Actually, that's when you get called a racist, xenophobe, nazi, etcetera, depending upon the circumstance and nature of the discussion. They're going to shut it down and if they can't shut it down they'll shout it down. Nature of the beast, spent many mostly futile years in leftist haunts, drinking and debating/arguing.
Won a few over, and surprisingly the old hippies are the most amenable. The left or what it's become actually scares them, it's what they thought they'd fought against in the sixties and seventies. They sort of default into a vague left-libertarian position, still vote largely Democrat, but there's nothing about the modern Democrat Party that could be described as live and let live or go along to get along. It's all about confrontation and force. Pointing that out gently without partisan rancor is the single most effective thing I could do at the time. They've become what they though they hated.
Yes, you have described what I experienced as well.
Last night I was having dinner with some colleagues, and the subject of President Trump came up. Generally, i avoid political discussions at at work, but they brought it up. They detest him. I pointed out two things - (1) he is an independent despite the “R” as he has neither the strong support of the entrenched DC interests of either party. This brings resentment to a person who did something quite remarkable in politics - never held political office and won the top prize the first time he ran. (2) While he is viewed as “unpolished” in his speech, there are millions of people in the Northeast who speak exactly like he does - tell you what they think without filters - especially Democrats. Except unlike other politicians, he tells you what he thinks and what he wants to do, instead of being a smooth talking, lying politician. They conceded both points, then decided we should talk about something else. I think our work relationship kept them from the ad hominem attacks, though I presented my position as a neutral observer.
Won a few over, and surprisingly the old hippies are the most amenable. The left or what it’s become actually scares them, it’s what they thought they’d fought against in the sixties and seventies. They sort of default into a vague left-libertarian position, still vote largely Democrat, but there’s nothing about the modern Democrat Party that could be described as live and let live or go along to get along. It’s all about confrontation and force. Pointing that out gently without partisan rancor is the single most effective thing I could do at the time. They’ve become what they though they hated.
>><<
Very good analysis.
Some are recognizing that “Progressive” actually translates into “Repressive”.