It's a drag when family members are rightwingers

[SHRED]

One of my son in-laws is posting to FB the Democrats should leave the country and go to Mexico.

It's fucking heart breaking.
Heart breaking my daughter chose him.

OBTW: He lives off the government. Retired Navy with a near 100% disability that he amplified about to get his benefits. He is so down on others getting aid. It's sickening.

[Skittles]

1. ask him if he believes in freedom of speech

[TreasonousBastard]

2. So, he's never actually had a job?

[lunatica]

3. I'm so sorry that your daughter picked him.

That would truly break my heart! Hugs to you.

[AJT]

4. Has your daughter gone to the dark side too?

[SHRED]

7. No thank goodness

[durablend]

5. Mooches off the government

While chastising anyone else who does the same. Sounds like a true Republican.

[trc]

17. Military disability is not mooching off the government

My republican son-in-law is receiving disability after being injured in a humvee rollover during a rolling firefight. No purple heart, just an injured back. I hammer on him to go to the VA every year to get reevaluated for more disability. He signed a contract with the United States to protect and defend this nation, in return we promised to care for him if he was injured. His being a republican has nothing to do with his injury. He was initially reluctant to go for treatment, but I insisted while constantly telling him he had a contract. Whether you want to see it as different or not, he is not mooching, he is being compensated for his injuries incurred while serving his country. We owe these service men and women injured on our behalf whatever we can give them to help in their life after the military. Shame on you.

[Martin Eden]

25. It's a terrible shame when our people in the military are killed or injured

... in theaters of operation where we never should have been in the first place. Our 17+ years in Afghanistan have bee a waste, and GW's invasion of Iraq was built on a mountain of lies. Rather than a legitimate defense of the American people, it has been counterproductive to our national security. We have provided a recruiting and training ground for the next generation of terrorists, metastasizing rather than quelling the radical violence that struck us on 9/11.

I understand it is necessary for our citizens in uniform to believe in the missions for which they have volunteered to give their lives, if necessary. It's hard enough without the additional burden of knowing you're being used as a devalued pawn by lying politicians and the malefactors of great wealth who lust for the profits of war and oil resources.

Our military personnel have earned the compensation and care they receive. They usually deserve more -- including the support of an informed and engaged citizenry who can see through the lies and ulterior agenda of politicians who betray our people in the armed services by needlessly sacrificing them in misguided counterproductive wars of choice.

It's difficult enough for the average Joe six-pack to admit he was conned into supporting the politicians and the stupid wars they got us into. For our warriors overseas, realizing the depth of the betrayal has to be much more difficult.

It's not surprising that so many in the military fall into the "conservative" camp, which makes the whole situation that much more frustrating and tragic.

[walkingman]

29. Support the Troops - they are fighting for our freedom.....that seems to be

our idea and reasoning for these endless wars.

"It's not surprising that so many in the military fall into the "conservative" camp, which makes the whole situation that much more frustrating and tragic."

It is surprising to me. Why would that be understandable? As a Vietnam Vet is was pretty easy to see that the war was meaningless, not hard at all. Most vets during those times were not eager for a continuation.

Not sure what's happening now. For me it defies reason......I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone almost every day.

[Martin Eden]

30. Why would that be understandable?

Unlike most who served in Vietnam, today's troops are all volunteers. That alone will ensure a different cultural and political composition, though there is still a cross section and a broad brush does not apply to all.

I have not been in the military, but in my previous post I think I provided most of the answer to your question. Those who volunteer need to believe in the mission for which they've volunteered to give their life if necessary.

I'm sure military life involves a considerable amount of indoctrination, from boot camp up through the higher levels of military culture. There will always be some free thinkers who buck the groupthink, but most people like that probably wouldn't have signed up in the first place.

It's bad enough when our troops have been conditioned to think they're "fighting for our freedom" -- but it's even worse when the general public embraces that meme for disastrous wars of choice.

[sandensea]

6. The struggle is real

I see it mostly with older relatives - especially those who consume right-wing media in one form or another.

When it comes to white seniors, I'm sorry to say, I know just what so many others mean when they warn that this garbage works.

And the angle is always the same: racial grievance, either directly ('the browning of America'); or indirectly ('they're taxing you to death so that black and third-world types can live like welfare queens').

Thank you for posting this - all the more so as difficult as it must have been. People need to be reminded how serious this problem is.

[Ohiogal]

8. Well, THIS white senior

Is as liberal as the day is long. It’s so depressing how easily older folks swallow the bullshit and lies perpetuated by right wing media. As if so many folks are too lazy to think for themselves. Or can’t be bothered to open up their minds a little.

[sandensea]

16. Hear, hear.

Sadly, white senior Democrats are in the minority these days - which is mind-boggling considering how brazen the GOP has become in their effort to undo the programs seniors cherish most: Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

Republicans don't even bother to veil their intent anymore - I guess in part because they know they have most white seniors wrapped around their grubby little finger.

