Well, sad news.......communication with my right wing friends has been cut

[Th1onein]

off. Yes, folks, I made the terrible mistake of sending one of the William Rivers Pitts' editorial on the raping of the children by our soldiers. I am now a "cunt" and a "bitch."

This is an example, I guess, of their restoring decency in our political rhetoric.

[T Roosevelt]

1. Don't sound like friends to me...

is it really a loss?

[Worst Username Ever]

2. Sorry to hear that, but if she has resorted to name calling,

it is probably for the best. Incidentally, do you have a link to the editorial?

[Kanary]

8. You're right, of course.....

However, we must also remember that those very same words are used right here at DU on each other.

Sometimes we need to look at our *own* garbage, too.

Kanary

[Elbowroom]

15. lnk

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/072004A.shtml

[sniffa]

3. fuck them

it takes give and take in any reLationship, if they're not gonna give...

[wicket]

4. THEIR loss

Not yours. Apparently they can't stand the truth. :grouphug:

[Az_lefty]

Your better off without them for now

the right wing's in panic mode, give them time to sober up and they may
be OK. Otherwise, cut'em loose.

[Gildor Inglorion]

5. Some "friends"!

You're better off without them, sincerely. Your REAL FRIENDS at DU still love you. :loveya:

[AlinPA]

6. Right wing "friends?"

[Th1onein]

16. Well, they're not really friends, I guess........BUT

I made the decision, soon after joining DU, that if I was going to make a difference, one of the ways to do that was not to communicate solely with people of like mind--it was important, in other words, to discuss issues with people I knew were very right wing.

So........I set out to do that. Been talking to a few of them for a couple of months now. It seems, though, that when they are confronted with facts, they simple drop out of the discussion, or they turn on you like rabid dogs.

[tom_paine]

22. Like the Nazi-type people they ARE

Note I did NOT say they subscribed to the exact same philosophy of the Nazis.

But their King George Worship is identical to the unquestioning, immune-to-facts Fuhrer worship that the LAST bunch of Nazi-types had.

[AlinPA]

34. I also associate with right wingers (how can you avoid them) and

try to get my facts lined up well and usually they don't respond after being presented with them, e.g., the environment, job losses.

[LunaC]

37. I've tried too, without success.

I can relate to the "rabid dogs" you've encountered. They don't grasp that name-calling is NOT a defense and they became "insulted" when I reminded them "HATE IS NOT A CHRISTIAN VALUE!" (Considering that so many are Fundies.)

Now, when I consider entering into a Freeper "discussion" I am quickly brought to my senses with the addage "Never try to teach a pig to sing.....it wastes your time and annoys the pig!"

Walk in peace!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

44. Never argue with an idiot, either

they'll bring you down to their level and then beat you with their experience!!!

[BillZBubb]

7. And the sad news is?

You haven't lost anything, they have.

[prolesunited]

9. That sounds strange

Did you have any commentary with it? Why would forwarding something somebody wrote elicit that sort of response? Did they say anything else besides call you names?

BTW, doesn't sound like much of a friend worth having. If a RW friend (not that I have any) sent me something I didn't like, I certainly wouldn't call them such derogatory names.

[Th1onein]

38. The subject line was "This is so sad......."

That's all it took for them to go whacko. And, quite frankly, as time goes on and it looks more and more like these neocons are going to lose and lose big, I think that that is what many of us can expect, when trying to reason with them.

[skypilot]

10. Send him/her...

...an editorial about sunshine and flowers and purple mountains majesty and how wonderful Bush is. That seems to be what people like that want, not this bad-new-from-Iraq business. No, no, no.

[Mara Steele]

11. Cheney them!

I'm normally the most tolerant person you'll meet, but when it comes to ignorant fascists, I avoid them like the the plague.

With friends like that, who needs enemies? You're better off without them, in my opinion. I'm sorry for your loss, though. It's tough to lose our friends for any reason.

[donhakman]

12. Every line of communication cut

is another nail in the coffin of freedom and a victory for intolerence.

[Mara Steele]

18. These people don't WANT to communicate.

They want to tell me I'm a sinner, and I need to accept Jesus as my personal savior and renounce the person I am. They tell us we're traitors (and "cunts" and "bitches").

Believe me, I've TRIED to communicate for many years. I've gotten in a lot of arguments since I was very young and first became aware of injustices in the world. And with the moderate, sensible folks who are willing to have intelligent dialogue, I'm more than happy to communicate, and find these debates intellectually satisfying.

It's the extremists who have made a choice to keep their head buried in the sand and to be intolerant and bigoted towards anyone to the left of fascism, well, THEY'RE the ones who are making the choice not to communicate.

I'm not a masochist, and I choose not to put up with their hatred and rank, intentional ignorance anymore.

[info being]

21. I'm totally with you

I've learned to speak more freely over the past year. I found that it is the RW nuts who refuse to talk about anything because they CAN'T! They don't actually know what they're talking about and can't express it.

[Mara Steele]

36. Thanks!

:pals:

[classof56]

13. Can you take one more shot at them?

Like asking them if they read and understood what was in the article and why the had such a strong reaction? Do they simply think those are all lies designed to discredit Bush? The name-calling is reprehensible, but what an odd and totally uncalled for response to the terrible facts presented (and documented, as far as I can see) in Pitts' article.

If that's the best your acquaintances can muster, it is truly sad and one of the things that makes me feel the most hopeless about the current state of affairs. But if you could just get them to explain why they reacted in such an ugly way...well, perhaps the "friendships" cannot be restored, but at least you'd get some insight into what on earth they are thinking. I'd sure as heck like to know, 'cause I'm not getting where these people are coming from!

