Hello, former repuke here

[FormerRepukeR]

I'm sorry to admit that for 60 plus years, I was an idiot.

I used to come to DU, read the posts, and make fun of y'all in other forums, but then along came the President of all Idiots, Covid 19, anti-vaxxers, and anti-maskers, and that's when I realized that Repukes were fucking crazy, and I was one of them.

My eyes have been opened, and I guess my fellow idiots would call that being "woke", but fuck them, except for repukes like Arnold Schwarzenegger (one of my personal heroes), and sure he's still a repuke, but at least he's not as stupid as the rest of them. I don't like to equate a person's politics with their art, unless their art reflects their political idiocy.

Yeah, I know, it's a judgement thing, but I digress.

Anyway, to sum up, I was an asshole, and I really can't blame you for hating me, because I most definitely deserve it, and I also know that I can't change what I was in the past, but I do hope that at least some of you can give me the chance to start over and make up for it.



FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm still registered as a repuke, and that's only because it allows me to fuck with them live and in person. Hopefully, they don't figure it out, but hey, come on. They're repukes.

WARNING: Since I still have to deal with friends and family who are still insanely stupid (except my sister), I will not put up with someone who thinks too much like them (i.e. lack of critical thinking skills etc). I'm sick and tired of it, and I WILL PUT YOU ON IGNORE. I don't need any more of that shit.

[FalloutShelter]

1. Come on in the water's fine.

[FormerRepukeR]

9. I hope you're right and thank you

[ailsagirl]

68. Sure is!!

Last edited Sun Aug 15, 2021, 04:35 PM - Edit history (1)

[Scottie Mom]

2. 👋 Welcome.

This is the place to be!

[FormerRepukeR]

13. For some reason I thought of a spider website

like this one to lure all the repukes in, and then hack into their computers, and take all their money, or extort them by taking pictures while they're chopping their potato... or is that potatoe?

And then, give it to you guys anonymously.

Minus delivery charges of course. Those armored trucks are pretty damn expensive to rent.

[brush]

3. Welcome as you emerge from the dark side. If you're actually sincere, remember to...

vote Democratic even if you don't change your voter registration. Try to convert some others who are awakening also.

[FormerRepukeR]

14. You've obviously never met my family

the only sane one is my sister

[soldierant]

64. Thank heaven for your sister, then.

[yonder]

90. A hearty welcome to the new, SINCERE you.

If that is not the case, have your fun as you find it because it won't last long.

[lunatica]

4. Glad to have you!

Welcome!

[brewens]

5. I dunno. We've never seen this before. I say we torture him for a few days before we trust him.

[a kennedy]

11. Yah, me too, torture first, then we'll hear how he responds eh??

[FormerRepukeR]

17. I say we tie him to the rack

it's what that fucker deserves

[Skittles]

20. it's just that.....if your story is true

I think it's a first here, someone who admits to being on the dark side for over half a century

[FormerRepukeR]

43. Nothing wrong with being suspicious

because I'd be suspicious too

[Skittles]

52. OK I will give you the benefit of the doubt

welcome to DU

live and learn!

[certainot]

67. tell these democrats how important limbaugh was

how do you rank limbaugh in the disintegration of the GOP? who else could be called the leader of the party the last 30 years?

even if you didn't listen to him, did your republican friends reference him?

just wondering... most dems completely ignore talk radio

[FormerRepukeR]

82. He was their god until

he started attacking Bush. I can't remember what it was about, but it pissed my father off big time, and he forbade his name to ever be mentioned again in the house.

He died hating him.

I sometimes wonder if he's still around somewhere watching me and hating me too.

My Mom was different. She'd listen to him when my father wasn't there and laugh. She thought he was more of a comedian than any kind of philosopher of political discourse. That's exactly how she put it too.

I think she was secretly an independent but she never told anyone.

She died last year and I miss her so much.

[certainot]

106. evil comedian. maybe if your dad was so serious about him it was a coping thing? sorry to be

presumptuous.

the amount of analysis that goes on while ignoring rw radio is astounding. it's as if it never existed. if you're going to comment here i hope you relate that talk radio experience to a lot of people who greatly underestimate and completely ignore rw radio - why we're in this disaster.

one reason limbo may have turned on bush was bush/rove trashed him in a most humiliating way, a breakup and separation of limbaugh from establishment GOP and it may have been orchestrated by the kremlin.

