Augh! My mother is a freeper!

[abelenkpe]

What am I gonna do? She used to be a democrat. But somewhere over the past eight years she has become a freeper. Did her views become warped by spending so much time in a dark corner of the web? How can this happen? She's not someone I can just cut out of my life. Does anyone else have relatives who are so politically opposite? How do you maintain a positive relationship? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

In the meantime I hang my head in shame and confusion.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. Ugh, I'm so sorry

Well, sadly, I have no good news for you. Be prepared to endure continuous conversion efforts. Just love her, hate the sin of Freeperdom.
:hug:

[Patiod]

2. Too much cable "news"?

I know so many otherwise intelligent people who have been sucked in by the Rightwing Media. There's no information out there counter-balancing the lies of O'Reilly, Rush, etc.

[Gothic Sponge]

3. Is she literally a Freeper?

Does she post there?

[abelenkpe]

16. I dunno

but I'm gonna guess: yes. Why? Well she started her own blog recently with link to freeRepublic on the front page. She also has a poll:

"Do you object to these children's characters being used to indoctrinate kids into accepting homosexuality as an acceptable alternative life style? According to Worldnet Daily article of today, these characters are appearing in a video to be viewed in our public schools promoting tolerance and guiding kids to the website of We Are Family, an organization whose mission is to advocate for gay and lesbian lifestyle."

Now my siblings and I have many friends who are openly gay. One of my sisters bridesmaids was a lifelong gay friend. So why would she post such a loaded question? I can only imagine she is mimicking things she found on the freerepublic site. I am seriously bothered by all this. Should I just ignore it and keep to topics that are neutral territory? Or is that just contributing to a serious problem in our society?

I am so worried about this development that I am literally sick to my stomach!

[MissMillie]

4. My brother is a right-wing fundie

This past summer he made it clear that my gay siblings' (2 of my sisters and my other brother are gay) partners would never be welcome in his home.

One of my sisters (my twin) is so heartbroken that she says "my brother died this year". My other sister says if her family is not welcome in her home, his family is not welcome in her home.

As for me, all of my family and their loved ones will always be welcome in my home. However, I don't want to be anywhere my sisters' and brother's partners are not welcome. Don't even bother to invite me.

It's really too bad. We have always been the model of the functional family.

My brother's got a really warped sense of Christian behavior.

[ThorsHammer]

7. That is horrible

I would hope that people would place family above their personal 'moral' beliefs. It's sad that they would cut off family members for such a petty reason.

[Bridget Burke]

14. The OP specifically said she (he?) could not "cut off" her mother.

This is a matter for concern, however. Deep changes late in life can be symptomatic of serious health problems.

[ThorsHammer]

19. Oops; To clarify, I was referring to MM's example, not the OP

[Bunny]

5. My mom was a lifelong Dem, until the Clinton administration.

Now she's a Repub, loathes ANY Democrat (regardless of who it is), and has never spent so much as one minute on the internets. I've learned not to discuss politics with her, and fortunately she returns the favor for me.

[Benson]

6. Just Love Her, and Don't Discuss Politics.

Sometimes that is all you can do.
Politics is secondary. to quote Dickens, "Humanity is our business."
--If it gets bad, come out and ask her not to discuss politics with you.

Don't let politics cut our family in half.

[WritersBlock]

9. Well said.

I've got a family member who is very strongly pro-*. We haven't talked about the election; I was told her views by another family member. I don't intend to discuss politics with her for at least another four years.

I was there the night she was born, and I love her dearly. I will NOT give GeeDubya & the neocon assholes the power of alienating me from someone I love.

[pres2032]

8. my dad is solidly repub

we get into huge shouting matches whenever the conversation turns political. He always brings up the same lines "if we aren't in Iraq, the terrorists will come here" "We're safer under bush" blah blah blah. However, he always ends the argument with "i love you" and he supports the fact that i'm a dem and am most likely headed for a major political career.

