Saturday, September 24, 2011

Why Can't They See........

A man I used to work with has kept in touch through e-mail for years, since our company closed down and moved everything to Mexico. Sounds very nice, doesn't he? His e-mails consist of right wing wacko propaganda because he knows I'm a liberal and he's a jerk. When he isn't trying, and succeeding, to annoy me with the latest Tea Party misinformation, the ones that end with the instruction, "forward this to everyone you know," he's sending me all kinds of quotes from scripture and other religious writings because, well, since I'm a Democrat, I must be an atheist, right?

I never try to set him straight about either religion or politics.  "I'm tolerant that way," I say while doing my little superior dance.

HOWEVER, last Friday, I got an e-mail I simply couldn't let go unchallenged. You may have received the same one, if you've somehow found your way onto the contact lists of any Republicans. Apparently, these e-mails are everywhere.

It claimed that Medicare would raise premiums an enormous amount in the next few years, and it blamed it all on President Obama's Healthcare plan.  It also contained a link to Snopes.com, so I would think Snopes found it to be the truth, and I wouldn't bother to check it for myself. Fat chance, Bucko!  Snopes says it is FALSE.

So, I replied to him that if he would open the link to Snopes, he would see that it had, once again debunked another outrageous claim by the Right Wing.  His reply?  "I don't believe Snopes."

Look, I'm older than dirt and this misguided cretin is even older. When he had to retire from the company, he got a few perks, as a middle manager, and his length of service allowed him a decent pension.  But, I know what his salary was and while he may have a fairly comfortable income when the pension is added to his Social Security, and I also know that company didn't make him rich.

So, why, why, why is he so determined to further the cause of a party that is working so diligently against his interests?  Why is he so blind? So hidebound? What's the matter with him, anyway?  And, with all of those like him?

It's a little scary to think just how wrongheaded these people are. They are like Lemmings, racing each other over the cliff, into the sea. And, they're trying to take the rest of us with them.

It's just so frustrating!

Stay tuned.

14 comments:

Margie's Musings said...

And unfortunately nothing you say will change his mind. They are just so sure of their rightness that they don't even investigate the facts.

You have the patience of Job. I would just block him on my e-mail. I would decide I don't need the aggravation. It's unhealthy.

Arkansas Patti said...

I feel your pain. My former boss started doing the same thing to me. Could not believe how hate filled and completely false his emails were. Finally when the email "joke" hinted at an assination of Obama, I wrote him back and told him to take me off his list.
The odd thing is that working for him, I never saw this side of him.

NitWit1 said...

Since I rarely comment on politics or specific religious topics, I can still say the letters on my DEL key are among the first to fade. I simply don't have time for tired old reruns.

By the way I did not get your mentioned e-mail, Or maybe I deleted it without reading. I have two bloggers that forward ever piece of drivel about every subject on earth, in the heavens and in hell ,,,,poor ole DEL key.

Denise said...

With the older folks I honestly think it's dementia and it only gets worse.

Unfortunately there are many in the 40's age group who think the same. I know a few who are contractors and lost their shirts a few years ago but this didn't seem to have an effect on their thinking.

marlu said...

Same thing happened to me and ended a friendship. Very sad. When I mentioned Snopes, the reply was that they (Snopes) are liberal so you can't believe them.
I have an acquaintance here who has a term for people who's ideas are so far out from normal thinking - nutburgers.

marlu

marlu said...

Spell check: whose (!)

Kell said...

I was just waiting for the conservatives to start claiming you couldn't believe Snopes because they were liberal. They hate being proved wrong, so they just pretend it's the other person.

Betty said...

Margie: I would love to just delete his emails when I see hem, but sometimes he has news of other people we worked with. He's my only source.

Patti: I never saw this side of him, either. That's because they're sneaky. And, they won't spread their lies to your face.

NitWit1: I'll get to the point where I'll delete him, too.

Auntie D: I don't think it's dementia, so much. It's that they live in an alternate reality.

Marlu: Nutburgers is a good description for them.

Kelley: It's that alternate reality thing. They just don't make the connection between truth and lies.

Peruby said...

Brainwashing is a scary, scary thing.

Margaret (Peggy or Peg too) said...

Okay here's the deal.
You can not match wits with those that are unarmed.

As Margie says you can never change his mind.
I hate the direction the right wing has taken. Boo'ing a gay solider who dares asks a question and then this awful behavior gets applause.

this topic gets me riled up and I could go on - but I won't. I would suggest blocking his emails.

oklhdan said...

I have a few people who insist on sending me that stuff also. But what I notice is I never get that kind of junk from my liberal friends.

Betty said...

Peruby: Indeed it is.

Margaret: What really upsets me is that no one, absolutely no one in the Republican Party has the guts to berate them.

oklhdan: Our liberal friends don't send vitriolic, hateful emails.

Dianne said...

the lemmings analogy is perfect Betty
and I wish they'd just all hold hands and go on their own

Joy Des Jardins said...

It boggles the mind why people choose believe this crap Betty. Isn't anyone interested in the REAL facts? I get the same kind of e-mails...I hate them and don't even bother to read most of them. Stupid.