russian tool manafort was mccain's campaign cochair and limbaugh would not support mccain until minutes after he chose palin, timed to the beginning of his show (like the giuliani/powell press conference), who the russians had been wooing re oil and gas (i was listening, it was the friday before the GOP convention, which would have been a total disaster without llimbaugh). later after mccain lost but before they turned the white house over, limbaugh proudly announced on a monday that last weekend he had gone to the white house for his birthday and had lunch with andy card and bush and they presented him with a cake shaped like a microphone. it was chocolate. so basically they were saying thanks a lot asshole for not supporting mccain till the last minute and now you can suck on this for 4 or 8 years, and he missed the irony and announced it to 20 millions..

i don't know if he talked about that birthday party after someone told him he had just been humiliated in front of 20 mil but even if putin hadn't gotten the idiot oily palin in the white house they diverted limbaugh from trad GOP and created the tea party (dittoheads)

[FormerRepukeR]

109. Sorry, but I now stay away from RW radio and TV

I get enough of it live from my friends and family.

I used to think it was funny, but now it makes me sick, depressed, and fucking angry.

I guess someday I'm going to have to come out of the closet and get it over with, but I'm not looking forward to it.

[Skittles]

19. I am suspicious too

yes indeed

[Piasladic]

50. Eh... I believe him

doesn't know the difference between desert and dessert... sounds like an ex republican to me.

[Skittles]

51. based on the number of misspellings on DU

I.....don't think that is a good indicator.

[FormerRepukeR]

54. dessert! Crap! busted again

[DFW]

75. Writing in Republicanese is, alas, not limited to Republicans

EXCERPTS FROM THE OFFICIAL DICTIONARY OF REPUBLICANESE

In Republicanese, many words that sound alike may be spelled differently at random. A few prominent examples:

In Republicanese, the following words may be spelled at random using any of the three ways given:

A.) Two, Too, To
B.) Their, They're, There
c.) Your, Yore, You're

The Republicanese version of Robin Hood therefore starts with "In days of you're...."

The only rule is that the correct use of them as in English is never permitted twice in a row.

In English, "it's" is a contraction meaning "it is," and "its" is a possessive referring to whatever "it" was. In Republicanese, these are reversed.

Words with single letters that change meaning when that letter is doubled must never be used in correct English context. The classic example is “lose” vs. “loose.” In Republicanese, if you do not win an election, then you “loose” that election. Conversely, if your (Republicanese: you’re) belt is too tight, you need it more “lose” in order to be comfortable. Another example would be the Republicanese, “I met Donald Trump, and he was rudder than I imagined,” vs. “I grabbed the ruder and was able to steer the boat to shore.”

In Republicanese, as opposed to English, an apostrophe is used to form a plural. But it must be done at random, never systematically. For example, Bill and Hillary are "the Clinton's," but Bill, Chelsea and Hillary are "the Clintons." The other way around is also correct. In Republicanese, either form is correct as long as it is not spelled the same way twice in a row.

*additional note--NOWHERE in the whole English-speaking world, in ANY school in ANY grade, from Kindergarten through post-doctorate, is it taught to use an apostrophe to form a plural. And yet, you will see "orange's, country's, sock's, gun's, car's, Nazi's," and about five hundred other non-existing plurals in posts.

[Piasladic]

79. painful

I have to go back on Monday.

Think of me.

[DFW]

83. Steel yourself. n/t

[orleans]

96. you forgot D.)

moron / moran

[DFW]

107. That was just a sample

The whole book is 400 pages long

[FormerRepukeR]

104. Dam it, I never used the wor d yore anywear

hell, I don't eeeven no wat it meens.

The rest of it seems about right, though.

[DFW]

157. I never spent a lot of time on right wing sites. However....

I am part of a project that makes musical satires on Republicans (The Freedom Toast/The Parody Project), and the hate comments we get are often in Republicanese. Sometimes, they are in such bad English, the Russian native language is obvious (I know Russian, so I know what to look for). But usually, it's just native speakers/writers of Republicanese.

[Volaris]

63. 'Are you still a cop?'

I mean, just to make sure lol.

I kid. Welcome to DU.
May our rage, become yours, and vice versa

[JudyM]

87. Another came out a few months ago, too.

I remember thinking his humility seemed authentic.

Kind of stunning that there aren’t more since TFG. You know, how much more stark a difference can there be between darkness and light?

[FormerRepukeR]

100. When you're in the dark, it's hard to find the light switch

[JudyM]

111. Well put.

I’m curious about a couple of aspects…

Has your thinking changed in any substantial way on any other particular issues yet?