If that doesn't work, then call it a day with them and endorse yourself for having tried.

Best wishes!

Bush Must Go!

[GOPisEvil]

14. You're better off without them.

Anyone who would turn on you like that isn't a real friend anyway.

</every mother in the world>

[Media_Lies_Daily]

17. That actually sounded like the GOOD news!

[seabeyond]

19. wow

cunt and bitch.........dont know if i could ever see beyond the cunt one. pretty ugly. sorry. i think i would send one last post, saying exactly this, then let the person go

[Kanary]

27. both of those words are used right here on DU

and their use is defended as "freedom of speech"

Yes, it's indeed "ugly", but it isn't the sole province of the RW.

Kanary

[seabeyond]

29. if a friend

some one i loved (which i love my friends) called me a cunt in anger, not jest even in crudeness, i would be turned off. just not ok by me. if you dont have issue with it, that is cool. i just dont allow people i hang with treat me in such a way, even in anger. not my thing. and doesnt matter if rw or not, stepping over my line

[Kanary]

32. Of course it's stepping over the line......

My point is, if we wouldn't allow it from our friends, why is it OK here?

It's abuse, plain and simple.

Why in the world would you think it's OK with me? How did you read that in what I said?


Kanary

[gratuitous]

20. If they cut you off . . .

Well, you can't control the actions of others. If they cut off contact with you, then that's the way it goes. However, you can say that the lines of communication are still open as far as you're concerned, despite the intemperate language some folks choose to use.

And if the Washington Post ever decides to resume practicing journalism and leave off being an amplifier for the corrupt Bush administration, the photos, videos and stories of the abuse and torture might come out. When your hot-headed friends come crawling back to say they never knew, allow yourself a moment to gloat to yourself, then ask them to join you in doing something about it.

[arcane1]

23. in other words- you won!

name-calling is ALL THEY HAVE

the truth hurts, and they fight against it with more hurt

pity them if you want, but do not mourn their loss. They cannot, and do not want to, handle the real world, and they proved it to you today

[Th1onein]

26. Believe me, I don't mourn their loss!

This is the fourth time in two days that this has happened to me. When they cannot fight back with facts, they simply leave, usually. Thanks to DU, I have been able to educate myself enough to speak intelligently, in an informed manner, about the issues. This seems to be something that they cannot counter.

[Swamp Rat]

31. Write a letter to the editor of your local paper describing what happened

You can write the article so that nobody is identified, but descriptive enough so that your ex-friends know that it is they you are describing. If it gets published, send a copy to them. One way to get to these warmongers and ditto heads is to SHAME them publicly for supporting torture and child molestation... Sometimes they change their ways.

I don't give a shit what these assholes think anymore and I have NO compunction about telling the cold, hard truth in public. I have ZERO tolerance for Bush&Co and their hardcore supporters. I am angry and saddened about the rest of the misinformed public, but if people REFUSE to listen when confronted with the truth - fuck 'em. At this point they are part of the problem.

[Th1onein]

40. This is an interesting suggestion.

I just might do that. Thank you.

[Fridays Child]

24. Truth is to a freeper as...

...holy water is to a demon.

http://www.angryalien.com/0204/exorcistbunnies.html

[stanwyck]

25. Consider this liberating

Since my husband and I will no longer politely remain silent while our rightwing friends expouse their thinly veiled racism, sexism, homophobia, and fundamentalist fervor, we've either been culled from their herd or we've done the culling. At first, this bothered me. But I consider the future of our country too important to remain politely silent while views I abhor are taken as a general concensus. Now, I realize that I'm healthier and happier not being around such hate and calcification. Our time is limited. I chose to spend it with those, Democrats or Republicans, who can state their views without personal attacks, bigotry, or narrow-mindedness. Anyone who says "I support President Bush 100%" doesn't quality. I'm not sure there is ANYONE I support 100%.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

45. Hear hear

standing ovation for THAT post. I coulda written it word for freaking word.

[leftofthedial]

28. good riddance

we need a purge once we depose the junta and reverse the coup of 2000

[kerrywins]

30. screw em...

[donhakman]

33. Go ahead and fight intolerence with intolerence

At worst you will become like your enemy.

[Skittles]

35. these were "friends"???

f*** 'em, Th1onein, you don't need that shit.

[Wapsie B]

39. Many of us have family members with that same mentality.

I've yet to hear of dear old dad and bro coming to their senses. Two angry men if there ever was any.

[Joanne98]

41. Maybe I'm wrong but

I don't think it was our soldiers who raped the children. I thought it was Iraqi soldiers supervised by private contractors or maybe military intelligence guys. It's was Rumsfield idea that's for sure. I haven't read the whole article yet though.

[Swamp Rat]

42. Same difference - guilt by association.

If our soldiers watched and filmed the rapes, then they are JUST as guilty. Nobody can legally order ANYONE to do something this horrible. To watch and do nothing is as heinous as doing it. NO EXCUSES!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

43. Wow with friends like that

who needs enemies?

Sounds like you are better off without such potty mouths. Didja tell them to go Cheney themselves?

[walldude]

46. Here's a link to Hersh's speech

at the ACLU last week, he claims to have the tapes that WRP was talking about.. http://www.pastpeak.com/archives/2004/07/post_1.htm

The big question here is are these tapes part of what Congress has seen already? If so where is the one goddam Democrat with the balls to stand up for the rights of a child not to be raped and tortured? My tax dollars are supporting the torture and rape of children and the government knows about it and covers it up? If this comes out and one fucking person tries to spin it or play it down I will gladly let the door hit me in the ass on my way out of the U.S. There is no justification on Earth for this.