I live, it stands to reason that I'm surrounded by liberals. My family, my husband's family and most of our friends are liberals and most of them hate Bush. My husband and I don't discuss politics with them because we discovered from past experience that you just can't win with them.
My brother called me last night. I love him dearly, but it was strained on both ends. So strained that he decided to address the elephant in the room in a non-confrontatial way. Finally, he said to me, "I know we don't agree on this election, but they're expecting a huge voter turnout." I told him that Kerry's carrying Mass anyway, so our votes don't count. (I'm still voting).
We hung up shortly after that uncomfortable exchange. We exchanged I love you's as we always do. Yet, and I'm reluctant to admit this, I found myself resenting him.
Is anyone else in this predicament, where your loved ones are liberal?
You cannot reason someone out of an idea
that they didn't reason themselve into.
Jenya--you and I are in similar situations, right down to the state we live in! My husband and I are not only the only conservatives (I more so than he) in our family, but we're almost the only conservatives we know well. My sister is the worst--she is so flamingly liberal it makes me want to vomit. But I am comforted in knowing that I am right. Plus, she wouldn't be able to debate me on any issue, seeing as I am the political obsessive and soak up every last bit of news and punditry surrounding me. But I don't try to debate her--our relationship as sisters transcends our political views. The lack of real-life intelligent conservative conversation around me leads me to Free Republic to get my dose of sanity. This is the main reason why I would self-destruct if Free Republic were to end...
Some are, some aren't. I have a great time debating with the smart ones who have a basic grounding in economics, history, and the like. I just trade recipes and family gossip with the others.
I don't resent the lefties at all but I would never let one of them borrow a firearm. There's "like" and there's "trust".
All three of my lifelong, all-the-way-since-first-grade best friends... two of whom refuse to speak to me any longer, solely (and admittedly) for daring to support a different candidate than their own. (The third one is the most far-left and bug-eyed of the lot... and yet, oddly: he's the only one of the three who seems capable of dealing with our being on opposite sides, politically, in a sane and lucid manner.)
:(
Yes-It is awful. My parents are life long Democrats. 4 months ago, they decided to vote for Bush because they didn't like Kerry's morals. Last month, the seniors that they eat with, convinced them that Bush was going to take away their social security. I spent 3 weeks sending them info in the mail and calling them. I spent a lot of time trying to explain to my mom why Bush was better for them. My mom misinterpreted my comments and said that I was calling her stupid and that I didn't care about seniors. We haven't spoken in 4 weeks. I sure hope Bush wins!!!
Take heart, you are not alone. I endure the same suffering in silence. Some of my poor misguided relatives are just that - misguided. My mother-in-law is convinced that any day now she will lose her Social Security and now get the flu and die. Others in the family are wracked with self-interest (which they can't see) as their jobs are directly dependent on tax dollars (school teacher) while others depend on Gov't regulation to promote their business (petroleum clean-up and other environmental services). The conversation never gets beyond the snide remarks stage. They get their news from the Boston Globe and the rock-and-roll radio news so of course they are poorly informed despite their opinions of themselves. They will believe what they believe. I try to make progress on very broad top-level philosophical ideas.
My wife's family is a large group of Professors and Teachers. (My wife is a "Security Mom") We've had several uncomfortable conversations.
A recent funeral gathering turned into a Michael Moore fanclub session. I try to bite my tongue, but sometimes enough is enough. They have this condescending attitude that if you don't agree with them you're stupid. Because that, they think they can bring up any topic socially.
Well, I'm definitely not stupid. But to be civil, I just tell them that I completely disagree with their views and that I think it is rude to discuss politics or religion in a social gathering.
With all the looting of RNC headquarters and viciousness on the left's side, we don't need to sink to their level. George W doesn't sink to this level either, and that is one more reason to vote for him.
It was good to vent about this for a minute.
Jenya: I was astounded when my liberal friends told me that there was no way Clinton would have an affair and we argued about it for a long time; when Clinton confessed, they stopped wanting to discuss it. Time will come, IMHO, when John Kerry's misdeeds as part of the Winter Soldier effort will surface and your liberal relatives and friends will see that you are right (don't expect apologies). We need a strong president to protect us; I'm voting to re-elect GWB for the protection of my family--from my Mom to my grandchildren--and don't care what liberals think. Keep the faith. Vote for the winner tomorrow-GWB!!!
Jenya: I was astounded when my liberal friends told me that there was no way Clinton would have an affair and we argued about it for a long time; when Clinton confessed, they stopped wanting to discuss it. Time will come, IMHO, when John Kerry's misdeeds as part of the Winter Soldier effort will surface and your liberal relatives and friends will see that you are right (don't expect apologies). We need a strong president to protect us; I'm voting to re-elect GWB for the protection of my family--from my Mom to my grandchildren--and don't care what liberals think. Keep the faith. Vote for the winner tomorrow-GWB!!!
Also being from MA, I sympathize completely.
I've found a good way of handling it, and it seems to work. I explain my position as an attempt to explain myself and my beliefs to them - why I believe what I do. Justify your beliefs self-honestly. Forward them the most compelling things you read. (One close friend said it felt like chinese water torture, but she didn't get angry at me about it, she was getting angry at the other members of her own party, and she accepted it as I meant it - as part of the justification of my beliefs).
The normal methods of left ideological control - approbation and derision of the members of the unfavored group - can't work if they love someone in the outfavored group. Inundate them with details, express your frusteration not with them, but with the left. It should leave them throwing their hands up in the air, since it's usually the _lack_ of information about the left that makes people leftists.
You might not change their vote, but I think we can influence people and keep them from falling into the ratholes we ourselves have crawled out of. It's a worthy goal.
My husband and I spent the weekend in Maine with our youngest son and his wife. I know my son is a Republican though he refused to tell us who he is voting for. My daughter-in-law, who we adore, is a strident liberal. She's a Harvard grad and law school grad and comes from a very wealthy family. My son usually bans all political talk but I had to ask her one question. I said you're really not voting FOR Kerry just against Bush? She said that no she really liked Kerry. I was dumbfounded. My husband, the eternal optimist predicted she would be a Reublican in a few years.
Her family, which is very large, is pretty much all Republican
Fortunately our other kids and their spouses,along with our parents, are all Bush supporters.My 86 year old Mom is the original Conservative. She actually thinks she discovered Bill Buckley!
All of our family is voting for Bush and most of our friends. However, I find myself very resentful of the few friends that are voting for Kerry. Especially because they are not liberals. They are supposedly conservative Christians but who would vote for the devil himself if he had a D by his name. I find myself mad and don't even want to speak to them or be their friend. I can't help but think if they are this way, how can we be friends? Presidential elections definitely take it's toll on friendships. Thankfully, I can honestly say I know very few Kerry supporters around here.
We can state our correct views and hope they hear. If it becomes obvious that they are not ready to hear, then it's time to stop talking about those issues, and just be a good example and continue to love. Stay with them until they are thirsty for the truth.
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