General Discussion

Jedi Guy

(3,477 posts)

64. I'm not saying that McConnell, DeVos, and their fellow travelers are good people.

Mon Feb 3, 2020, 10:47 PM

Feb 2020

I am saying that if we simply write off every single Trump supporter and/or conservative as evil and irredeemable, that gets us nowhere. Telling someone they're a horrible person is not going to provoke thoughtful reflection on their beliefs. It's certainly not going to do anything at all to reverse the polarization of America, which is a very real problem.

CNN did a series a while back, the Divided States of America. I heartily recommend giving it a look. One of the things I remember from reading it was that some group or other did a study which showed that both sides vastly overestimate the extremity of their opposite numbers' ideology. Both sides have a preconceived notion of what the other side is like and what they believe, and the reality is somewhat different.

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New neighbor [View all] Phoenix61 Feb 2020 OP

Oh good,... a nice cup of tea companion. magicarpet Feb 2020 #1

More a nice bottle of wine companion. TeeHee nt Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #3

Well,... better yet,... have fun. magicarpet Feb 2020 #4

or a joint or two.... ;) getagrip_already Feb 2020 #29

The not knowing is the worst, I'm happy for you. dewsgirl Feb 2020 #2

OP saw that the neighbor is nice. Ergo, definitely not a Trumpet. lagomorph777 Feb 2020 #26

True...but I've met some real assholes on this side of dewsgirl Feb 2020 #33

Some Trump voters are simply voting R because that's how they've always voted. tblue37 Feb 2020 #39

Refusing to learn about political reality, then voting anyway, is immoral. lagomorph777 Feb 2020 #46

Yes, but there's a huge amount of hectoring that tells people it's their patriotic duty to vote, tblue37 Feb 2020 #47

Yeah, that is tragically dangerous. lagomorph777 Feb 2020 #48

I disagree, there are a lot of things I'd rather not know about acquaintances Warpy Feb 2020 #51

Well, that's certainly true. dewsgirl Feb 2020 #55

Yay! I have 3 coworkers that I know are true blue. tanyev Feb 2020 #5

I have lived in my court a few years marlakay Feb 2020 #6

Always afraid to test the waters with new people Freddie Feb 2020 #7

Yuck...Toomey Freedomofspeech Feb 2020 #24

In today's political climate that's a positively wonderful thing lunatica Feb 2020 #8

That support is weaker than it seems Tweedy Feb 2020 #11

Twilight Zone ideas Captain Zero Feb 2020 #52

AWESOME news! bluestarone Feb 2020 #9

We have republicans on both sided of us but two Democrats across the street. George II Feb 2020 #10

I am a Democratic Precinct Chair in Fort Worth Texas yellowdogintexas Feb 2020 #37

... Demovictory9 Feb 2020 #12

I live in Ohio very red area... RazBerryBeret Feb 2020 #13

Lucky you,I live in a red area of Ohio too. blueinredohio Feb 2020 #16

that's awesome! RazBerryBeret Feb 2020 #19

No I live in Williams county. In the north West between Indiana and Michigan. blueinredohio Feb 2020 #21

A car plastered all over with Trump bumper stickers is always parked at my son's school DeeDeeNY Feb 2020 #14

Good Lord!!! Karadeniz Feb 2020 #15

Boo AllyCat Feb 2020 #34

Yes DeeDeeNY Feb 2020 #36

I was in the "Standing By the Corner" store in WInslow AZ last year yellowdogintexas Feb 2020 #42

ha! I was up there last year, too! Kali Feb 2020 #50

Sadly we could always tell LakeArenal Feb 2020 #17

many of our candidates have free yard signs They raise money to get them yellowdogintexas Feb 2020 #43

You are lucky. That's a great neighbor to have. ooky Feb 2020 #18

I have a friend whose mother is a great Democrat but never puts up yard signs yellowdogintexas Feb 2020 #38

Also Republicans crimycarny Feb 2020 #20

So true. Scarsdale Feb 2020 #23

Tell her we said HI!! Talitha Feb 2020 #22

I told her all about the great DU and how it Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #44

Lucky you. Freedomofspeech Feb 2020 #25

This may be an unpopular opinion, but oh well... Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #27

I respectfully call bullshit on this post ProfessorPlum Feb 2020 #28

I deal with this when I talk with one of my sisters. We do not discuss yellowdogintexas Feb 2020 #40

I can't be friends with someone who thinks Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #30

The world isn't separated into good people and bad people. It just isn't that simple. Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #56

There's a huge difference between associate Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #58

I'm not saying that McConnell, DeVos, and their fellow travelers are good people. Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #64

The 30% who voted for him are irredeemable. Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #65

Yes their voters always have bad stuff to say about them ArizonaLib Feb 2020 #67

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I like to think redemption is always possible. Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #68

I'm banking on the 70% who aren't crazy. Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #69

When debate is futile... WheelWalker Feb 2020 #31

no Nature Man Feb 2020 #32

My sister is a wonderful, kind and hilariously witty person that I love dearly and will not yellowdogintexas Feb 2020 #41

I definitely get the family thing and even Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #45

Inferring 2+222 is another unpopular opinion, "but oh well..." LanternWaste Feb 2020 #49

Your little lectures are one of those experiences that make DU so much fun. :) N/T Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #53

Quite the opposite drray23 Feb 2020 #54

I didn't say you should befriend the local white supremacists. Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #57

Yes and I am. However Trump has completely coopted the GOP drray23 Feb 2020 #59

The GOP party apparatus has most definitely sold its soul to Trump, no argument there. Jedi Guy Feb 2020 #63

Yes! Rider3 Feb 2020 #35

My neighbor has a Trump flag on a 25 foot pole. n/t zackymilly Feb 2020 #60

Ewww... I'm so sorry. nt Phoenix61 Feb 2020 #61

Me too. zackymilly Feb 2020 #62

Found a new cousin on Ancestry mommymarine2003 Feb 2020 #66