During the campaign this year I have tried to contribute what I can; whether time, facilities or money. While out canvassing I have met some interesting people. Some people are good, some will disagree with you but be civil or act disinterested, others may appear outright unfriendly or even dangerous. But, it is those that are completely unreasonable, unreachable that I do not understand.
There is not much for me to do where I live, but I try to help out where my mother lives, a small city in Southern Illinois. While there this past weekend, I saw an opinion piece in the local paper, an OpEd letter from a member of the public to the editor. Below is the letter:
Editor:
I, for one, am sick and tired of being fed an all day dose of rioters, looters and filthy mouthed so-called demonstrator/protesters.
These are rioters, not protestors and should be treated as such. When they’re “interviewed” by the media all they do is rant and use their vulgar language. These rioters can’t put a coherent sentence together but still the media gives then air time and then spends the rest of the day/night replaying it.
Our country is in dire need of leadership starting in the White House to Governors to Mayors. These riots would be easily stopped with some well aimed fire hoses, dogs and men to back the hoses up.
If it costs a few bodies so be it. Decent people aren’t in these mobs anyway and the ones dragging their kids around in that mess should be arrested and their kids put in foster care or these kids will be the rioters of tomorrow.
All of this started under Obama and his racist spewing. It will be furthered by Hillary Clinton, if elected.
It’s time for our country to be rid of all of this garbage, our laws enforced again and our Constitution followed. I’m all for a free America again.
We have the most important election in my lifetime coming this November and if we don’t get it right this time we may not have another chance.
This current administration has tried to take God out of everything and has turned the US into a step below Sodom/Gomorrah so just how much more do you think God is going to put up with? He hasn’t left us but I believe he’s letting us wallow in our own sewage and giving us this election to straighten this mess out. Hillary Clinton certainly isn’t the one to do it!
Jerry Merritt
Mt. Vernon
When I read this I was flabbergasted. Then two seconds later it was “Oh, yeah. I know where I’m at.” Everybody is entitled to their own opinions, but the level of disconnect I saw here was shocking. The thing is, when I travel around here, I see it all the time. This way of thinking, not the sentiment but the reasoning, is pervasive. How do you cope with that? I know many techniques. But I still ask the question to myself and friends.
When I meet individuals like this, I try to reason with them, apply logic and sound critical thinking. It does not work. I try to be passionate and witty. Backfires. These people, unfortunately, may never be convinced, no matter how hard we try, and I don’t want to rub them off. In the end we may not need their votes to win the election and could just as well go without, but I feel it as a duty to try to convince them that Democratic policies are in their best interest. Specially considering where they live.
Beyond the basic, does anyone have any advice about the best way to try to reach these individuals and reason with them?
