My wife's aunt, a Massachusetts liberal, is voting for *. Thanks, FoxNews!

[MallRat]

Yes, that's right.

My wife's aunt, a Harvard-educated, long-time liberal Jewish Democrat raised in Boston; a woman who couldn't find a single nice thing to say about Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan or George H.W. Bush; a woman who absolutely adored Bill Clinton and was infuriated by what the GOP-controlled Congress did to him; a woman who enthusiastically voted for Al Gore and seethed with anger at the injustices in Florida...

...is voting for George W. Bush this November. :wow:

My wife and I just found this out yesterday. The entire family is in a state of stunned disbelief. Having not discussed politics with her over the past couple of years, we truly did not realize how far gone she was.

She has quietly turned into a one-issue voter: Israel. While she was always been a strong supporter of Israel, her approach to dealing with Israel used to be very Clintonian: the United States acting as mediator and fair-dealer. Obviously, she was never a fan of Yassir Arafat, but she always preferred a long-term peaceful solution to military intervention and conquest to ensure Israel's security.

Not anymore.

Her new reasoning for supporting Bush:
1. George W. Bush is a strong supporter of Israel.
2. Democrats, such as John Kerry, who openly speak out against George W. Bush are endangering our troops, and by extension, are also endangering the United States and Israel.
3. Therefore, all Democrats are ANTI-ISRAEL.

There is only one explanation for her sudden change of heart: Fox News Channel.

In the wake of the Israeli military response to Palestinian terror bombings in early 2002, she got fed up with network coverage of Israeli-Palestinian issues. (IMHO, I do think some reporters were a bit overeager to charge Israel with war atrocities in Jenin. The UN later exonerated Israel on this.)

So, she did what any good American would do in her situation: instead of watching the news with a critical mind, she went to the network that told her what she wanted to hear.

When we'd visit her, sometimes we'd notice that she'd have Faux on in the kitchen, and we'd ask her, "Why are you watching this crap?" And she would say, "Because they don't bash Israel."

She doesn't differentiate between Israel and Sharon, the way my wife and I do. I've come to realize that you really can be pro-Israel and anti-Likud; it's no different than loving America but railing against the Republicans. But apparently, my wife's aunt can't separate the two.

So now, she has decided that anyone who says something bad about Sharon is an anti-semitic enemy of Israel. Anyone who speaks badly of President Bush, the very same man who she despised so bitterly 4 years ago, is jeopardizing Israel's security as well.

And according to my sister-in-law, my wife's aunt has also said that since President Bush got us started on this whole democratization-of-the-Middle-East thing, we should re-elect him and just let him "finish the job."

That last part absolutely frightened me. :scared:

I still can't believe it. This is an intelligent, critically-thinking woman. How can she not see that she's being manipulated?!?!

What the hell should we do about this? Should my wife and I strap her to a chair and make her watch "Outfoxed?" Is there some kind of deprogramming method I can use?

-MR

[Caution]

1. send her to Kerry's site

Show her his issue paper on Israel. Then sit her down with a copy of Outfoxed.

[emulatorloo]

12. Here's a strong second on that approach and here are the URLs

Outfoxed costs 10.00 for DVD or VHS:

http://www.outfoxed.org/

Get it soon before Fox stops it.

I guess this would be good place to start:

Remarks by Senator John Kerry at the Anti-Defamation League
As Prepared for Delivery

May 03, 2004
Washington, DC

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2004_0503.html

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. F9/11

[ElementaryPenguin]

26. Exactly. Buy her the ticket. MR - popcorn included. F9-11 will do the

trick! Try sending a few supplemental articles - like the ones re: Bush signing a directive authorizing torture - and how American soldiers have been fucking torturing Iraqi children in prisons! Hard to believe any "liberal" is going to accept incredible fascist shit like that! Good luck. Fortunately, she's in Mass. - but there are these types in swing states too. Sheesh!!

:puke:

[mstrsplinter326]

3. Wow, that's a downer. n/t

[Literate Tar Heel]

4. luckily

she'll be voting in a state that Bush has no chance in hell of winning

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. Ignorance comes in all forms

Just because someone is Harvard educated, that only means they can regurgitate information. She's obviously doing a good job of that regurgitation right now, except it's Fox's information.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

6. There is still plenty of time to gently introduce her to the truth

don't gang up on her, just ease into it.

[freetobegay]

7. "This is an intelligent, critically-thinking woman."

