Fire & Rain

[Warpy]

20. They are terrified, but their terror is largely self inflicted and so not my problem.

I spent part of my growing up years in upstate NY. While I wasn't able to appreciate a lot of the jaw dropping stupidity then, I was able to file it away for later. It did help me cope with Dixie, they're everywhere.

I don't try to reason with them and haven't for a very long time. While you can discuss things and change opinions, there is nothing you can do about belief. Your example believes at his very core that Jesus is a white Scandinavian and anybody with more melanin than that is trying to topple both him and his lord and savior.

I've taken to asking "Where did you hear a dumb thing like that?" which takes the onus off the target and puts it elsewhere, making a defensive posture a little more difficult to assume. Once you've wrong footed them, changing the subject is possible and that is often the best you can do.

At least the kids seem to have their numbers. Most of the kids are really OK.