Did you not see your values at odds with the derisive, hateful rhetoric, personal democratic freedom restrictions, and denial of climate science, to name just a few, espoused by your former party? It’s hard to imagine that it’s that dark in the dark. Not blaming here, just so often astonished at what I perceive to be stark inhumanity in treatment of “the other” and turning a blind eye to facts. Are your friends and family in a trance from Limbaugh, Fox News et al?

[FormerRepukeR]

113. I'm still working on some issues

the problem is that it wasn't so much about the dark, or actually finding the light switch, it's that I never wanted to look for it.

[Beachnutt]

6. Welcome back to reality, sure hope many follow you

[Piasladic]

7. okay, I'm not going to believe you until

you tell me your favorite dessert, AND give me the recipe.

[FormerRepukeR]

22. Anything with sugar in it

[Piasladic]

25. okay... favorite dessert

sugar...
ingredients:sugar.

Checks out. Welcome

[FormerRepukeR]

40. alcohol can be a desert, right?

[Piasladic]

42. I've heard it said

that a steady diet of booze is a nutritional desert, but the sugars in vodka have definitely contributed to my plumpness.

[Lucky Luciano]

61. I usually order sweet Riesling, moscato, or some other dessert wine for dessert!

[Piasladic]

74. dessert wine is...

too foul for words

[pjpossum]

89. Years ago I felt the same way.

Then I started discovering good "dessert" wines. A good Ice Wine from Canada, a good Sauterne, a botrytized late-harvest wine, or even a good Port.

[hlthe2b]

8. Good on you.

I grew up decades ago in a big Republican family, but old-school Republicans. While most of those aunts and uncles (and my own parents) passed on before the overwhelming effects of Fox News, I try to convince myself that they would not have been taken for dupes and followed RW media (and the rise of Trumpism) off a cliff. Honestly, I'm not certain. Many documentaries and articles have been written about families that "lost" a member to RW media (and now, of course, Trumpism), but still I like to think they'd be the exceptions.


I do still have some conservative cousins, but they are both free-thinkers, well educated, and NEVER bought into the Trump cult (thankfully).


Welcome and congrats to you.

[SergeStorms]

41. Same here.

My entire family, and I'm talking generations back, have all been republicans. My father was an elected state judge, (R) of course.

Of course I grew up in the 50s and 60s, and it's never been my nature to follow anyone or anything blindly. It should surprise no one that my vocation for over 40 years was research.

No one should ever do anything without doing their own objective research.

[pansypoo53219]

55. luckily i am from a mixed marriage + the publican side is not all fux gnews

infused. shit went off the rails in 1980 + the rise of newt + then am hate raydeo. + the limbaughs.
i am my socialist grandpa's kid. other grandpa a good republican. he may have done what you did after the moron's speech to the boy scouts OR the pussy grabbing.

[blm]

10. Actually don't like the term repuke

republicans need to hear their criminal acts and insane words attached to the word republican.

[Skittles]

21. please stop capitalizing republican

they do NOT deserve it

[FormerRepukeR]

23. Trust me, they don't like it anymore than you do

[blm]

27. I don't think you understand

that I want the word republcan to be even more reviled. They earned it.

[FormerRepukeR]

37. I understand now and thank you, but

I'm not changing my user name. I hate the word republican. I'd rather say fuck fuck fuck than republican

sorry

[blm]

48. Oh, I don't care about your username

I just want republicans and their party to get what misery they deserve. Every bit of it.

[pansypoo53219]

59. the GOP does not deserve the word republican. i call them publicans til i find something better.

maybe just the seditious party.

[pjpossum]

91. I often say republiCON

[monkeyman1]

45. two sides to a coin . not all republicans are bad . just one's want money & power !

join the club & help get rid of the Russian infiltrator's .

[louslobbs]

12. This is good news.

Welcome to reality, to honesty, and integrity. Welcome to a place where Democracy and the rule of law are cherished and respected. Welcome to Democratic governance rather than fascistic rule. Welcome to science and critical thinking rather than “I read on Facebook” or “I heard on the Internet.” Welcome to Democracy rather than oligarchy/kakistocracy/christofascist rule. Welcome to governance for all the people rather than a power and money grab for the few. Welcome to love and hope rather than fear and hatred. Welcome!

[Upthevibe]

15. FormerRepukeR....

Welcome to DU.....

When did you realize that things had gone off the rails in Repug. world? Was it a lot of things adding up and there was a final straw? Were you ever a dt (that how I refer to tfg-the former guy) supporter?

I'm just curious how the transformation happened for you. Of course I'm hoping that a notable number of our fellow citizens join you..

