What do you do?

[x-1013-x.livejournal.com]

Okay, so I became a supporter of Sarah Palin over on FaceBook. This morning, one of my "friends" felt the compulsion to comment on my action saying "dude you know i love you but sarah palin is a freaking nutcase." W...T...F? Why on earth do these people feel the need to personally police everything we do? Why can't people just leave it be? I know this friend didn't vote for Obama, which is good, buy why does she want to foster animosity between us by badgering Palin? I say nothing to her about her feelings toward anything remotely political. I just feel it was uncalled for. I simply said sorry, I wasn't going to discuss it with her, but is that the right thing? There is a fine line between sticking up for yourself and sounding as crazy as them, so how do you handle things like this? Is it time for us to start going medieval on them?

Comments

[x-1013-x.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I needed that. I think the thing that got me was the passive way she put it. "I love you but..." I HATE when people say things that way, hate it.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

I'm going to delete this comment because I made a better one, with links. That way anyone can copy/paste if they want.

[scarletwalk.livejournal.com]

This is what I do.

And yes, people DO try to change the topic when they realize that what they're saying is false information.

The Bush-bashing was bad enough, but I learned how to just deal with that insanity. Whenever I hear someone bash Sarah with false information and/or LIES, though, I really feel the need to defend my girl! Sarah Palin is my role model, so when I listen to the venom said about her, I take it personally.

[mockingbird39.livejournal.com]

You know, you can like Sarah Palin or not like Sarah Palin, but how on earth is she a "freaking nutcase"? That's what really gets me about politics today - meaningless insults are apparently sufficient to explain the average voter's position. Dubya is stupid, McCain is a warmonger, Palin is nuts - can anyone actually tell us what these accusations are referring to? Makes me want to scream. Through the magic of the Interwebs and 800 channels of TV, we have access to all this information - debate transcripts, voting records, etc. - and yet all most people can come up with is "freaking nutcase." Brilliant. This handbasket is totally comfortable, isn't it?

[x-1013-x.livejournal.com]

I know, they're so surface. They love to repeat the same old tired crap and don't bother to look into things. The thing is, this person is from the country, was in the Marines, you'd think she'd know better. For what it's worth, she was a sorry Marine.

Handbasket, yes.
(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v734/x_1013_x/?action=view&current=ObamaHellHandbasket.jpg)

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

Why on earth do these people feel the need to personally police everything we do?

Ain't it? It's like an epidemic, the hatred of this woman! And the oh-so-shocked reaction when you tell people you actually LIKE her. You'd think you'd said something along the lines of, "Oh, Hitler wasn't really such a bad guy."

I sure don't sit there and take it. I ask specifically which policy idea of hers they disagree with, or what has she said or done that they disagree with.

And then I wait as they 1) stare in silence or 2) start spouting off lie after lie that they heard during the election, which lies I then calmly debunk:

- She said the Iraq war was God's will? No, she prayed for our leaders, that their decisions in this matter would be according to God's will. Watch and listen to the VIDEO (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG1vPYbRB7k) for yourself. And here's the transcript that I MADE.

3:41 – 4:03

Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right. Also, for this country, that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for – that there is a plan, and that that plan is God’s plan. So bless them with your prayers, your prayers of protection over our soldiers.

- She's stupid because she said she can see Russia from her house? No, that was Tina Fey's SNL skit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdDqSvJ6aHc).

- She banned/attempted to ban books when she was mayor of Wasilla? Um, no. Especially since some of the books on that list were not even out (http://www.snopes.com/politics/palin/bannedbooks.asp) at the time of this accusation.

On and on it goes. They will continually try to change the topic. Do not let them of the hook. The usual conclusion is that in a few minutes they start with a barrage of name calling and/or swearing. Or they just get flustered and angry and stomp off.

I don't play this crap. The way you fight lies is with the truth. Because if lies are not countered, they keep going on and on. And I will not stand for it.

[x-1013-x.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[caromiofic.livejournal.com]

You rock.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

Well, there's something I don't hear every day ever. LOL!

[lizbeth-mairead.livejournal.com]

Amen, my sister, amen. You know your facts, and that's really the key to winning an argument/debate with these types of people. You just have to be on your game and know your stuff, because they WILL pull out lies and unless you're able to call them out on it, they gain control of the debate and win.

My advice would definitely be to question. Don't stop asking questions- what type of a person is considered "a freaking nutcase"? More to the point, what has Sarah Palin done that makes her one? And then go from there, just like mosinging1986 says. Eventually they'll run out of things to throw at you, and you can sit back and smile. Sarah Palin's earned some right of defense, in my opinion, and I don't mind defending her, especially when she deserves it.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

My advice would definitely be to question.

This is such an excellent point and one that cannot be overstated. It is applicable not only for the topic of Sarah Palin or politics in general, but any discussion you may get into, on any topic.

Questions help the other person clarify their position. They give you better understanding of where they are coming from and what they are trying to say. And they do so in a way that is not intimidating. You are simply asking them to inform you.

