RW father finally turned on the war

[oustemnow]

Talked to my father, who up until now has grasped at every straw, however thin, to support Shrub's actions, yesterday. In the middle of the conversation, unsolicited mind you, that "Bush had better figure out that we need to get out of Iraq!" His tone was really angry, he kept talking about how the Iraqi military would need to stand on its own feet. He's still holding out hope that the war was initially a good idea, because "Hussein was intent on world domination," but since he admitted in the next breath that he didn't have anywhere near the capability to carry that out, he'll probably drop that argument soon enough too. And amazingly, during an hour-long conversation, he didn't have a word of derision for the incoming Dems; typically I can look forward to a Chappaquidik crack and a few choice rants about his favorite bogeywoman, Hillary Clinton.

Mind you, only a portion of the conversation was about politics, but usually I have to brace myself for at least a few Rush-inspired rants before I get on the phone with him. If he can be turned around on Bush's performance, anyone can.

[Tony Soprano]

1. Red? Blue? My Dad is "purple"

Go figure....

[oustemnow]

3. He's a red guy in a blue state

Who's gotten increasingly redder over the past few years. He's always had a bit of the angry-middle-class-white-man syndrome, as well as a taste for cowboy-style law and order, but he really took the bait with the 90s Clinton-hating and in the Bushco years he became increasingly RW partisan, especially after 9/11. There are spots of purple--he thinks the immigrant-haters are loons--but overall he's clung pretty tightly to the Bush doctrine until now.

[blue cat]

5. If I didn't know better,

I would say that we have the same father.

[oustemnow]

10. Haha, we probably have a huge quasi-family

He definitely fits a certain segment of the population to a tee. I love the guy, and he definitely has a head on his shoulders, but he's certainly vulnerable to a certain strain of BS. It's mystifying, really. And frustrating.

[Rageneau]

2. In their hearts, they know they're wrong. But can't admit it.

The wingnuts are running out of spin as each revolution unwinds the clumsy arguments they have woven to justify their bellicose animosity toward all things not them. Their fragile egos and everlasting paranoia prohibit them from ever admitting they had things figured out all wrong. But as their chickens come home to roost, they are statring to ask less cocky and know-it-all, and more like the impressionaible sheep we've always known them to be.

[oustemnow]

4. That's essentially what it's been

I think he was afraid to admit that he was wrong about things that have had such an impact, but he's coming around.

[Cha]

6. I'm glad for his sake and

our country's sake. The corporatemediawhores have done more than their share of pushing the bushites down the throats of Americans. Without them there would be no bush to grasp on to.

Does he have clue that bush doesn't want to figure out how to "get out of Iraq"? bush, cheney, and the gang see too much Oil just begging to be pumped.

[oustemnow]

8. That's next, I thnk

As the war drags on and Bush continues full-tilt for failure, he will start to wonder WHY Shrub is so steadfast in this thing. Baby steps, y'know?

[Cha]

11. Here's to Baby Steps!

:toast:

[peace13]

7. I'm happy for you!

I have the same in my family only the light has not come on for them yet. Peace to you, Kim

[distantearlywarning]

9. Another sign of the times: my RW fundie grandmother

I dreaded calling her on Thanksgiving because all she listens to is Faux News and she always wants to talk politics. I hate hearing about her being taken in by all the BS out there (it's like hearing that she got taken in by some con man preying on the elderly), and I hate arguing with her because she's old and lonely.

Anyway, halfway through the conversation, she asks me if I'm happy about the results of the November elections. I paused a second or two and then said I was (she knows I vote Democrat these days). She said, "you're a good Republican". I kind of laughed and said I didn't know what she meant. She said, "It's not about the party, it's about the ideals". I told her that I thought Bush and the republicans who supported him were doing a bad job. She said, "It's not really about Bush, but the Republicans in Congress are not acting like Republicans, so they got thrown out." I agreed with her and said that it was a good time for a change. She laughed but didn't say anything after that, and we moved on to a different subject. But I could tell that she just wanted to let me know that that she was coming around a little bit to my point of view, and not so wrapped up in the cult of Republican thing anymore. I don't think she could have brought herself to vote for a Democrat, but I strongly suspect she didn't vote at all in this past election.

This is the only political conversation I have ever had with her in my entire life when she did not rant and rave about all the RW nutjobs she thought were great, and go on and on about how corrupt various Democrats were. She is as right-wing as they come, a total Limbaugh cult member. And even she couldn't bring herself to support these people this year.

If the Repukes are losing people like my grandmother, they're in trouble. It wasn't about the war in November, it was about everything - the corruption, the arrogance, the hypocrasy, the wastefulness, the interfering in everybody's business all the time, everything like that. That's why they lost.

[Mz Pip]

12. My RW relatives

have been very quiet. I usually get some RW chain letter screed from one of them a couple of times a month. Since the elect - nothing political at all. From one I still the the pseudo-religious attempts at bad poetry set to music and Thomas Kincaid paintings and from the other I still get jokes. But no screeds.

I doubt it will last, though I have made some inroads with one of my cousins who started to get annoyed at the fact that most of the RW chain emails were false. He started sending the debunks back to his friend who sent them to him. Small steps. Small steps.


Mz Pip
:dem:

[sandrakae]

13. Send you father a box of chocolates,

The next time you talk to your father, remind him that John McCain has supported Presidient Bush 100 percent of the time and wants to send more troops to Iraq. Also remind him that John Kerry has been saying for 3 years that the Iraqi's has to stand on their own feet. Just make sure you send him the chocolate first.

[oustemnow]

14. Chocolates? Nah. He'd probably take a beer though

Don't know if he'll ever come around to being openly pro-Kerry. Who knows, though? It took him a loooooooong time to find it in his heart to criticize Bush. That was something of a sea change.