[Scrivener7]

18. This is a really good question. It might help in conversations with my republiQan relatives.

[FormerRepukeR]

24. I posted this earlier, but I'm more than happy to post it again...

...the ironic part is that it's this Covid thing that changed me.

I'm retired, and I've had a lot of free time lately because of Covid.

I've spent a lot of time doing research on UFOs and Sasquatch, and I consider myself pretty damn good at it. My goal was to try to find holes in the reports, but there are some that are very puzzling, and that's all I'll say about that.

Anyway, because of some of my successes in researching those myths, I figured finding evidence to prove the repukes right would be easy.

That never happened. There's nothing out there except bullshit and willful misinterpretation.

Hell, some UFO encounters have more validity then their crap.

But, the thing that floored me --to my very soul-- was when I figured out that the only ones telling the fucking truth were you democrats, and then they started openly going after the children. It's like a Stephen King novel going on live right in front of us, but you want to know what the really scary part is?

The real scary part is that it took me so fucking long to figure it out.

[alwaysinasnit]

29. Thank you, and welcome to DU.

[pansypoo53219]

60. same for tinkle down ekonomikks, but they keep trying.

[UpInArms]

16. Welcome

and, I do so hope that you bring many others with you …

I am so sorry that you have had to crash your entire belief system to save your life


That is quite painful … hang in there and know it will become easier to breathe

[FormerRepukeR]

34. That's my goal, but

I can't just go in there and tell them they're all wrong, even if I can prove it. You can't talk to those people. I love them, but damn it.

The only one that might listen to me is my sister.

She's the shy, quiet type, and I really don't want to put anymore out there about that.

Sorry

[Anon-C]

26. If I had a coin to give!

[Enter stage left]

28. Welcome to the "light" side...

which happens to be the left side.

[littlemissmartypants]

30. Welcome to DU, FormerRepukeR. nt

[Xipe Totec]

31. As a Jerry Ford Republican, I say Welcome

That was the last Republican I actually liked.

[Cracklin Charlie]

32. Good intro!

Welcome to DU!

Keep your eyes open, and you’ll be fine.

[FakeNoose]

33. Welcome to DU, and thanks for your honesty

I'm enjoying reading these posts.

[SergeStorms]

35. Welcome.

We welcome all, especially converts. Its never too late to see the light.

[PatrickforB]

36. Well, Democrats aren't perfect in the sense that we are human, and are subject to

all of those various follies that humans can fall prey to.

But here's the thing that I believe differentiates the Democrats from the Republicans.

A Republican does not care at all about governing. They merely want to win elections so they can enforce policies that transfer more and more money from the public treasury into private pockets. So their power strategy is to obstruct everything, then sit back and blame the Democrats and so win elections. The Tea Party, well-funded by the Koch brothers, did a brilliant job of taking over the local and state Republican party apparatus.

A Democrat will get elected and actually try and govern us. They will even try, like Biden, to reach across the aisle to get things done.

Democrats are about policy. Republicans about power.

Ah, but you know this already - you have been drawn to the light side of the Force. The side where we hold the interests of the people over profits, and the welfare of the republic over power.

[keithbvadu2]

39. Trump never wanted to lead or govern. He always wanted to rule.

[blm]

49. ✔️

[Moebym]

38. I'm a longtime lurker here, but anyway...welcome to DU

Glad to see you here.

[Karadeniz]

44. Thanks for the intro. One change of heart is welcome news!

[FormerRepukeR]

46. THANK YOU everyone for

your kindness.

Even the ones who are suspicious.

[niyad]

47. Welcome to our DU family. It is never too late to see the light. And it takes a bit of

courage to admit one has been mistaken for 60 years. But this is safe haven. Look around, plenty of groups, not just political. This place has been my home, officially, for 18 years, and quite some time before that unofficially. Simply the best.

[Blue Owl]

53. I'm from a Repuke family

And was one of “them” until my early 20’s in college, where I started to think for myself. The more I learned, the more I realized I identified with Democratic policies, platforms, and candidates.

So long, GOP! I’ve never looked back or regretted my choice for one second.

[Kahuna]

56. Calling yourself a "repuke?"

I love it!

[gab13by13]

57. Welcome to DU

I live among them in rural Pa. and you are right, I won't even try to convert them, just take a few jabs at them now and then.

Saul used to be a bad dude back in the day, but then he became Paul.

[Susan Calvin]

58. If I may ask, and you do seem to invite questions,

What in the hell took you so long?

The Republican party has been effed-up ever since they decided that winning was the only goal. I believe that started with the Powell memo.

