General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDo Democrats need to be more confrontational with the liars and conspiracy theorists?
I would not recommend physical confrontation because I am not a violent or hateful person.
But, I do believe that we may need to be more confrontational with our verbal disagreements. They seem to be able to get a free ride with the wildest lies and conspiracy theories that can be imagined.
For example, they want people to believe that the Chinese slipped 40,000 "bamboo ballots" into the AZ election count? They want people to believe that the election was not transparent or legitimate. They want people to believe that against all evidence, Donald Trump won the last election. There were votes hidden under a table in the Georgia count.
All they do is talk crap and they never have any evidence to back it up.
They have shown that they have little respect for our democracy or the rule of law. They act like enemies of our country. And they have been getting away with it. They do not act like Americans.
They do not hesitate to lie. Most Americans are taken aback by their gall. Maybe it's time to show them a little "tough love"? Confront them at every opportunity? Otherwise, they tend to believe all the lies. They need to know that what they are being told is batshit crazy stuff.
Some will say that we are already being as confrontational as possible with this cult. I do not think that is true.
Paladin
(28,254 posts)TheRealNorth
(9,478 posts)Paladin
(28,254 posts)We're looking at the attempted destruction of our democracy by fascists. Our opponents aren't smart enough to appreciate ridicule, and we're long past the point where we can piss away time just amusing one another.
Celerity
(43,342 posts)North Shore Chicago
(3,315 posts)Smack 'em up side the head with truth.
RobertDevereaux
(1,857 posts)LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,585 posts)Tell them you don't have time for their shit; our country has real problems that need real adults to solve.
snowybirdie
(5,225 posts)before the last election. Finally called a relative a liar on FB. A super evangelical and right winger who posted falsehood after falsehood there. No more contact since then. I'm sorry to be estranged because of family ties, but not sorry to not being in contact with a crazy and stupid person. Life is too short.
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)The nice ones we need them to understand we do hold, not the fear-driven animosity too often overwhelming our smarts and better natures.
StarfishSaver
(18,486 posts)Confrontation works on sane, logical people. These people don't care about facts or logic and they thrive on confrontation, so they won't back down or acknowledge they're wrong. I don't see what good it would do.
gab13by13
(21,323 posts)just liars and conspiracy theorists, they are anti-democratic insurrectionists who want to overturn our democracy and replace it with autocracy.
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)They have cowed, bullied, persuaded etc. you and they are getting their way.
Life is, at best, a competition for them, at worst a war.
Does it change their minds...no. It does make sure they know we are aware and watching.
mnmoderatedem
(3,728 posts)the trump davidians have convinced themselves, among many other things, that trump is Mr Evangelical. If you convince yourself that trump is Mr Evangelical, then you will convince yourself of anything.
Absolutely anything.
MOMFUDSKI
(5,523 posts)BUT it keeps them out of your hair PERMANENTLY. Just had a used-to-be-a-neighbor guy drop in last week to discover he has gone trump nutty. I called him a trumper and added a few derogatory sentences and he kinda left in a hurry. GOOD. If enough get treated like lepers we might see change. Or maybe not . . .
Baitball Blogger
(46,703 posts)SmartVoter22
(639 posts)The liars must be held to account, in courts.
Sue them. Often and with extreme prejudice.
Delmette2.0
(4,164 posts)Firm, polite and ask for names and/or evidence.
Lettuce Be
(2,336 posts)belief -- in fact white hot, never gonna let it go belief. That person is beyond reason and is now a cult member. I won't engage.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)Do squirrels have climbing gears?
Is Trump a maniac?
no_hypocrisy
(46,092 posts)Instead of government officeholders, say the same thing happened in a courtroom with the lies, the obfuscations, the exaggerations, the vacation from logic, etc. A judge would sanction that attorney on various ethics violations. It just isn't allowed. And shit yeah, the adversarial counsel will certainly call out the other offending attorney on it. Otherwise, being silent is akin to helping your client lose.
uponit7771
(90,335 posts)... but part of MAGA Mindset is the dismissal of reality.
It would be more helpful to get those on board who believe MAGA is benign, its not
scarytomcat
(1,706 posts)the more we point them out.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)Answer is a resounding yes.