They'll believe just about anything except the truth

[MissMillie]

A friend of mine told me yesterday...

"You won't believe what's happening right now in Virginia. Law enforcement is going door-to-door confiscating guns from law-abiding citizens!"

I said that I found that hard to believe. I asked him, "Literally--right now as we are talking to each other, police are knocking on doors and taking people's guns?" He said yes. "The Democrats passed a law down there, and people can't have guns anymore!"

Someone had sent him some podcast of some alarmist who was railing against the PROPOSED gun reform laws.

First of all, the laws haven't been passed yet.

Second of all, every single one of the measures in the PROPOSED law has been held up (at one time or another) by the Supreme Court.

Third of all, none of the measures call for the confiscation of guns.

Fourth--no guns have been confiscated.


The politics of fear in action. And because they feel like they're being victimized, they don't bother to check the veracity of the claims.

[lame54]

1. Often when I hear...

Trump did this or that

I still balk and think that having seen what he has done and this newest thing could be - as outrageous as it sounds - true

I still need confirmation before repeating it

[FiveGoodMen]

2. Fifth: There's something wrong with those who can't live without guns.

[BuffaloJackalope]

25. +1

[maxsolomon]

3. Hand him your phone or laptop

and say "show me".

He won't. Because he can't.

https://www.nbc12.com/2020/01/09/no-virginia-governors-budget-doesnt-fund-an-officer-gun-confiscation-squad/

[MissMillie]

6. He did show me the podcast

But he couldn't show me anything that backed up the alarmist nut-job that was making the outrageous claims. I did how him some very recent news articles that indicated that no law had been passed yet, and that the reform measures involved background checks (oh the horror!!!) and registration of assault weapons (yikes!!!!).

[maxsolomon]

7. Oh, a PODCAST.

[MissMillie]

8. Yep

I thought I said that... maybe I didn't

Anyway, he's one of those that thinks Democrats are SO EVIL that if someone tells him the Dems are doing something bad, he just believes it without question.

[maxsolomon]

15. You did.

I guess you have to say "show me a second source".

[KY_EnviroGuy]

20. Better yet: "show me a legitimate professional source".

................

[maxsolomon]

24. well, then you get into a argument over legitimacy

because the RWNM has relentlessly attacked the legitimacy of professional journalism.

Facts have a well-known liberal bias.

[TheRickles]

10. So how did he respond to this updated information that you showed him? n/t

[MissMillie]

12. He said that

"registration leads to confiscation."

Fear on top of fear on top of fear. He doesn't even own a gun.

[soldierant]

26. "All roads lead to Rome."

Has he been to Rome?

"Leading to" is not the same as "going all the way."

(Not that I believe the premise - has the government confiscated your vehicle? Or your licensed dog or cat? But, even accepting the premise, it's flawed.)

[usaf-vet]

22. Goggle for gawd's sake. 3 minutes is all it took.

https://www.snopes.com/ap/2020/01/07/bloomberg-northam-push-back-on-gun-law-misinformation/

[maxsolomon]

23. That's how I found my link, too. Like the 1st result from a local paper.

Facts have a well-known Liberal bias.

[Mike 03]

4. His core supporters are emotionally invested in Trump in a way that's difficult for people of sound

mind to comprehend. They will believe anything that supports their underlying assumptions and disregard anything that undermines their confidence that they are right in their devotion to Trump. It's not rational, but it's happening here in the US.

[Ahpook]

27. It is hard to understand

I think its very easy or perhaps lazy to just go with the lies. When I started paying attention it practically gave me headaches to think about all of this. It was easier to shrug it off!

Now if I begin to accept what is happening I have to make a choice. Let it go or get off my ass and help do something about it.

I'm sure there are other parts of this equation. Trump and others like him know how to play on their fears and hatreds. I mean can you imagine being so terrified of every waking day your first thought is strapping a pistol on.

It is tragic!

[pwb]

5. You could have just said this is America.

.

[Cosmocat]

9. This shit did not start with 45

These people have allowed themselves to be programmed by DECADES of right wing bullshit.

45 just took the whip from the republic party and amped it up to a new and even crazier level.

But, people have been tweaked out like this my entire adult life - going back to the early 90s.

[Duppers]

14. Exactly! nt

[Mr.Bill]

11. What I always find to be fun is

to ask them to tell me about all the anti-gun laws Obama signed.

[MissMillie]

13. That's a great idea

I'll remember that one.

[paulkienitz]

16. the one Trumpie I regularly talk to definitely has some kind of systematic cognitive error

This guy seems to have a constant predisposition to see people as moved from outside by others, rather than ever acting independently. He ascribes everything to hidden forces rather than to personal impulse or choice. In short, he's in some sense paranoid. Before I started noticing this pattern of cognitive error (starting around 2011), he used to be a progressive. Now he's invested in believing Trumpian fantasies, and also has no sympathy for victims of brutality such as the kids in cages (which may have been true all along)... yet he remains anti-war.

[JohnnyRingo]

17. "Go get your guns" "I'll wait right here on your porch".

hahahaha Talk about the world's most dangerous job.

Some people should just get laughter in their face as a response.

[3Hotdogs]

18. --- and the result will be some poor bastid getting shot, ringing some asshole's doorbell

because he knew the bastid was a cop, there to take his guns, "over my dead body."

[Raster]

19. Most of those crackers would rather have their penises confiscated than their guns...

... oh wait, often one and the same.

[paleotn]

21. The politics of stupidity....

I gave up some time ago on those who believe and perpetuate such bullshit. I block them, unfriend them and don't associate with them anymore. Life is too short to suffer such morons. Just my $ 0.02 worth.

[Paladin]

28. Find better friends. Life's too short. (nt)

[packman]

29. Some people wrap themselves in a blanket of fear

Last edited Wed Jan 15, 2020, 12:24 PM - Edit history (1)

fear for their jobs, fear their security will be taken by others, fear their health will fail, fear that someone will take a bit of their lives away, etc. And that is what the Repukes are damn good at articulating and exploiting.

[Aussie105]

30. Meanwhile, in Australia and New Zealand:

We have taken guns out of the hands of civilians. Voluntarily. We thought it was a good idea.

Only weapons you will see are on police, Army and special weapons response teams. And locked up at gun clubs.

No 'open carry', no 'concealed carry' here, if you see some civilian with a gun out on the street, it's a Bad Guy. Makes life so much easier.

[Normanart]

31. Way too rational

When fear is your “go-to” emotion, rational thought is the enemy.

[Whiskeytide]

32. I have some friends cut from that same cloth. We...

... both need smarter friends.