I got an e-mail from some of my in-laws last night that is driving me crazy. The in-laws in question live in one of those rural, arch-conservative Congressional districts that is so Republican that the Dubya did some campaigning there for the local Congressman in 2006 when the Dubya did little to none of that sort of thing. Though they are staunch advocates for social justice for the poor, their views are resolutely in line with those of their district in many respects. So naturally, they feel the need to pass along this e-mail "memo" telling "the truth" about Barack Obama to their friends and relatives... because, by God, this country is going to hell in a handbasket if a mixed race, Harvard educated Senator and adjunct law professor gets elected President.
It would be one thing if this e-mail was a well-reasoned critique Barack Obama's qualifications and views. It isn't. It's nowhere near that. It's the concatenation two other e-mails well-known to the fact-checkers at Snopes.com. The first part purports to be 'Obama's Not Exactlys', which really is the first 38 of Obama's 50 Lies. Most of these "lies" are proven by the Snopes people to actually be true, making the assertions against them "lies". The second part is called "The Obama Tidal Wave' and is supposedly by Bill Evans, who used to be with the Billy Graham Crusade. Thing is, it isn't by that Bill Evans and many (but not all) of the "facts" in it are distortions or falsehoods.
I want to reply to this e-mail. The e-mail invites a reply by stating at the front "Friends, Please verify this information for yourself on the links that are published in this release on the web." It's got my fingers itching to type something.
But alas, I really can't say anything. Family politics prevents it. I am, no doubt, already a "baby killer" in the eyes of these in-laws because I am a registered Democrat who believes in a woman's right to choose. Nothing I say will ever change their minds; they knew they were voting the Republican side of the ticket way before I knew who I wanted for President, and I've known for a few months now. At best, a reply would merely kick a hornets nest.
*sigh* This is sort of like parts of the eight years in national politics in miniature. The Conservatives get what they want sometimes because, well, you just don't want them pissed off at you... and boy are they good at being pissed off.
said drgeek
on 2008-10-23 at 1:18 p.m.
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