Its especially hard when family members move to the dark side...
Sometimes I try but I just can't figure it. The question is always the same. How can I reach her? How can I make her understand? And why are there millions of others just like her?
I will not identify the person mind but suffice it to say I have known this person for a very long time. It's a family member and that's always very difficult.
After the election of 2000 she, like millions of others, dealt with the very questionable circumstances surrounding that election with a simple phrases, "Get over it!" or "Sore Looserman" She did not believe that democracy had been hijacked, it was the Democrats who tried to do that. But the reality is that she didn't care. Bush had won and a new era of responsibility and dignity would be Ushered into the White House.
After George Bush invaded Iraq there were serious questions about his motives and the wisdom of the attack. Several insiders published articles and books making charges and raising questions but she gave no credence to any of them. They were all either angry at having missed a promotion or attempting to sell books. No need to discuss the matter further. What they had to say was not important. Their motives were evil. They were jealous. She could tell. End of story. No questions asked. Bush rules.
When no WMDs were found in Iraq, her explanation was that Saddam Hussein had destroyed them, or hidden them or shipped them out of the country. I asked, "Why didn't he use them?" "Oh", she replied, "he was afraid of what we do to him." "What more could we possibly do than what we had done", I asked, "We knocked down his regime and were going to execute him?" She thought for a while and then answered, "He hid the weapons because he wanted divide us."
Remember when George Bush showed up in Iraq supposedly to serve dinner to the troops? He was carting around a big turkey for all to see. She gushed like a little 14 year old and accused the Democrats of politicizing the war. Later it turned out the turkey was a fake. A plastic prop. But still it was the Democrats who were politicizing the war.
I once told her that the attack on Iraq was creating more enemies by fueling Islamic extremists and confirming the notion that the United States was an enemy of Islam. Her response was to accuse me of being soft on terrorism. I pointed out that the Iraqis had nothing to do with the attack on 9/11 and was told, "You think if you are nice to these people the terrorists will go away." I reassured her several times that I fully understood the nature of terrorism and the terrorists but that the attack on the Iraq was pointless. Again I was told I was thinking that if we could be nice to terrorists they would change their ways. Finally I yelled at her and said, "You don't fuckin' listen!" And she walked out of the room.
Of course, she wasn't alone. No WMDs were found and thousands of people including US soldiers were killed or wounded. Still the "Support the Troops" crowd managed to win another election with cries of "Four More Years".
Well that was then and now is now. Naturally she voted for John McCain and thinks Sarah Palin is an exceptional woman while Hillery Clinton, Rachel Maddow Michael Moore are all communists. Of course, she is a full-time Fox news viewer who insists that they really are fair and balanced. Last time I was at her house she was telling me about how awful it was the people of Iran had an election stolen from them and her husband, an NRA member, told me this was an example of why people need guns to protect their liberty.
And more recently I received an e-mail telling me about an event hosted by Glenn Beck. I heard all about the stirring stories of Revolutionary War patriots he told them what a great American Beck really is. She wanted me to go to one of his events and I told her, "No thanks." She said she was shocked because Beck said we must reach out to those who differ with us. By "reach out" of course he means convinced others of his particular point of view.
About a week ago she called and said we should get together and she wants to discuss health care. I said, "No thanks" and she ended the discussion by saying I am closed minded.