And you know what? More often than not, you'll start seeing that many people have no idea why they believe what they believe and think they way they do. It's just something they heard others say. Or it's a response based on emotions. Or it's a conclusion based upon a false piece of information.

But remember, this is not about winning a debate, whether online or off. This is about killing lies with the truth. Most importantly, it's about getting people to *think* logically and reasonably about what they believe and why they believe it.

And that is something that will benefit them, and benefit society as a whole.

[lizbeth-mairead.livejournal.com]

But remember, this is not about winning a debate, whether online or off. This is about killing lies with the truth. Most importantly, it's about getting people to *think* logically and reasonably about what they believe and why they believe it.

I completely, whole heartedly agree. I think (I'm including myself in this as well) that it really HAS become a mindset of winning an argument and pushing your opinion to the front rather than trying to get rid of the lies.

And you know what? More often than not, you'll start seeing that many people have no idea why they believe what they believe and think they way they do.

Agreed. I just hope that when those people come to that conclusion, they'll start figuring out WHY they believe those things and WHY they think that way. The danger here is that they'll just brush it off and move on.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

it really HAS become a mindset of winning an argument and pushing your opinion to the front rather than trying to get rid of the lies.

It's so easy to fall into that trap. (That's why what I'm saying here serves as a reminder to myself!) As a Christian, winning an argument and trying to look cool is not my goal. If it is, then even if I "win", in God's eyes, I've lost.

Or in the language of teh interwebs, EPIC FAIL.

The danger here is that they'll just brush it off and move on.

This does happen far too often. But I am the most hopeful hardheaded person on this planet. It's just about impossible for me to give up.

[sameinanylingo.livejournal.com]

You know, it would be SO handy to have all of this complied in one place that would be easy to refer back to.

If you'd be willing to put together the common accusations that people have about Sarah complete with the counter response and links to the proof I'd find a common place to "host and post it" so it would be easy for any of us to refer to when something like this comes up instead of having to type the same crap (I I say crap because it's crap that we even have to do this kind of defending against stupidity and lies) over and over all of the time.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

This may be all I have, but I'll see what I can dig up.

[sameinanylingo.livejournal.com]

Oh, and thew whole SNL, Tina Fey "I can see Russia from my house" thing was what someone on my FL used to back up her statement that Sarah has "s**t for brains". When I turned it back on her ans said she must be the one with "s**t for brain" because she couldn't distinguish truth from a comedy sketch. That it was Tina Fey who actually said that, and even pointed her in the direction of what Sarah actually said, and that it's FACT that I've known since I was in middle school she kind of lost all sense that she had and turned into someone I didn't even recognize.

And yeah, my turning her comment back on her was probably a bit harsh, but it really rubbed me the wrong way because the way she said it you could tell the insult was not only directed at Sarah, but at me too because I supported her and voted for her.

[mosinging1986.livejournal.com]

It's not harsh at all. These people think they can spout off their lies and talk to us any way they want. But respond to them with the facts, along with a bit of their own nasty attitude and they go absolutely ballistic.

[sameinanylingo.livejournal.com]

You could always something to the effect of "I don't always agree with your political opinions but refrain from making snide remarks to you about it because they are just that, your opinions. I'd appreciate the same kind of respect about mine"

[x-1013-x.livejournal.com]

I actually did do that. I sent her a private message to that effect. I told her I didn't like her passive-aggressive tone as well. She was very apologetic, but nonetheless, she still hates Sarah with a passion.

[ainu-laire.livejournal.com]

I know what I would do. I'd respond with:

dude you know i love you but barack obama is a freaking nutcase

I'm so mean :o

[mockingbird39.livejournal.com]

At least there's proof of that. :/

[firstladylaura.livejournal.com]

I love people telling me that she lacks experience. But how conveniently it was forgotten that Obama was only elected to the senate in 2004.

[writerspleasure.livejournal.com]

palin-hate has almost become a handshake among the left.

[moviequeen985.livejournal.com]

I heart Sarah. And if I weren't afraid of getting shot outside my dorm, I would totally buy a button or shirt and wear it proudly. Sick and sad that we can't express political opinions without fear, isn't it? (Well, this pertains to me, at least.)

[rightsaidred.livejournal.com]

You're telling me. I live in Minneapolis. I took a bus through St. Paul coming back from my poll-watcher training with my campaign buttons on in November and I genuinely feared for my life.

[carbonelle.livejournal.com]

Courtesy and a bit of humor:

I love you too, dude, but I prefer to judge my pols by reality not Tina Fey impressions. I'm just funny that way!

[ccr1138.livejournal.com]

The best thing in these cases is to ask, "What makes you say that?" Press them for FACTS. Most likely they don't have any, it's just an impression they have based on other people's blogs, etc. Then you can say, "Get back to me when you have some facts, and I'll consider it." Meanwhile, anything they DO come up with can usually be countered quite easily.