[FormerRepukeR]

65. That's a good question

I more or less went along to get along. Since all my friends and family were full of crap, I ended up being crappy too.

This not an excuse, not by a long shot, but one thing I never did was question any of it, but (I posted the following earlier) the ironic part is that it's this Covid thing that changed me.

I'm retired, and I've had a lot of free time lately because of Covid.

I've spent a lot of time doing research on UFOs and Sasquatch, and I consider myself pretty damn good at it. My goal was to try to find holes in the reports, but there are some that are very puzzling, and that's all I'll say about that.

Anyway, because of some of my successes in researching those myths, I figured finding evidence to prove the repukes right would be easy.

That never happened. There's nothing out there except bullshit and willfull misinterpretation.

Hell, some UFO encounters have more validity then their crap.

But, the thing that floored me --to my very soul-- was when I figured out that the only ones telling the fucking truth were you democrats, and then they started openly going after the children. It's like a Stephen King novel going on live right in front of us, but you want to know what the really scary part is?

The real scary part is that it took me so fucking long to figure it out.

[orleans]

102. "then they started openly going after the children."

are you talking about covid and their insistence that kids go into schools without masks?

or are you talking about the kids in cages and taking babies away from parents and not getting enough info so that the infants/children could eventually be reunited with their parents?

or are you talking about school shootings and the fact that even little kids have to do active shooter drills and imagine what it would be like to never see their moms again because someone is coming into the school to murder them so republicans can get their rocks off (freedumb!) by blathering the words "second amendment" which includes weapons of war to anyone who wants one because fuck those little kids and they were probably all crisis actors at sandy hook anyway?

whichever situation you were referring to--the really scary part is NOT that it took you "so fucking long to figure it out." that is just shameful, willful ignorance on your part.

the really scary part is that you and your republican pals have BEEN "openly going after the children" for YEARS.

[FormerRepukeR]

103. killing kids with Covid, and

you're right, we have, but I never thought about it the way I think about it now.

Never bothered to look that shit up before or even cared.

As far as I was concerned, Sandy Hook or Columbine was too far away to really concern me.

It's so much different when you actually see kids in the hospital, you know.

Like I said, I was an asshole, and I don't blame you for hating me.

[orleans]

105. "I don't blame you for hating me"

good.

(obviously i'm not a fan of kumbayas)

[FormerRepukeR]

112. I consider it payback for my hating you Dems

it doesn't feel good at all

[George II]

118. "You Dems"?

[lapucelle]

131. The OP says "I'm still registered as a repuke" so he's registered Republican who "never votes".

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1018&pid=1545946

So I guess he's a frequent visitor, who is still a registered Republican, but who doesn't vote, and who thinks that some members in our community

just like to complain and make trouble

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10181545644#post127


And we are all forewarned in the OP

WARNING: Since I still have to deal with friends and family who are still insanely stupid (except my sister), I will not put up with someone who thinks too much like them (i.e. lack of critical thinking skills etc). I'm sick and tired of it, and I WILL PUT YOU ON IGNORE. I don't need any more of that shit.

Time to employ critical thinking skills...

[George II]

142. I used to tell my brother who complained all the time about the government but never voted...

..."unless you participate in the process you have no say in how it works."

He was a republican. Finally, after 4 years of baby bush, he registered as a Democrat and has been voting Democratic ever since.

It's how it works.

[lapucelle]

143. I've been employing my critical thinking skills,

and I still can't figure out exactly how this works if one is a non-voter.

I'm still registered as a repuke, but that's only because it allows me to fuck with them live and in person

https://www.democraticunderground.com/~FormerRepukeR

[Warpy]

62. My dad's last vote was in 2004, and it was for Kerry.

The last time he voted for a Democrat was Adlai Stevenson in 1952. I think he had you beat.

Robert Reich put a video out saying the whole rule book has changed, and I think he's right. It isn't conservative/liberal or right/left any more. It's authoritarian dictatorship/democracy and we can't afford to ignore that any longer.

The ultra rich would prefer authoritarianism, of course. We have to find the way to tell them no.

[3catwoman3]

66. Welcome aboard!

If the scales fell from your eyes, maybe there is hope that more can fall from more eyes.

I look forward to hearing more from you.

[Mr. Scorpio]

69. Frankly, I could never understand the appeal of being a Republican

What was the attraction for you for so very long, given how much the party rapidly devolved during and after Nixon?

[FormerRepukeR]

97. I thought you folks wanted to turn America into another Russia

that is until I actually looked up what socialism really is, and it's nothing like Russia or China.