This could still change though. It has to.

Seniors will soon be nearly a third of the U.S. voting public.

[mr_lebowski]

22. On a happier note, many of those becoming Seniors are a different generation ...

Not the 'growing up in the 50's' folks, but rather the 'growing up in the late 60's and 70's' folks

I doubt they are going to be as conservative. So there's that.

Also if we can get the young people voting, seniors won't be such an important bloc.

[mountain grammy]

20. Me too

71 and as bleeding heart liberal as ever.

[MarvinGardens]

9. I am sorry.

My parents are Trumpers. They did not raise me to be like that. I don't know exactly what happened. Fox News was involved but that can't be the only variable. I can't disown them, they are my parents.

[SHRED]

10. My last parent passed away in 2008

They were conservatives.
I feel your pain.

[appalachiablue]

11. Parents were FDR, LBJ, JFK Democrats & liberals. We're so lucky.

[EveHammond13]

12. does she know you disapprove

and maybe it's time to get off Facebook

[onecaliberal]

13. We have the same problem. Son in law and his parents. Very fake christian.

[certainot]

14. relate it to symbol/ limbaugh that's where it starts and there's no

accountability

he will know limbaugh and rw radio and remind him a few hundred chickenhawks were sitting in their call screener- protected studios taking calls from people who could have been russian when they sent him to war

[yaesu]

15. i've heard people on ss disability lovin on tRump and I always mention I hope they have

a good savings account because tRump is going to end those programs, tell them I heard it on fox news just to watch them freak out

[mountain grammy]

18. I sympathize and feel your pain..

Luckily not my children.

[trc]

19. Lives off of the government for his injuries.

You sound just like him. condemning him for using the benefits promised to him by the US government just like he condemns others for using benefits offered by the government. The difference between your son-in-law and someone on welfare? We made a contract with your son-in-law when he joined the military to take care of him if injured in the military. We offer aid to those in need if they are not able to help themselves for whatever reason. One is a contract the other is an offer of assistance. Please rethink your phrasing, it is really offensive to vets, injured or otherwise.

[SHRED]

32. I'm not condemning his need for care

I know for a fact he stretched the truth to get the most he could yet he condemns others in government aid.

I'm condemning the self righteous hypocrisy that he thinks only he is worthy.

[Pepsidog]

21. We all have our crosses. I have many in my family who I am beginning to despise.

[mr_lebowski]

23. I can't even imagine ... closest I have is a half-cousin (son of dad's half-brother) and one of his

3 kids ... and the kid is mostly RW-leaning cause he's a gun-humper ... but he's also a Pro-Union guy (being in one himself) and I've never heard either of them say a racial slur or bash immigrants ... so they're not extremists that I know of.

Pretty much everyone else on both sides is either mostly apolitical, or unabashedly liberal.

Thank Dog ... most importantly, my bio mom and dad are both full-blown Democrats and Trump HATERS. My two bro's don't much follow politics but would never become wing-nuts.
For one thing, neither of their wives are ... in fact one of their wives is vegetarian, and part of the family that started ARF (Animal Rescue Foundation) and works for them.

But me and my dad and stepmom sure as hell didn't bring 'em that way (they're quite a lot younger than me) and they're now 39 and 41, so ... don't think that's changin'.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

24. For a very long time I've been aware of people who are

double or even triple dippers. Meaning they get a government pension from one job, another government pension from a second job, and a civilian pension from a third. It has been my experience that the double and triple dippers are the ones most vociferously opposed to immigrants or health care for the masses or anything at all remotely benefiting those less privileged. Kind of makes you think, doesn't it?

[Funtatlaguy]

26. My nephews new rich wife pulled him to the dark side.

[FakeNoose]

27. "The worst thing about Chump's presidency"

[Boomerproud]

35. So true. Brilliant but so very sad.

[handmade34]

28. sorry

I feel your pain... I have a daughter that works for ICE... she lives in Houston, we don't talk...

[myohmy2]

31. I know...

...what you mean...

...one of my daughter's become a die-hard trumpkin...needless to say, we don't speak much anymore...

...the orange-bastard and the pukes have not only divided our country, they've divided our families...

...republicans...

...

[CrispyQ]

33. I'd post this: If you'd rather be a Russian than a Democrat, move to Russia.

I know, it's best to just not engage them, but they make it hard not to.

[Mersky]

34. I know your pain. I'm still processing my family reunions from this week.

Wasn't all bad, but very taxing. I typically choose to show my politics, rather than speak to them at these gatherings, unless there's a comment or t-shirt/bumper sticker I must confront directly...Which, indeed, I had to do. I'll share my stories about this week, soon, when I'm ready, but dang, I'm spent.

A side note: I rather resent my aunts' and uncles' generations for forgetting how good they had it when they were in their forties. I mean, they got to go to family reunions, etc, etc without the orange fog of fix news hanging around, at a time when economic outlook was pretty good. Ya know, back when a Democrat was in the White House.