Facebook, is it a stronghold for stupid Republicans?

[DollyM]

Maybe I just know the wrong people or live in the wrong area but I feel all alone when they go Bashing Obama or going off on how Obama wants to tell them what kind of cars they can drive or what doctor they can see. It is almost personal, Obama is out to get them in their opinion! I had a conversation with a guy that I went to college with some 20 years ago that has just left me absolutely grieved. His belief system is so out of wack with reality now, all of his compassion is gone. I remember in college we went to a McDonalds and this guy saw a homeless man standing outside begging for change. He went in and bought him a sandwhich and a hot drink and brought it out to him and told him "God Bless You!" I remember being so impressed at the time with this young man truly living out the meaning of Christianity. Yesterday on Facebook he jumped on and began bashing Obama and healthcare for everyone as godless socialism, out to destroy our country and so forth. He wants the government to stay out of our healthcare, which is ironic because he is retired military. I reminded him that he has government health care unless he would like to reject it and pay it back. He then jumped me and accused me of saying that Veterans don't deserve health care and how I don't know what I am talking about because I am not a Veteran. How he arrived at that conclusion I don't know. (My husband is a Veteran and Veterans health care is an issue at our house every day of our life because we do not have insurance or jobs at present and my husband has multiple health problems.)
I am just amazed at the anger and fear that comes out in these people. It is like all good sense has left them. The fact that he totally missed the point of my post and thought I was saying that Veterans shouldn't get health care, has totally blown me away. I am trying to come up with a response to his post but just keep feeling that no matter what I say, he is going to turn it into something that it isn't.
I was always taught that Government is "of the people, by the people, and for the people." Which means, each of us IS the goverment, we are all a part of that decision making process in our country. But there seems to be this us/them mentality that is down right frightening! I have always believed we are either part of the problem or part of the solution. If we stand back and critisize and do nothing to alleviate the problem, then we are part of the problem. Okay, I realize I am preaching to the choir, but really, what are these people thinking and why are they filled with so much hatred, fear and anger or something that should be part of just plain out human compassion for their fellow human being?

[movonne]

1. is facebook owned by murdock???

[targetpractice]

4. No. MySpace is. n/t

[Beer on a stick]

2. Seems likely, given that there's only a handful of smart ones.

[Jo March]

3. Sorry that you are running up against that

It is difficult for repubs these days. They are feeling left out even though "they surround us." :eyes:

They have to lash out on the interwebs these days because they are too afraid to do it in person.

I am a disabled veteran. I am also unemployed right now. I'd give anything for a public option right about now.

Anyway, hang in there. You are not alone. A few loud people tend to sound and appear bigger than they are.

:hug:

[monmouth]

5. Was the homeless man white? He may have been generous but

you may not have been aware he was a racist....

[DollyM]

19. Yes, he was white . . .

Good thing the homeless man didn't ask him for health care! LOL! This was just the last person I would have expected this out of. He was someone I greatly respected in college, seemed so level headed, kind hearted and compassionate. I am finding that many of the people from my past, as in college, seem to think this same way. But most are from the same midwestern, small town mentality and perhaps that is the problem. The way they are so fearful of Obama is just awful to me. I hate to think that these people are rascist but maybe there is more of that than I realize.

[greenbird]

6. I think it depends on who your friends are

I get SOME weird stuff, but also a lot of good, progressive posts . . . I have hidden a couple of people's posts, too.

[DollyM]

20. I didn't know you could hide replies . . .

I actually just signed up for Facebook this week and not all that familiar with it. I posted on this other girl I went to college with 20 years ago, "wall" and she ripped into me for that because it was "her" wall. Then along came Mr. accusations jumping in right after her and calling me a godless communist or something like that. I was just amazed that these are the same people I went to school with. Okay, the girl was kind of flaky fundamental so I kind of excuse that but the guy seemed to be more level headed and compassionate than that. I guess people change and some sink into a paranoia about the current government. I guess I just didn't realize that people I counted as friends many years ago could be so awful now!

[qanda]

7. You need to become my friend on facebook

There are a number of DUers on there and they will definitely help keep you sane, but the majority of my family and friends are pretty liberal anyway.

[create.peace]

8. or mine, i have no freeper friends, and i never see freeper stuff unless i check out sarah palin,

from a link from here. i ignore anyone who shows up on van jones page who is an obvious troll, and don't have to see their posts.

[sellitman]

9. I keep politics off my Facebook

I don't go there and if some else does I don't reply. If that person persists I write him/ her a private note. If that doesn't work I remove that person completely.

So far so good.

[lukasahero]

10. "accused me of saying that Veterans **don't deserve** health care"

Right there - that's what this is all about. He thinks he "deserves", he thinks others don't.

I've decided a lot of white folks (full disclosure - I am white) are afraid of "losing". They think they have something special, they earned it, their white privilege. They are afraid if everyone else has access to the same things they think they earned/deserve, then they won't be special any more.

Sorry about your experience on Facebook. I have only 1 'friend' who gets obnoxiously political (I live in MA so it's kind of easy to surround yourself with very liberal repubs or all dems). I knew this guy in Jr. High and other than being an american idiot at times, he's generally ok. I just hide his posts when he's being a moron. He usually deletes things he's said during his moments of political stupidity and we go on being 'friends' a week or 2 later.

My other reflection on any of the Repubs I know: they are either less-educated and of lower income status or less-educated with higher income status. The running theme being less-educated.

[Enthusiast]

11. I don't know about Facebook

but your friend's change demonstrates the effectiveness of propaganda. Imagine the amount of disinformation we hear every day on the non-whacked TV channels, like MSNBC and CNN. Your Friend's entire source of information is Fox News and the RW radio diatribe. After a while this has a tangible impact on the mind.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Just be careful who you choose as friends.

I just have my family, some friends from another message board, some folks from DU, and Shannyn Moore. I have no problems. :)

[DollyM]

21. It came as a total shock to me!

I am from a small midwestern town and perhaps that is the problem. Too many white bread conservative people around and it has permeated their thinking so they cannot be rational. And yes, there is a very strong prejudice against people of color here. It goes back very deeply into the roots of this area.

[Posteritatis]

13. Facebook and Indonesia have similar populations

I imagine Facebook, like Indonesia, is a stronghold for a lot of things.

[RandySF]

14. A friend(?) and I no longer talk

because I wrote something about Sarah Palin.

[valerief]

15. Never go their myself. nt

[BlooInBloo]

16. It's the internet. So yes, and no.

[treestar]

17. No, it's your friends on FB

There are groups on FB - Obama has a page there too. Join a group that will make you some liberal friends.

[DollyM]

22. Can you suggest some groups for me?

I am considering just cancelling my membership on there after seeing all the hate and anger toward Obama there or even anything the consider us "godless democrats". My God is one of love and compassion, not sure whose there's is, obviously white, anglo saxon and Republican! LOL!

[greenbird]

23. I'm actually really enjoying Facebook

Try these groups: Sick for Profit, The White House, Whole Foods Boycott Action . . . as I said before, I had to hide a couple of high school "friends" who grew up to be scary fundie religious types, not because I can't argue with them, but because I don't WANT to. I opened my Facebook account to keep in touch with my daughters and friends I wouldn't otherwise talk to that often. I USUALLY keep politics out of it . . .

[Blue_Roses]

18. I know

my thoughts exactly...