[RagingInMiami]

10. My mom was always a republican until Clinton came along

And showed her how good things can get for her as far as job security and income goes. She is still registered as a republican, but she hates the shrub with a passion and I don't see her ever voting republican again.

[AtLiberty]

17. Brag, brag, brag...

:D

[Ekirh]

11. My entire family is Religious Right....

I hardly talk politics at all with them (Except my Grandma, we can actually sit down and discuss politics in a polite manner)

Half of my family (My Dad's half, I should note I have a Dad and a Step Dad) Doesn't know what my political views are at all, and it's probably best kept that way.

I get along with my parents well, mainly becuase we hardly discuss politics (and if we do, they usually cut it off after they make their "BIG POINT" or make some profound quote about how I'll be a Republican when I get older and understand more)

A positive relationship is possible, but not easy, I think the fact I was so extremely close to my mother made it possible for me, and the fact she has done so much for me, I could never cut her out of my life, same with the Step Dad, things weren't always easy in my household before I "switched to the Liberal Side" :), and the fact it all worked out, I think is why we'll never seperate, unless I move North, then none of htem will ever visit me but all well.

You don't need to cut her out of your life, but try to avoid politics (It'll probably be inevitable she'll bring it up though) and just remember she is your mother, and she does love you, but that doens't mean you have to see eye to eye with her.

[fluffernutter]

12. my mom used to be a democrat too, but since she remarried,

she went to the dark side too.

last weekend, she actually tried to get me to read an article she saved about dubya tellimg me that he really was a good guy and that he really did win the election. ACK!

i was like "wtf, mom? i love you, but please do not EVER talk politics around me, it just will not end up well, so better to just avoid it all together, k?"

she backed off, thank heavens. it still sucks to know that you have to keep that distance and feel funky about how the hell they can stand behind some of the stuff they do, but that's the only way it can work for us ... avoidance.

good luck and hugs. i understand.

[Bridget Burke]

13. What else is going on in her life?

Does she have friends & family around her? Is she working? How is her health--how old is she?

She may be alone & fearful--listening to the folks on the radio who can tell her EXACTLY what is wrong with the world. And there may be a physical problem--early onset Alzheimer's or dementia. I'm quite serious about this.

[Patiod]

18. My dad has been listening to hate radio

A lifelong Dem, since his emphysema has woken him up at night, he turns on hate radio for company.

He has started tossing out these crackpot ideas ("why not teach creationism as well as evolution - give people freedom of choice?")

It's a vast wasteland out there in broadcast radio.

[AtLiberty]

15. My extended family is Republican...

...not the quiet, fiscal conservative variety...but hate-filled, fire-breathing, FAUX News-watching, Limbaugh-listening, wedge issue-clinging, Zell Miller, fundy type.

They were pretty normal Republicans until the early 1990s. After 12 years of Republican bliss, they became unhinged when a Democrat moved into the Oval Office, spinning their heads, levitating, and vomiting pea soup.

What's difficult for me is that I'm willing not to discuss politics to keep the peace, but they aren't. My mother NEVER misses an opportunity to slam the Democrats. That's when I usually leave the room or say good-bye on the phone. My family is incapable of calm, intelligent debate. I notice that bad behavior is permitted when you're Republican.

My mother tore into me six months ago because my young son mildly insulted aWol; mind you, it was nothing compared to the lies and insults she hurled at Clinton while he was in office. She said that kids should be taught to respect the president.

Although I have no advice, I will say that I understand my extended family's beliefs. They buy into the fear and they trust mainstream media. Their fundy foundation makes it easy for them to believe somebody like aWol or the phone sex guy or the torture guy.

I've tried to pull my family away from FAUX and Limbaugh, urging them to visit the library more often and take advantage of free videos and books. My parents haven't set foot in a library since I was a kid. Even then, they never checked out anything for themselves.

I resent the Bush Administration most of all for its divisiveness.