I was just walking through ...

[calimary]

31. Well, looks like you just ruined some teabagger's day!

EXCELLENT!!! Let him stew in his wrongheadedness - and now start to wonder what else they might be lying to him about.

Although - I found that sometimes made no difference, unfortunately.

During the run-up to the Iraq War, I was having an argument with a friend of mine who was steadily revealing herself to be quite the knuckledragger. When I pointed out that not ONE of the fucking neocons had actually worn their country's uniform and saw combat, and that only rumsfeld had actually served, but BETWEEN wars when there was no hot action, so he never saw combat, either. My friend insisted I was wrong and that "oh YES. They served! cheney served." I said emphatically, "NO he didn't. FIVE deferments because he had 'Other Priorities' during Vietnam, while others less well-connected had to go and shed blood and lose arms and legs and eyesight and parts of their skulls." She remained emphatic in her illusions. Her brother-in-law said so, so it must be true!

But while we were arguing, another woman approached, friend of both of us. She spoke up - "calimary's right. cheney never served. Never." And my friend who was SO certain was stopped in her tracks. This big perplexed frown came over her face and she stammered - "well, I'm getting wrong information. I'm getting wrong information." I said - "YES, I'm afraid you are." And she went away, muttering.

I doubt I really made a dent. But when a SECOND person came up and verified what I'd said, that really threw her for a loop. Her husband was a developer, and the other woman's husband was a trust fund baby and they were all really well-off and they both knew the same people from their country club and they ran in the same circles together - circles I didn't run in, 'cause we weren't in the same peer group. I know it rattled her equilibrium for the rest of that day. Probably didn't change her mind about her support of the Iraq War, since you heard all the same cliches and talking points coming out of her mouth that you'd hear on any Pox Noise or limbaugh broadcast, or from her infernal brother-in-law, whoever the fuck he is.

Sometimes they're more comfortable clinging to their delusions. But when they're confronted like this, there's some uncertainty that starts to work in, blemishing the old image. Sometimes that's the best you can hope for. That they toss and turn a little more at night and are less sure of their footing, even while they still cling to the old lies and delusions. OCCASIONALLY you actually break through on one or two of them, if they're adult enough to be willing to consider another view or a different angle than the one they've been force-fed. So it's worth it to keep spreading the truth and debunking the lies.