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(60,332 posts)randome
(34,845 posts)But calling them stupid is often counterproductive. It could have been phrased better. Something like: "Maybe you were...wrong?"
We don't win minds and influence hearts by insulting anyone, even those who deserve it most.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]
louis-t
(23,265 posts)Actually, most of them are lost for good. They will never admit they were wrong. Never. They still think they're right. Facts mean nothing. Logic means nothing. Science means nothing. Rules don't apply to them. Laws don't apply to them. Morals don't apply, ethics don't apply. You cannot win an argument with them. They ARE stupid. Deliberately misinformed and willfully ignorant.
randome
(34,845 posts)The only thing that occurs, however, when we resort to insulting language (even as mildly insulting as this) is that we sound just like them.
And the people who need to hear the truth -the middle-of-the-roaders- will tune out.
I think that's something to keep in mind: the message in the OP should not be aimed at the hopelessly stupid. Because where's the point in that? It should be aimed at those who might be swayed into thinking more about the real world.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"If you're bored then you're boring." -Harvey Danger[/center][/font][hr]
jeff47
(26,549 posts)Sometimes it's a good idea to appeal to better angels, as you propose.
Sometimes it's better to whack them repeatedly with a 2x4.
The "birth certificate" and similar nonsense has been repeated endlessly. A quiet little correction is going to get as much play as people accurately quoting Gore - virtually none.
Instead, we need to break out the lumber.
Half-Century Man
(5,279 posts)And like all good tool boxes, a wide variety of tools are at your disposal. Whether to use a scalpel or a twelve pound maul is your choice.
And blunt force trauma can be very instructive (verbally).
snooper2
(30,151 posts)If we don't make fun of them, who will?
Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)Bandit
(21,475 posts)Calling people names is their stock in trade. It is what their minions love. The "in your face" rudeness and crassness is what made Rush limbaugh a multi-millionaire. Democrats have class and don't often sink to such levels but Republicans have no class, no soul, or no heart. They just Hate and their followers love it.
Glorfindel
(9,714 posts)It's wonderful to have class, but now and then I wish we'd give 'em a little hell.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)I don't think that anyone who believed President Obama was going to take their guns would be receptive to anyideas contrary to their own... regardless of how polite or civil those ideas may be presented to them.
Richard D
(8,737 posts)Gullible as hell does.
PADemD
(4,482 posts)Might make some of them reconsider their source of information.
randome
(34,845 posts)[hr][font color="blue"][center]Everything is a satellite to some other thing.[/center][/font][hr]
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)ban elections and continue his reign for 8 more years.
hfojvt
(37,573 posts)In December 2008 and January 2009 there were DUers who were sure, or afraid, that Bush was not gonna leave power.
In September or October of 2008 there was a (now former) DUer who asked the number #1 question for candidate Obama, which was "Should Bush be impeached?" Many DUers were upset because that question was not allowed to be asked at the online townhall.
Just like some are STILL demanding that Bush be prosecuted for war crimes, in 2018 some may still be demanding to see Obama's birth certificate or talking about Benghazi or the IRS. Some people, after all, are still talking about Monica.
lastlib
(23,132 posts)Of course they're still talking about it....
MNBrewer
(8,462 posts)Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)to get all that bad stuff done before the election. We need many big trucks to load up all those guns when we confiscate them.
HubertHeaver
(2,520 posts)Just the portable smelters, nuke powered of course, to melt them down at the collection point.
zeemike
(18,998 posts)They will still say it even though they know it is all bullshit...that is how they play the game.
I listen to C-span every morning and every morning someone will call in and say Obama is a Marxist communist or some other thing they heard on Fox or Limpballs...and they know it is not true...not even close to being true...and they will tell you the ACA is socialism even thought it is run by the insurance companies.
You can't win against them with the truth or the facts...because they are angry, and angry people are by nature irrational and vicious.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,935 posts)Shaming like that is more effective than you think.
Besides, for some people, it was cool to be anti-Kenyan ("Standing up for the Constitution, doncha know" , anti-death panels ("kinda obvious, hunh?" , etc.
Now it all looks so stupid, even to the near fringes of the right wing. Nobody likes to be stupid. Stupid is not cool.
A graphic like this points out how uncool all that crap is.
The hardcore won't change. But the near fringes will stop sending money to the more radical groups and the Koch megabucks will be less effective. The near fringes won't suddenly vote liberal, but they will be less motivated to go out and vote, less motivated to campaign, less persuasive of their moderate right friends.
It's a big pond and these ripples spread wide.
You can't win with absolute cynicism.
zeemike
(18,998 posts)If you could they will win hands down because they produce them by the tons and distribute them far and wide.
What will win is a leader that speaks to the voters concerns in a way they can believe and about things that really matter to them...then they will vote for something not just against something.
And telling them they now can buy health insurance, gay people can get married, and immigrants will be allowed to stay in this country will not mean anything to the people you are trying to reach because their concerns are far more basic than that...they are worried about having a job and being able to pay the bills...and about their declining living standards.
And people are mad as hell about it, and sometimes mad people just push the destruct button just for spite and because they have no hope at all of any real change with ether party...that is the real danger we face.
pragmatic_dem
(410 posts)the inside out, isn't going to work. We need relief, not more bulllshit trade agreements that will further punish working families.
Median wage has barely budged since 1970s while the rich have seen their earnings go up by hundreds of percent.
Yet we are asked to accept more and more corporate control over government - as if wealth entitles one to rule.
Seriously - it is out of control. History predicts, without exception, that this is not going to end well.
zeemike
(18,998 posts)In the 70s one worker could support a family,,,now most families have two working and they are just getting by...so that is a hounded percent drop no matter what the numbers say.
But celebrating the margins is a good way to put it.
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,935 posts)JoeyT
(6,785 posts)He could be a very subtle anti-Christ.
Even if they don't call it that, a few of the ultra-red states are working towards Sharia law. Does that count?
I'm still waiting on my ossmodula implant. Wait, is that supposed to be a bad thing?
Iliyah
(25,111 posts)No matter what the facts are, majority of the GOP base truly believe Pres O is the anti-Christ here to take your guns, free speech, general freedom and yes he wants to kill everybody off, especially fetuses and your grandparents while he refuses healthcare to you.
Boom Sound 416
(4,185 posts)onecaliberal
(32,763 posts)But willfully ignorant. Celebrating stupidity taking pride in their lack of intellectual curiosity.
Jasana
(490 posts)to the morans who send me tea party crap!
stonecutter357
(12,693 posts)INdemo
(6,994 posts)if any Government official had knocked on his door wanting his guns and he replied, after his long speal about how Obama was going to take all our guns, and he replied, no and they better not either.
Now this is the same guy that told me (and this is a new one) that Obama had 108,000 Russian troops here in the US to assist him in his total take over of the USA and convert it to a Muslim state..
So what will these Loonies have to say about our next Democratic President?
certainot
(9,090 posts)kpete
(71,957 posts)a thing of beauty,
thanks Playinghardball,
and peace,
kp
Zorra
(27,670 posts)The republican party is the party of, by, and for, Teh Stupid.