Appearently this statement is not true.

[Hippo_Tron]

42. That's what I was thinking

There is no way that I would've ever been admitted into Harvard and I know better than to trust the FAUX news channel.

[TriMetFan]

8. Repuks are good at

divide and conquer.

[atreides1]

9. You Have my Sympathies

Maybe your wife should suggest that her aunt move to Israel, that way she can show her total support from ground zero, not from a safe spot several thousands of miles away.

I guess I can understand why she likes Bush, she's standing up for Israel the same way George was protecting Texas and Alabama from an attack by the Vietnamese, from a distance in a safe place.

I apologize if this seems harsh.

[merh]

10. Does she use a computer?

Suggest she visit DU and read the various posts - she doesn't have to post, just read the different issues discussed here.

[Mari333]

11. Does she realize that Bush policies are based on

extremist "christian" reich (no they are not christians imho) ideas preached by Billy Graham and Rev LaHaye (Whackos) who want to "convert all the Jews to Christianity or send them all to Hell..?"
Might want to send her some websites to brush up on that
http://www.againstbombing.com/ArmageddonUpdates.htm

[elfwitch]

27. That is what I was going to say...

Clue her in on the Bush Cabal and PNAC desires to bring about Armageddon. They are just itching to being the end of times around at the very least to get rid of all the Jews or convert us.

There are plenty of places you can find references to how these Fundie so-called Xians think that they only way the second coming can happen is if they get all Jews back in Israel.

TELL HER! Find her links!

[Killarney]

13. I know someone, too

who is very intelligent. She's liberal, for gay marriage, pretty much against everything the Republicans try to pull. But she's voting for Bush because of one issue. Israel.

I don't get it.

[tandot]

14. Did she see Fahrenheit 9/11?

If you can get her to watch Outfoxed, do it.

This is horrible. "Anyone who speaks badly of President Bush...is jeopardizing Israel's security as well" ???

What has Bush done for the Middle-East peace since 2001? He pissed off more Muslims by invading Iraq. In that sense, he has made Israel less safe.

[Warpy]

15. Did you tell her WHY he supports Israel?

Shoot, do a frontal assault. Send her a couple of those Left Behind books outlining how Israel exists only to bring Armageddon, during which the Jews will either convert to Christianity or be destroyed.

That should bring her around.

[Ganja Ninja]

16. Let him "finish the job"!???

That's exactly what scares me most is that he'll finish the job and we'll all be bowing toward Mecca five times a day.

In Florida we have a law where you can have someone committed for 60 or 90 days if they are a danger to themselves. I'd say this qualifies. Maybe you can buy her a trip down just before the election and then call the police down here and claim she's threatening suicide. I know if she were in her right mind she would thank you.

[redqueen]

17. Ask her how Sharon's policies have made Israel safer.

Point out the similarity to Bush's policies making America less safe.

:shrug:

[tom_paine]

18. "Strap her to the chair" have her watch F911 and Outfoxed

It is always sad to see a fellow Jew blindly follow the Grandchildren of Hitler's Angel.

Jewish Nazis makes me itch.

Good luck in awakening her to the dangers of Herr Bushler*.

[MallRat]

29. I don't think she's beyond rescue.

My wife recently had a discussion with her about gay marriage, and she was unequivocally in favor of it.

I'm guessing she hasn't abandoned all of her liberal values (pro-choice, civil rights). I think they've just been shelved because Faux News has convinced her that Israel is in mortal danger and only * can save the Jews.

Maybe the family should stage an intervention? Is there a 12-step program? :-)

-MR

[tom_paine]

30. F911, Outfoxed -- steps #1 and #2

[Monte Carlo]

19. The GOP's sudden interest in Israel is very self-serving.

You have nutballs like Sen. Inhofe who basically thing Israel is going to bring around the second coming of Jesus and the end of the world. They want to keep Israel safe so God can judge them as non-believers later during the Day of Reckoning.

Besides, how is Israel suddenly in danger? It seems to me that it has faced much more hostility in the past, and the source of a lot of its troubles these days is Ariel Sharon himself.

[billybob537]

20. Give me her

address I'll take the PANTS ON FIRE mobile over there'

[The_Casual_Observer]

21. It sounds like this woman is all for kicking some Arab ass

at any cost. Though she is much to "educated" to say so. If this is the case, than chimp is her man and nothing is going to change her twisted mind.
"Finish the job" sheeeeesh.

