Sometimes you all you can do is look at your lap and shake your head.

[KentuckyWoman]

A couple we went to grade school with came to visit yesterday.

He was in there visiting with my husband and she and I were out on the patio. She wasted no time moving the conversation into Magaville. 15 minutes of rant about how St. Don is saving us from the perils of socialism and brown people. How Don's job it to completely dismantle a government that allows all "those people" to come here illegally. And worse was in kahoots with a "muslin" from Kenya. He's "not even American" and they let him go to college and run for president. And Comey had to be fired because he helped fake the birth certificate.

I mean sometimes people are so far gone all you can do is shake your head and think "bless her heart".


Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me, as long as "news" is ratings driven - and Fox, and hate radio are able to keep infecting people with crazy, I don't see how we get back to sanity again.

[nini]

1. You let her go on for 15 minutes?

Jesus.. I would have shown her the door.. old friend or not.

Remember these people are allowing fascism to take root here.

[KentuckyWoman]

6. I did.

My husband is home, but under hospice. He needed a good visit with his oldest friend, and they stayed for several hours. My job was to keep the wife occupied so they could visit.

I can let someone go crazy on my patio for 15 min in order to save the rest of the afternoon.

[nini]

7. Sorry about your husand

and yes.. that puts you in quite the spot and now I see your point. My apologies.

Peace to you and your husband.

[Funtatlaguy]

2. Once truth and facts were eliminated, our democracy died.

[mcar]

3. How rude of her to bring politics up in a visit like that

I would have "bless your heart"ed her a million times.

[trev]

4. The key to dealing with these people is to remain calm.

They want us to react viscerally. That's how they "debate." Screeching, spitting and sneering are their MO.

Let's not let ourselves fall into their trap.

You did well, btw.

[hunter]

8. Saying calmly, "Trump can fuck off and die..."

...generally ends such conversations.

No screeching, spitting, or sneering necessary.

[trev]

15. Oh, I didn't mean that we should emulate them.

I meant we shouldn't react viscerally to their tactics.

And yes, FOAD is a good response. Even they can't misunderstand it....

[CurtEastPoint]

5. I would have stood up and said, 'This visit is over. Good-bye.'

[dawg day]

9. Or... to be really polite--

"I'm sorry! I have to leave you here in the garden. Help yourself to the hemlock over there."

[KentuckyWoman]

13. HA - made me laugh

[lunatica]

10. Unlike a few other DUers here I think you did really well

in your restraint. She just assumed you were like her and felt free to spew her obvious hatred. If you need a hug here’s one >

It’s not easy rising above it and being polite!

[pecosbob]

11. I think as long as we tolerate these beliefs they will continue

Our dilemma...Adam raised a Cain and we are our own worst enemy. Humans' strength lies in cooperation and coalition. Build things up or tear them down...that's our real choice.

You are right to single out the 'news' as a factor. The solution lies in returning authority to our regulatory agencies so that we can reverse the last forty years of deregulation and dismantling of the firewalls our Constitution gives us against tyrants among the rich and the powerful as well as the demagogue. We need to stop teaching people to hate (we need chain up the propaganda machine that is the right wing mainstream media and right wing talk radio). Every Alabama or Tennessee or Penn State football game is directly followed by hate talk radio with the likes of Limbaugh and Hannity repeating again and again all the things meant to keep us distracted and divided. This is mostly paid for by rich and powerful entities who wish to keep us from doing anything that diminishes their power or profits. It is what it is.

You can't break the cycle of division and hate without dismantling the machine that has been broadcasting it and fomenting it for forty years.

[demigoddess]

12. In the situation, you behaved very well. She didn't. But it is hard

to understand how she could be so stupid. (And Comey had to be fired because he helped fake the birth certificate!!!!!) Maybe you should feel sorry for such an idiot. And you are right about the news.

[sl8]

14. When I saw your title, I was afraid somone had spilled the beans about how I handled my ED issue.

I mean, my friend's ED issue.