Posted on 05/28/2013 11:03:23 AM PDT by republicanbred
So I am trying to not make this post into a pity party. I just want to get some input from other Freepers regarding facing these issues in their family. I am a pro-second amendment, pro-life, anti-Obama woman. I am also very strong in my belief in God. Okay, all that said I am in a position where all of my extended family with few exceptions are complete Obama koolaid drinking fanatics, anti-God, pro gay rights, pro abortion up to and including delivery. I have used FB for a while to post my views, I have quite a following because of it. My entire liberal family is blocked from my posts. My comments such as, "those who support abortion are no different than the Germans who stood by and watched while Jews were thrown into ovens" were deemed offensive by them when they were on my FB. I mention that one because they keep throwing it in my face. Anyway, I am at a place where I need to either make peace with some of them for the good of the family by apologizing for offensive comments, or say, "I am who I am, and if it takes me shouting this from the rooftops for it to be heard then so be it." I keep thinking about the American revolution and the Civil War, brothers against brothers, and believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are in the fight of our lives under this POTUS. Because those of us willing to stand up and share the truths of what is going on in this country are a minority, I know many of you face the same issues. Any thoughts on how you have handled or would handle it?
There are people I love who are either serious well read libs or low info libs by media default. I just let politics go. On occasion I might point out how something liberal (like obamacare) will hurt people more than help. That is all you can do.
I hate when anyone tries to change my religion. No one wants a do gooder deciding for them. We don’t. So realize it is a free country. That means everyone is free to choose their own lifestyle and beliefs.
Show by example. I focus on freedom. I try to demonstrate that conservatism is more dedicated to freedom by allowing others their choices even if I disagree. Otherwise we are as bad as they think we are.
Are you Jason Bourne?
And sometimes they’ll try to go for the kill. Literally.
I suggest making the gesture...be the adult...and offer apologies for anything you've said in the past that may have been hurtful.
Your apology will either be accepted or rebuffed.
If accepted, continue with familial events and offer help, etc since they are family. But under no circumstances talk about politics or religion or anything firearms related. Period. I have done this and it works.
Now, if your apologies are not accepted, write them off. They are not worth your effort as they are of such low intelligence that their passions rule their intellect. You will never be able to engage in ANY reasoned discourse with them on ANY subject. I have done this as well and it works (for me). However, if they need assistance, by all means pitch in. But you will likely never know for they will not ask you for any. Works for me.
Cold-hearted? Cynical? Perhaps. But as I said. It works for me.
I would take it to the Lord. I’d pray about it. Read and re-read verses that pertain to Agape Love. 1 Corinthians 13 is a good place to start. Look up words in a good dictionary like patient, kind, etc. and find out what they really mean. Read all the cross-referenced verses. Pray about it some more.
Those who “seek” Him will not be disappointed. With Him resides all knowledge and understanding with the discretion to know how to use it.
God bless!
Are you Jason Bourne?
As for whether you should apologize for what you said, do they? The kooks in my family have attributed things to me that I never said. Point being, liberals hate and will do so even if they have to manufacture the reasons why. You have the right to your views and that includes your views on abortion. Never apologize; live your life knowing you are right in defending unborn life. If they cannot handle that, tough.
I've also had a few liberal casual friends unfriend me in the most despicable spewing of vitriol I've ever seen. They literally don't know that they don't know what they don't know. Yeah, it's a mouthful but it sums them up. Arrogant ignorance, I call it.
That was even more to the point than the one I quoted. Thanks!
As someone else said, don’t apologize.
You are, as the left keeps telling us, entitled to your beliefs.
DESPITE the intolerance of the left to those beliefs.
[They really hate it when you point out their intolerance of ideas other than their approved list of thoughts.]
That said.... Get the vanity poster!
Graaaaagh!
;-)
Having said that, there are nicer ways to put your views out there while still getting your point out there in an compromised manner. If you go around calling people "Hitler" or "murderers" or "stupid Liberals", they're not going to hear anything else you say-- all they hear is you are attacking THEM and not just their views. People don't usually give a fair hearing to someone calling them names or who question their motives, morals or intelligence. Say what you will and must, but try to be more subtle-- more like a little pinprick or stab to the conscience:
It helps to mix in a little humor in with your serious posts, as well. That way, you don't come across as a fanatical prig who is always serious about everything:
Indeed, they do. But, not all of them see it as supporting socialism. For many, they are simply sold by the clever marketing of 'feel good' issues and slogans. These are the low information voters we should be working to educate. That's why I have asked some friends and relatives which group they are in.
It gets them thinking and in a couple of cases has led to conversion.
So, I don't have a good answer for you. If you do as I did and do not apologize, you will lose the goodwill and probabaly the companionship of those family members. They will certanly unfriend you on FB. Expect the worst, really. On the other hand, if you apologize you will be compromising your principles. I would personally find that harder to live with that knowing that cousin Trevor won't take my calls and talks smack on me in front of the nephews down at the beach house. But your mileage may vary.
I understand why they are throwing that particular sentence in your face. They are looking for you to ‘take it back’.
Not trying to get personal but maybe some of those women have had abortions and feel guilty. If you ‘take it back’ possibly they feel it will take away their guilt. This is all supposition I know, but my husband knew a girl who had an abortion (not his baby) and never got over her own remorse. If you ‘take it back’ then they still would not ‘get over it’.
If they have not had an abortion but just honestly feel that was overkill, they really do not understand your actual passionate clear thinking on the subject. They won’t, either, if we all ‘take it back’.
So on that thought alone, just drop the subject and suggest they do as well, and refuse to discuss it further. It will stop the outbursts, even if you have to leave the room to stop their haranguing you Tell them it is harassment, liberals understand ‘harassment’.
I have liberals in my family, too. They are young, my niece. Her husband has a band called, of all things, ‘Prague’. They call each other ‘Comrads’ and think it is funny. I doubt if they have any idea of what happened in Prague. It’s very hard not to go over there for me, knowing they will bring up my only blood relative with these moronic ideas.
Even here, on FR, from time to time there are outbursts. I try to be fair and either remain silent or refrain from personal attacks. It’s not productive and will never change someone’s mind. But you have to be true to your beliefs. Your beliefs are thought out, theirs are likely not, and they likely do not have the commitment you do to your ideals.
With people like that if you have to have an association, keep it light. Small talk, etc.
My sympathies, I go through it too. Sigh.
Take the advice of my Mom, when you have people you do not like in your life, lend them money.
Yeah, I knew when I typed that that I was taking a shortcut.
I would say MOST of the “feel good about themselves as good people” liberals would vehemently deny that they supported socialism.
My libinlaw is ADAMANT that she’s not a socialist.
Life is so much about losing, that after a while you’ll start jokingly spell the word, the way that many here do seriously as ‘loose’. I lost my job, I lost my sister, who made me lose my girlfriend, her best friend, I lost my daughter and granddaughter, I lost my best friend, he to death, and yesterday I lost my blue ink Pilot Varsity pen, and all that just in the past 3 years. Born to lose.
Where “disagree” turns into hate is when the bass turd that I disagree with wants to use the government to force me to comply with his viewpoint.
Stay true to yourself. I have been the conservative black sheep of the family for years. They treat me somewhat as they would treat the “funny uncle” or “crazy cat lady” of the family. We have a rule not to mar visits with political discussion. When my husband was alive, we would end political topics “accidentally” brought up by my liberal parents by simply stating, “Our votes canceled yours.”
As for FB, I’m on there as a pseudonym strictly to discuss music and have dropped/blocked many overtly political “friends” when I find their posts offensive.
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