I've tried reasoning as well. The responses to that have ranged from "Dont post to me any more" to "You want the Dems to win!" to a simple refusal to even answer a yes/no question when asked if Bush forming a coalition with Dems to get his immigration agenda passed might indicate he is not on the right side of this issue, given the railing against Dems the same people are doing.
So I have good cause to have come to the conclusion that most of those supporting Bush on this issue are not doing such from a position of reason, because they have almost entirely, with a few exceptions, failed to engage in reason, and instead have indulged in the classic shoutdown/blockout manuevers folks engage in when they do not wish to be bothered by those annoying facts.
It would help if BorderBots explained themselves more clearly. WHAT will they accept?
I don't think we can explain the core position any more clearly than we have so far. Border Security and Enforcement First. Deal with those already here second. Any changes dealing with the existing illegal population are doomed to failure until we can have some decent control over our borders.
I amused by the 'Bots who are screaming "You don't want the Nancy Pelosi to be Speaker of the House do you?". They sound like the pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm, "You don't want the Farmer to come back do you?". And the sheep all shudder :-(
If that's the case, then don't get too angry.
Keep stating your position, without rancor, and without getting drawn into personal contests of wills with other people.
If someone starts staring you down, respond with humor. If they go nuts on you, respond with more humor.
Essentially, if you've become a rock under some other guy's collar but you have said nothing to cause personal expense, you're dealing with a hothead and you can have a great deal of dry fun at his expense. But don't YOU get sucked into a cyberpissing contest, because then you end up looking like brawling drunks.
To put it yet another way, if somebody shows you his chain, it's your moral duty to YANK IT for your own amusement. Tossing your own chain out there for him to yank back is a mistake.
You know what you think, and you know why.
Don't be afraid to state it, clearly, and relentlessly. Never allow yourself to be shouted down by the peanut gallery. Stand there like a stone wall and repeat yourself, and occasionally yank the chain of someone who desperately needs it, but don't get down in the mud and start wrasslin' with a pig. You just get tired and sooner or later figure out that the pig enjoys it.
So, make up your mind about how you're going to vote and contribute - the CONCRETE steps you'll take. And then use FR to ventilate your opinions clearly and politely.
And if once in awhile you want to be the pig in the wrasslin' contest with some psychopath who's stalking you, just remember that the pig in that fight is supposed to have fun.