help me best respond to this-my neighbors decry socialism,yet were distressed

[w8liftinglady]

when a cancer patient was given the run around by the food stamps office.She has no health insurance,has had to apply for housing assistance -all which have been subsidized by public agencies.Our food stamp office has been the subject of several scathing reports,and hers was one of many sad stories.
I am at a loss as to how to reply to these individuals who have on many occaisions responded to public aid as socialism,and yet,when it has a face is OK.Any ideas?

[OneGrassRoot]

1. I don't know, but that would be a great campaign for someone to start......

A site showing the thousands of faces. Each the face of "entitlements" and "public aid" and other things right-wingers decry.

If indeed enough faces -- with links to full story -- were shown and it were to become viral, perhaps a few minds and hearts would open, and teh stoopid would take leave.

I know there are commercials and videos highlighting various individual heartbreaking stories, but if there were a way to visually show HOW VERY MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED -- and show the faces -- that may have more of an impact.

Maybe someone has already gathered the info and is doing this?

On edit: I know the White House was requesting our health care stories/nightmares. Does anyone know if they compiled the stories in some fashion?

[armyowalgreens]

2. Public goods and services are not necessarily socialism.

Although I highly doubt said person is bright enough to know the difference.

You have come to a situation that is very hard to resolve.

1. The person is technically capable of being for public goods and services while still being against socialism

2. That person probably is not aware of that difference and utilizes what he or she would normally perceive as socialism without actually realizing it.


You'd have to not only teach said person what socialism isn't, you'd also have to teach said person what it is. It rarely ever works. These people are so engulfed in stupid bullshit that they don't even realize that they are angry at something that not only doesn't exist, but if it were to exist it would not deserve anger.


Like the claim that Obama is a muslim. No, Obama is not a muslim. But if he was, what does it matter?

[gratuitous]

3. What's the matter with using personal stories?

Yes, we're discussing a big, abstract concept, but there are indeed faces, and names, and real live human beings behind the concept. I do not personally have the wherewithal to take care of this poor woman, stricken with cancer, without insurance, and in desperate need of services. But all of us together can chip in something and help. And who knows? Some time in the far, far off future, long after everyone I know and love is dead, I, too, may contract some sort of illness and not be quite ready to go. It would be nice to know that my last days would be taken care of.

Or even if I got sick sooner than that, particularly with something treatable and curable, it would be a comfort to know I didn’t have to choose between the poorhouse and the doctor’s office. Because in return for helping out others of my fellow citizens in the here and now, I could count on them to help me out in the by and by.

They could write an exemption in the law for anyone who knows for a fact that they will never get sick and never die.

[sandnsea]

4. No foresight, No imagination

That's the way they always are. There's no way to respond to them without being insulting. It doesn't do any good anyway, I've tried.

[abluelady]

5. I Haven't Patience for Those People

I would say something like, "well, I guess she's poor, so she has to die in America." (Of course I'm being sarcastic, though they probably wouldn't get that.) It might lead to a conversation that socialism is okay--even though we know it's not socialism. These people haven't a clue so we need to speak to them in a language they understand.

[Control-Z]

6. Have to asked her why

she thinks she should get so much for free when she wants to deny so much to others? Ask her what makes her so special. That would be a start.

[Hansel]

7. Because it isn't really about getting government handouts

It's really about WHO is getting the government handouts. They look at themselves and their neighbors as "hard working Americans". Anyone else who is different than them are in the situation they are in because they deserve it. It's as simple as that.

A lot of the railing against government spending on social programs is about spending the hard earned money that white people make on lazy people and criminals and sinners and "those" people.

[aquart]

8. "Of course they can't help her. You voted to cut those programs."