Did I Cross The Line?

[Caliman73]

32. Lines are arbitrary in most cases.

There are some lines that may be recognized by many or most people, but it is very subjective. As you said in your post, they asked if you thought they were being brainwashed and you answered honestly. You have to ask yourself if there was more harm in giving your truthful opinion, or lying to them. Anyone would be indignant about having been called brainwashed. It takes a special person to really look at their own biases and actually seek out some kind of less biased way of assessing their beliefs.

I do have to agree somewhat with Moostache who was doubting that Trump supporters can be "good people". I can't say that I completely agree with the assessment, but it is difficult to say that someone who completely agrees with and supports Trump's agenda could be considered a "good" person. There are conservatives who are good people but hold misguided views on certain issues. We can all be that way. Trump however, is corrupt, amoral, and immoral. He is a horrible person and people who admire him for what he represents, are admiring a person who is vindictive, petty, crooked, and sadistic. You cannot separate the "man" from his acts. He is acting on his desires and beliefs. If a person has any ethical mooring, any anchoring in religious ideas, it would be difficult to say that Trump would meet the criteria of being a decent person who should be respected or admired. The fact that they do, means that they are either deluding themselves and not operating in reality, or that they support him, which would make them "not good people".

You have to decide if you crossed a line based on your relationship. I am sure they will also let you know based on how they respond (or don't). In my opinion, you did nothing wrong. If people are asking for your opinion as to whether they are brainwashed if they are watching Fox and other right wing media, then the honest answer is always, yes. Right wing media pushes ideology over tangible facts and actions. People who watch that media exclusively, or buy into the idea that "liberal media" is lying, are definitely bainwashed.