There type is more like authoritarianism than socialism.

If I'm wrong, please correct me.

[lapucelle]

155. For the trip home.

[PurgedVoter]

70. Welcome to the real world. :)

While your mind is opening let me share my guide.
Compassion is the clue. If a leader does not have compassion, then it does not matter what else he has, he will not help you, the majority or anyone who is not paying for that help.

A soldier in the lines, as hard as he may be is showing compassion. An honest cop, the same.

When a Republican or Conservative says "bleeding-heart liberal" it means two distinct things that go together well. Bleeding heart means compassionate. Liberal if you drill down ends up meaning tolerant of other races or to put it more simple, thinking other races are humans who deserve positive outcomes.

Since you have come from the other side, maybe you can answer this question. What are the Conservative Values we have long heard about? (Right to Life absolutely doesn't count, since there has never been a Conservative movement to pay for quality prenatal care or anything else to help that life be nourished, healthy and have a positive outcome.) (Fiscal Conservative and Strong against Crime also don't count since once again, they never keep their side of these issues. Conservative judges forgive rich white rapists, and Conservatives always put the nation in greater debt.)
I cannot name one Conservative Value that does not translate to lack of understanding, greed, hatred or lack of compassion.

Lastly, while you are still there and able to remember the path out of the labyrinth of ignorance and hatred, please help as many as you can to see the same road. I don't know if you can do it, but if you save even one, you will have earned your redemption.

[FormerRepukeR]

108. I'm noy going to go into all of my current beliefs, bacause I'm still working them out.

Being pro-life is one that I now find very confusing.

How can you be pro-life and also be for the death penalty?

Something's off there.

[Susan Calvin]

150. Short answer, you can't

Not without seriously deluding oneself. Of course, the Republicans that I have observed are only pro-life until the baby is born. After that they could care less. In my opinion being anti-choice is a control thing, not a moral thing.

[Tiger8]

71. Congrats on your escape!!

You like critical thinking skills and looks like you used yours.

Hopefully, enough Republican voters will use theirs in the next elections. But Repugs have a sophisticated brainwashing system going on, so I'm not sure how much....but glad that you escaped. Welcome home, FormerRepukeR.

[JHB]

72. Welcome to DU, and hooray for busting out of The Bubble.

We need more people like you. I'll admit I maintain a chip on my shoulder about some "former Republicans", but those are all people who spent their careers as track-layers, engineers, and conductors on the crazy train, and got paid well for "knowing the real deal" about Republicans when now they've been caught flat-footed and pretend all the nuttiness started around 2015.

Regular people who jump off the crazy train, we can work with.

[FormerRepukeR]

101. You know, I used to hate your damn cartoons, but

something weird happened on the way to grandma's house, and now I think they're hilarious.

I even printed one out at the library (damn socialist institutions) and taped it to my fridge.

My brother came over last week, and it disappeared.

I found it in the trash, and of course, I taped it back up for an encore appearance.

He's coming over tomorrow, and I can't wait to see what happens.

[JHB]

165. Curious as to what happened

I grew up in a conservative family, but had a sense of "fair" that could sort out where the "life's not fair" maxim was appropriate and where it wasn't.

I don't know how it played out with you, but with my relatives it would be "My house. My stuff. We can set politics aside when we get together, but if you mess with my stuff, you've messed with ME." Most on my end seem to understand those parameters, and those that don't are the ones on the periphery (only see them about every 10 years or so).l

[CanonRay]

73. Welcome

It's quite refreshing to my soul to read your words

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

76. Welcome to the Democrat party.

[JHB]

78. ic

Democratic Party

[Ka-Dinh Oy]

80. Oops, sorry. Been a long day.

Me bad

[I_UndergroundPanther]

77. Hi

glad you go out of that sociopath psychotic party. Welcome to the Dem side,hope you like it here.

[zuul]

81. Glad you saw the light.

How did you get past the racism and xenophobia of the Republican Party? It seems to be one of their core principles.

They NEVER stand with black and brown people and ALWAYS belittle and attack them. They hate immigrants and the LGBQT community. They think women are second class citizens. They constantly try to stop these folks from voting. How did you rationalize that?

The Charlottesville Nazi March with tikki torches? The failure to oust their members revealed to be pedophiles? The mocking of women who have been raped? Those would have been deal breakers for me.

