very close friend a freeper, help!

[LifeDuringWartime]

shes been with the marines in japan and i havent spoken to her in awhile. i asked her on instant messenger if she had seen the debates, and very shortly after was saying how kerry was a traitor along with jane fonda in the 70s, his war wounds self-inflicted, and a flip flopper!

im staying civil, but ill be damned if my blood isnt near the boiling point. what have any of you folks done in similar situations?

[kikiek]

1. Ask her if they carry anything other than Rush Limbaugh radio!

She's being lied to.

[LifeDuringWartime]

9. i know that

but how to convince someone that they and almost everyone they are surrounded by of that?

maybe i shouldnt bother.

[kikiek]

12. Probably needs to be deprogrammed. Can't do it long distance.

[LynnTheDem]

2. I just say

"Fine. Stay willfully ignorant. Only open minds can accept common sense, rational thought and facts."

[PaDem]

3. Your friend is beyond hope with this stuff.........

why discuss it? I have good discussions with conservative friends who disagree with me on principal and issues. Your into wingnut territory there (with all due respect to your friend). Your not gonna make any headway, I'd leave it alone.

[politicat]

4. Agree to disagree and get her talking to other military folk who aren't

shoveling shit at her.

Ask her to really examine the other side of the issue and that it's okay if she disagrees after thinking about it, but not to let Lush Rimjob and Faux news make up her mind for her.

The military's a tough place to be since one has to be respectful to the office of the Commander in Chief. What ends up happening is that military personnel (who are rarely well educated) interpret this to mean that one must support the CIC.

Pcat

[Vincardog]

5. Have her ask the Marines how easy it is to get a Bronze Star.

[billybob537]

6. only the truth will help

she's not getting that where she is, start with little facts. Nothing brings people to your side like telling them something they already know.

[xg0blin]

7. One of my best friends is a freeper as well

and there is no changing his mind. We just try to discuss it civilly (he was in the army and is one of those republican = good for army guys) and stay friends despite our differences. There is no changing his mind and he won't listen to reason, but he'd probably say the same thing about me.

[Vickers]

8. Ask her about Georgie's wounds.

Ask her about Georgie's disputed medals.

Ask her what Georgie did between 1974 and 1996.

[punpirate]

10. Education...

... is probably in order. Tell her the truth, as best you know it. If she can't or won't respond to it, let it be.

You asked her if she watched the debates, and she gave you a reply that indicated that she had not. Try repeating the question. If she didn't watch, ask her if her own pre-conceived notions prevented her from doing so. That might be the way to open up a conversation. If she's in the service now, it's unlikely she has any personal memory of Kerry in 1971. Ask her if she's actually seen the video of Kerry's testimony before Congress, then. Ask her if she's seen the pictures supposedly placing Kerry with Jane Fonda, and if she realizes they are phony, that they've been `shopped. If she insists this is the case, try sending her a link or two to sources debunking these myths.

That's about the best you can do at the moment.

Cheers.

[JimmyJazz]

11. I got one on my brother yesterday. He and I were going at it (as usual)

Then he said, "but I really like McCain" (all Repukes do, you know). I said, "I do to and, in fact, he would be president today if it hadn't been for the low-blow politics of his war record being critized by George Bush. In fact, his re-election would probably be inevitable." Wide mouth frog had no response - bug was imbedded in his ear, however.

I'll never convert him, but I can get my digs in once in a while.

(I'm not that big of a McCain fan, but he's not George Bush).

BTW: Here are the basic facts of life of a freeper: 1. George Bush did his duty 2. John Kerry got a purple heart for cutting himself shaving 3. Saddam Hussein was somehow, someway connected to 9/11. And, last but not least, 4. John Kerry has a penchant for flip flops. (I prefer sandals myself, but that's just who I am.)

How do I deal? ETOH baby!

[mitchum]

13. Life is too short to waste time with idiots...

find another friend

[iamjoy]

14. I Don't Know About Her

The flip flopper just shows she drinks the kool-aid. I mean, the Republicans have said it so much (and the media has bought it), I have to remind myself it is a lie. Still, you could call her on this, "name one flip flop" and she probably couldn't once you explained the truth. Or you could point out Dubya's flip flops, but that just sounds defensive.

The war protester = traitor is a little trickier because some people honestly can't forgive Kerry for criticizing the war. We all think it shows him as true patriot, but not everyone feels the same. You could always ask her if she likes John McCain. If she does remind her that McCain and Kerry are friends, despite vastly different politics (hello - McCain campaigning for Bush). From a professional standpoint McCain had to at least forgive Kerry to work together in the Senate, but the fact that they are friends shows something deeper. So, if McCain who was tortured by the VietCong could get past Kerry's anti-war activities why can't she do the same?

The worst accusation, the one that most demonstrates her irrationality is the self inflicted wound business. When I was out canvassing and some guy brought that up, I just said "thank you have a nice day." If you want to remain friends you could refer her to johnkerry.com where he has posted all of his military records. But she still may not believe it.

[Erika]

15. Kerry Increases Support by Vets 10% in last week!

According to CNN/Gallup. Now vets support Bush 54% to Kerry 44%. Kerry has picked up 10% since the last poll!

Unfortunately most of us understand that our government can go in the wrong direction, whether it be Nam or Iraq. Vets are included and are waking up to the fallacy of Bush's war.

[leftofthedial]

16. the kerry-fonda thing seems to be going around the last few days

with the freeper military types.

[Booster]

17. Tell her to go here. This list is amazing and probably not

even updated. www.flipfloppingbush.com

[catchthefever]

18. The Idiot Archives

Well, she likes Bob Dole and he *won* a Purple Heart for grenading himself. It's in the archives.

I swear the gov't innoculates military personnel with that crap. EVERY one I've met is a bush butt-buddy. I know there are a few immune to that vaccine. :)

How much do you value your friendship? I just blew off a couple and their spawn of Satan for being idiots, as well as an AF friend for sending me propaganda. The couple thinks that because I am a single female, no kids, that I should babysit their demon-child for FREE so I can work on my nurturing insticts or some crap like that. You know, Republicans seem to think that I am the United Way, and they are the ones in need.

[IdaBriggs]

19. The US Navy debunked that crap. If she wants to insult the

US Navy, tell her you aren't interested in listening to her. There are links available if she wants to see them. I'd advise getting UNCIVIL about it, if I were you. If she wants to be an *ss, deliver a couple of donkey kicks. Or just really piss her off, and ask her if she is going to display this much loyalty to her commander-in-chief when he's JFK. Remember, there are UNINFORMED people, and then there are the WILLFULLY IGNORANT. Not everyone is above average. :)

[camero]

20. find a new friend

Fuck her if she won't listen to reason. There's a big world out there, why waste your time.

[morgan2]

21. say that you are disappointed

and that you thought she was smart enough to not be manipulated by a political campaign. Say yes John Kerry isn't the best human being error, but he's just being smeared by people who want him to lose. Tell her she should look at policeis and not the bs politics people use to win.

[foo_bar]

22. it's their way of acknowledging Kerry might win

They're no longer making jokes. They're treating him like Clinton, just in case.

[Ladyhawk]

23. I had a close friend who has turned out to be both fundy and freeper.

It got to be too much. After he broke a promise, I pretty much scratched him off the list. I'll still talk to him, but I won't initiate conversation, nor do I tell him anything personal. He lost that right when he broke his promise.

In the infamous words of Barbara Bush, "I'm through with him." :)