[bigbillhaywood]

36. Yep.

[THUNDER HANDS]

22. logic does not apply to anything regarding Israel or the middle east

Logic and common sense don't exist over there, so there's no point in trying to expect it to extend across an ocean to people living here regarding that issue.

Like I said before, the more you study and get involved in Israel and Palestine the more insane you become day-by-day.

She's obviously had many days to think about this.

[DulceDecorum]

24. That is so damn true

that it hurts.

[fudge stripe cookays]

23. Show her the platform for the Republicans....

at least the one from Texas. They want to do away with the "myth" of separation of church and state, and officially define America as a "Christian nation." And I've heard mention that other states were starting to add crap like this too.

If this doesn't make her EXTREMELY nervous, then she's too far gone to help.

But I definitely second the notion of getting ahold of "Outfoxed", and dragging her ass kicking and screaming to F911.

Good luck, you'll need it!
FSC

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. Please, buy her a copy of "OUTFOXED"

and her eyes will be opened. Here's a link...http://www.outfoxed.org/?520=

After she watches that...take her to see F911.

[DS1]

28. Harvard educated is becoming meaningless fast. Take Shrub for

Exhibit A

[maggrwaggr]

31. buy her a one-way ticket to Tel Aviv

If she loves Israel so much she can fucking go live there

[elfwitch]

33. that is a bit off-sides

Just my dos pesos

[maggrwaggr]

34. Why? If Israel comes first, it should be her residence

this is the USA, not Israel.

What the fuck is she doing living here?

[elfwitch]

37. You obviously do not understand how important...

the Israel issue is to Jews, especially Orthodox and Conservative ones. I'm not saying she is any more right to vote poorly based on one issue than any other one issue voter is, but that one issue should not be enough to induce banishment.

If that were the case how about we banish one issue pro-life voters to someplace that completely bans abortion? Not that the idea doesn't sound good on some days, but really? This lady is obviously grievously misinformed right now (especially considering her very liberal past) and needs information not expulsion.

Your love it or leave it response makes you sound like one of those Freeper fucks.

[maggrwaggr]

43. I'll repeat. America is not Israel. If Israel is #1 to these people

what are they doing here?

They should move to Israel and be voting citizens of THAT country, not THIS country.

I'm sick and tired of my country kissing Israel's ass just for the rich-Jew campaign contributions.

One of the biggest problem facing the entire fucking WORLD today is the US unqualified support for people like Sharon and his genocidal inhumane policies.

And you think I should be UNDERSTANDING?

Fuck that. People who are THAT pro-Israel should move there and vote there and get involved THERE, not try to extort American politicians to support Israel.

[Hamlette]

32. I tried to raise this issue before here

It seems so many of my Jewish friends support Bush, people who are smart and life long liberals.

They tell me it's the war in Iraq. They don't watch Fox. They wanted Saddam gone and they couldn't do it themselves without world wide scorn. They were delighted when the US did it.

There was also the talk about the people at the top of PNAC all being Jewish. My Jewish friends would agree with PNAC because it comports with their interests to protect Israel.

Some of my friends have come back around and once again realize Bush is a turd who can't be trusted. But sometimes I wonder why. I'll try and find out but the discussions get emotional without a healthly exchange of ideas.

[bigbillhaywood]

35. Fuck her. Let her go. If she thinks the only thing that matters when

voting for President is who supports killing the most Arabs, then she's not a "liberal", she's a racist.

[BillZBubb]

38. No that's wrong, she's no liberal.

No liberal would vote for Bush*--PERIOD. She may have called herself liberal and even acted like a liberal in the past, but she is NOT A LIBERAL now. She's a moron.

[porphyrian]

39. Have Your Wife Smack The Shit Out Of Her

It might not work, but I'd feel better.

[JPJones]

40. PNAC make no secret about their objectives

Trouble is, Chalabi (what's his CIA nickname? Knuckleball?) lied to and double-crossed the PNACers, so you could argue that Israel is less safe.

[Norquist Nemesis]

41. Give her the reasoned argument that Bush pre-emptive actions

have made us less safe (undeniable) and thereby extension have made Israel less safe. The hatred toward us is growing all of the time because of Bush's arrogance and policies. The hatred of the Arab world is also increasing because of his "strong support" of Israel. This can be proven by looking at the news from the ME where they are reporting Israel is behind terrorist attacks.