Reply #157: I live an insular life, I'm afraid

[tavalon]

I live in a hippy enclave and I socialize with polyamorists and GLBTers so I think you can guess how many Republicans are in that group. Though recently a new person showed up at the poly meeting, well, a new couple in this case and politics came up and it's really mostly like preaching to the choir but he was obviously a Bush Republican so rather than blasting him out of the water, I have to give my group great kudos for just letting him tell us why and it had to do with his business and how Bush helps business owners but his business has taken a bath since the gas price hike so he's wavering. We gently (Did I mention how proud I was of my group? I facilitate but rarely have to intervene) talked about the causes of the increase and the ways in which this current administration wasn't helping and how McCain wasn't planning to help either. I directed him towards The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein.

It occurs to me that I should make some spiffy CDs of some of the most damning stuff and give him a pile along with that book. I'm quite sure he knows a few Republicans when I know only him.

It was nice that he wrote me later and said that while politics can be so contentious, our group, while disagreeing with his point of view, listened politely and didn't fall all over themselves to explain where he was wrong. He said it gave him the space to figure those things out for himself. There may be hope yet for this guy.