Quote:
Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan
I accept that they are "relatively" good people because they don't run around espousing hate, they aren't outwardly racist or sexist (but I'm never entirely sure), and they have been good friends to us despite our different political viewpoints. They are traditional republicans who are concerned about freedom above all else, and they simply don't trust democrats. They also truly think that democrats deal in socialism, and they want unfettered capitalism above all else. It's rooted in ideology, not hatred. But yeah, they ignore the bad stuff to get what they want, which is the problem.
I know, it's hard because it creates cognitive dissonance in me as well, but I have to accept them as the people they are and work to change them by being an example and maybe having a rare conversation on a topic we can agree on.
|
I have a bunch of family in California. Many of them - not all, but some - are Republicans. Lifelong Republicans. They are all beautiful people. They are not racists (from anything I have ever seen), and they certainly aren't misogynists. They don't vote for Trump, they vote Republican. If asked about his racist or misogynistic behavior, they would say that the media has twisted it, or blown it out of proportion, or even made it up. They would also say that they were Republicans before Trump, and they'll be Republicans long after he is gone.
We are ALL vulnerable to cognitive dissonance at times. It doesn't make us bad people if/when we are guilty of it.
They are beautiful people and I love them. And the fact that they make their political choices for different reasons than I do, doesn't change that, and it doesn't change my opinion of them as people.