[FormerRepukeR]

93. the racism is rampant, but it's not called racism

it's actually disguised as complaining about the fact that the negro gets better treatment than them, free money from the government, free passes into the best schools, and it's not fair to them.*

In other words, reverse racism, and what can I say. I believed all of that and more, except for the "fact" that Dems drank the blood of young children. I'd done enough research in unexplained phenomena to smell that one from a mile away. I couldn't figure out how you guys were pulling that one off, and some people even believed that ALL Democrats do that.

WTF!

It's just too bad I never turned that kind of scrutiny on myself, like Jodie Foster said in the Silence of the Lambs.



*Of course they expressed it witha much more colorful language than I used.

[zuul]

95. Wait, Democrats don't drink the blood of young children?

Damn you guys, why didn’t anyone tell me?

[FormerRepukeR]

99. I don't know what you're talking about

maybe John Wayne Gacy did, but I honestly don't think he was a real democrat, at least not anymore.

[summer_in_TX]

84. Delighted to have you here!

It does the heart good to see someone escape the clutches of group think and conspiracy theory.

I just spent six days vacationing with my sons and their families. Avid anti-vaxxers both. Hard to understand, as bright as all of them are, and with liberal activist parents and grandparents.

They seem to have been profoundly changed by 9/11 and looking for answers fell into the 9/11 Truth movement. Lost in conspiracy theories now.

But they are good dads, loving sons, hard working and generous. I keep hoping they'll wake up like you did. They are not wary about conspiracy websites or the algorithms that are leading them down these wormholes.

We mostly don't talk about it, because we want the bonds of love to stay strong. And we have 10 wonderful grandchildren ages 1 to 13 that would be affected by a rift in the relationship. I enjoyed the time at the coast with kids and grandkids, while at the same time mourning their distance. Sad.

Your story gives me hope though. Sixty years is a long time! I'll keep holding out hope for them then.

[mountain grammy]

85. Happy you made the switch. Good move.

Welcome to reality. It may not be pretty but it's real.

[aggiesal]

86. Congrats and welcome aboard and to DU ...

One question, what event caused you to cross this bridge?

Again, welcome!

[FormerRepukeR]

94. they openly are trying to kill children

I posted this earlier, but this thread is getting long, and I don't blame you for not seeing it:

the ironic part is that it's this Covid thing that changed me.

I'm retired, and I've had a lot of free time lately because of Covid.

I've spent a lot of time doing research on UFOs and Sasquatch, and I consider myself pretty damn good at it. My goal was to try to find holes in the reports, but there are some that are very puzzling, and that's all I'll say about that.

Anyway, because of some of my successes in researching those myths, I figured finding evidence to prove the repukes were right would be easy.

That never happened. There's nothing out there except bullshit and willfull misinterpretation.

Hell, some UFO encounters have more validity then their crap.

But, the thing that floored me --to my very soul-- was when I figured out that the only ones telling the fucking truth were you democrats, and then they started openly going after the children. It's like a Stephen King novel going on live right in front of us, but you want to know what the really scary part is?

The real scary part is that it took me so fucking long to figure it out.

[aggiesal]

98. Thank you for sharing your story. Welcome! n/t

[Native]

88. Wow, you found your way out of the rabbit hole all on your own. Impressive. Welcome!

[ShazamIam]

92. Welcome to DU and the Party. I admire Schwarzenegger, He was a good Gov, pro-bus but not anti-labor

and wanted health care for all and worked on plans for it.

[mrsadm]

110. You mentioned "critical thinking" and that is a concept I value so highly

that I commend you for it.

[Ptah]

135. Enjoy your time here.

[Ptah]

141. Hmm.

Your user name says you are a former republican.
Your words say you are still a republican.

Which is it?

[Ptah]

146. Which is it?

Your user name says you are a former republican.
Your words say you are still a republican.

[Hortensis]

151. Oh, I don't know. That the poster believes critical thinking is desirable,

instead of a tool of Satan, and is irritated by its absence in political posts is at least a clue that he's not a typical Republican.

And registration? We all can name people hostile to the Democratic Party who are registered, and even run, as Democrats but encourage voting to harm it. Registration can mean anything or nothing.

[Ptah]

152. That poster has been escorted off the property.

[Hortensis]

153. Maybe that's good, but maybe he was just too honest for

this period of anxiety and mindless angry reaction and rejection. I didn't check his other posts to try to guess, but I didn't mind a broadening of the viewpoint in this one.

[Scrivener7]

158. I might have instigated the conversation that led to his pizza-ing, and I didn't mean to do that.

His point of view really was interesting. His conversation was peppered with comments that showed that so many things that we think are hyperbole or apocryphal about how republiQans view Democrats are actually how they see us.

