There is a Loony Left. I've seen them with my own eyes.
They are single issue to the point of religious fundamentalism. Their cause and only their cause matters. Until their cause is addressed, nothing else matters. How can we all be so stupid for not seeing that obvious truth? It must be time to wake up and face reality.
Online we can trollrate them or more easily ignore them. They're harder to handle when they're standing right there in front of you.
In the last four years in which I've been a part of the local liberal/progressive/anti-war community I've heard a lot of strange, fringe and possibly crazy ideas about how the world works. Many of the conspiracy theories you may have heard around here and especially in darker corners of the internet are out there in real people. It's different when you run into this in a real person standing in front of you.
At first, I just smile blankly and listen along as they explain how the Trilateral Commision/Chemtrails/Congress/non-HIV AIDS/flouridated water/pork rinds are important and not what everyone thinks they are. Sometimes it is an issue I recognize the importance of, and I tell them I'm glad they found something they're passionate about and I wish them luck and hope they and their issue can find a place within the broader movement. Maybe they'll find someone else who cares about it the same way, or maybe they'll find the time and place to really seize the moment and be effective. Keep the faith. Keep on truckin'.
Other times I want to politely and respectfully tell them that I think they're wrong. Either their sense of importance is grossly out of whack, or no, things don't really work that way in the world as I understand it. If we can continue to have a polite conversation, maybe no minds will be changed but we can both go away understanding each other a little better. If they better understand how normal people (am I normal people?) react to their issue, maybe they'll do it better in the future.
And then there's the loonies. I've stood through too many minutes of long, loud, angry sounding tirade. You can't just troll rate away their comments in meat-space. You have to deal with them. I guess it's worked out ok so far. But it's a hard thing to do. I think I'm writing this diary partially looking for commiseration and partially for advice.
Lately "that one guy" who sometimes comes to my local political club posted to our discussion email list in a nonsensical and offensive way. Our email list program has the ability to single him out and now what he posts has to be approved before it goes out. So, the flame war has been taken offline. Is that the right move? I feel like too much of this would offend and drive away people who I want to stay a part of the community. On the other hand, emerging from such public airing of dirty laundry can sometimes make a group stronger.