Ask Auntie Pinko
June 27, 2002

Dear Auntie Pinko,

I have a friend who is Republican - believes everything Rush has to say, keeps a photo of W in her house. My question is - keeping in mind she is politically and historically na�ve - what's the best concise and powerful statement that might get her thinking? Without insulting her of course.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Deb,
Davisville, RI

Dear Deb,

You're on the right track. I don't know how much help Auntie Pinko can be, but I'll certainly try. Your instincts are good - insulting your friend is certainly counterproductive, and sometimes it's very difficult to present information that is contradictory to a person's world view without seeming insulting. You also mention "concise" and "powerful," which are good qualities, but the main one you need to look for is simple.

Not simple-minded. An attraction to simplistic political philosophies is not necessarily connected with deficient intellect, and to assume that all Mr. Limbaugh's listeners lack intelligence is both na�ve and counter-productive. Auntie Pinko knows several very bright people, high achievers in their fields, who find rigid moral dualism both credible and soothing as a political analysis tool.

And therein lies the crux of your challenge, Deb. The enormous appeal of the ultra-conservative political agenda is its simplicity. It frees people from having to deal with complex human realities, with the messy baggage that comes from aspiring to ensure the common welfare, with the inherent paradoxes that arise from the assumptions of equality and equity. Auntie Pinko wouldn't mind a piece of that action herself, on some days.

Fortunately there is hope. If your friend is otherwise intelligent, then somewhere in her life she probably regularly exercises an ability to think critically, evaluate and analyze information, understand contradictions and paradoxes, and reconcile herself to the complexities they produce. It will help considerably if you know where she applies these skills.

It will also help if you know something about her personal priorities and the circumstances of her life that are most likely to be affected by the implementation of an ultra right-wing agenda. What does she expect to gain from it? What are her fears if progressive policies once again become a factor in shaping American domestic or foreign policy?

If you can put your finger on these things, you can probably find a place where the toxicity of some aspect of the ultra right-wing agenda can be clearly and simply revealed in a way that might provoke her critical thinking faculties. As an example, a friend of Auntie Pinko's who works in the drug and alcohol rehabilitation industry (and is an appreciative listener to Mr. Limbaugh's show) has been feeling an increasing dissonance between what she knows is good public policy to reduce the effects of addictive disease on society, and the ultra right-wing agendas in the health care field and the "drug war."

Auntie tries not to be too obvious or confrontative about underlining these dissonances. She knows I don't share her views, and I don't pretend to be non-partisan when commenting on these issues. But I think I'm having some small effect. It's not an "instant" process, but it's always worthwhile. If you can get them asking questions, you know you're on your way. Keep up the good work, Deb, and thanks for asking Auntie Pinko!

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