this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2024
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I don't expect anyone to put up with it if they don't want to, but the power of human connection is much stronger than you're giving it credit for. Approaching someone from a place of nonjudgment and asking well-placed questions can really get some people thinking. Acting respectful and nonjudgmental is paramount to gaining respect and opening up the conversation to other possibilities.
I'm in no way implying this is going to work for any one specific person, especially your father, but it absolutely does work to moderate some people's beliefs.
You're right
Just...it's such a mjndfuck to completely fabricate a veneer of nonjudgmental and respectful interaction with someone repeating the most vile of ideas
There's good in this world, Noxy, and its worth fightin' for.
On a serious note, when you grow up around Republicans. When they surround you every day. Well, people are a product of their environment a lot more than they realize. His environment happens to feed him Trump's lies without any of the bad stuff. He didn't like Project 2025 but denies anyone would go that far. And he doesn't just sit there spewing hate, he actually tells everyone to go vote no matter who they are voting for, he even reminds me to vote when the time gets close and he knows I'm a Democrat.
These are people, no matter how twisted they have become. We will never heal by shutting them out. We have to do something, and telling him its okay to be himself is better than doing nothing. I hate it, too. I just want my friend to be happy. But he won't be as long as he continues living where he is, and hanging out with bigots who tell him Trump is right and being gay is a sin.