Also, his answer to why did people vote for TFG went no deeper than "He takes no shit." First of all, that totally isn't true, and secondly who cares if he takes shit or not when we want him to administer the government. But I am more convinced after talking to our visitor that their reasoning goes no deeper than that. No deeper than "He was a character on a TV show who took no shit, and I like that."

It was enlightening. I have about a dozen more questions to ask him.

[mrsadm]

159. I don't know why my post generated all this discussion (the response was removed)

but I was just trying to be positive.

[Scrivener7]

160. I don't think anyone, including the short term visitor, thought differently. But he had such a very

strange point of view, and as it dribbled out it became more and more clear that he was not eligible to post because he didn't adhere to the terms of service. If you're going to post here, you have to vote for Democrats.

That being said, I wish we could have had him around a bit longer to pick his brain. It was interesting.

[Hortensis]

161. More enlightening feedback would have been a good thing.

Too many don't know squat about what motivates trumpists and other conservatives, but of course everyone needs to conform to the TOS.

[Scrivener7]

162. And, if our visitor is to be believed - and I do believe him - what motivates them is so

silly and shallow that we've always thought there must be more than there was.

It is so shocking, the things we have learned about our countrymen and women. They really are infantile morons. It has been so disappointing. But enlightening.

[Hortensis]

163. Well, psychologists and others who've studied them

can go on for long rows of library stacks, and have. What we've learned about our countrymen and women shocked me, and I'd read about what authoritarians were capable of before, just wouldn't have thought SO MANY were a few bad leaders from abandoning all their claimed values and becoming genuinely dangerous to themselves and others.

To be fair, we've also learned that about some on the left, mercifully far fewer and less viciously aggressive than on the right, but dreadfully capable of augmenting the danger from the right. If only we could douse radicalization with pacifiers and musical mobiles.

[mrsadm]

164. Good discussion all!

[vercetti2021]

114. 🙂

[FormerRepukeR]

115. I'm sorry for not answering all your post personally.

too many and I'm tired, but do know that I still appreciate your kindness and understanding. Even those who don't understand, because I do understand why you feel the way you do.

[thucythucy]

121. Not to worry.

And welcome to DU!

You probably know this already, but there are lots of forums and not all of them are entirely political.

One of my favorites is "Music Appreciation" in the Entertainment groiup. Over the years I've been turned on to lots of good music--old and new--that I wouldn't otherwise have ever heard.

Anyway, I'm glad to have you aboard, and best wishes.

[lapucelle]

154. ...

[Scrivener7]

116. Let's talk about The Former Guy. Did you vote for him? I'm asking because I want

to try to understand why my brother, a moderately intelligent person, voted for him.

Did most of the people you know who voted for him understand that he was a crook and a fake, and just a really stupid and vapid man? I have long wondered if their loyalty to him came from an enormous cynicism.

Or did they really fall for his nonsense? If so, do you have any insights about how that is possible? How were people convinced to vote for a person who was so obviously out for a grift and so obviously psychologically and mentally damaged?

And PS, welcome. Though the cracking open of my mind happened at a much younger age, I do remember it as a time of scales falling from my eyes because once one goes, the others follow pretty quickly. (By the way, that's what woke means. And those who deride it don't seem to understand that it was described in the Bible.) The process is very disorienting, but also freeing and calming. You no longer have to constantly convince yourself that conflicting things are true. It's a much happier way to be

[Scrivener7]

123. Will you vote in the future?

[Scrivener7]

126. Well, get back to us when you know.

Till you vote Democratic, or at least decide to do so,you have no grounds to say you have left the republiQan party.

[Scrivener7]

140. So you could. But if you aren't going to vote Democratic, no offense, but why should we care?

What difference does it make?

If you have had an awakening of your convictions, why would you not vote to enact those convictions?

[Scrivener7]

147. I don't understand your comment. Death will keep you from voting in November?

[lapucelle]

117. Interesting avatar...

... have a treat.

[panader0]

125. You'll find that not everything among Democrats is hearts and flowers.

There are some major conflicts in the party and also here at DU. Progressives versus moderates, etc.
But give it a shot. I discovered this place 16 years ago and it has enriched my life with knowledge and humor.
As mentioned above, there are a multitude of forums here, music, art, gardening, books, etc.
Enjoy yourself. Use the spell checker.

[Piasladic]

134. Can't you sleep?

Go dry for a few weeks. You'll feel better.

[llashram]

138. +

[ironflange]

139. Congratulations on your epiphany

[Scrivener7]

156. Who booted him?? That was just getting interesting!