Are you the recipient of hate-email?

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

Did you make it known to your family, friends and acquaintances that you were voting pro-Bush, and are now receiving emails every couple of days predicting Bush will bring about the end of the world, or economic ruin for the U.S., or environmental ruin for the world, or any other ill on humanity and nature in general?

I did, and I am. I'm sure I'm not alone.

My dad, brother, and sister all voted for Kerry. My two best friends up in NY both voted for Kerry. I'm pretty sure my brother's in-laws voted for Kerry. I don't know about my other sister and her husband and his family, but I suspect they voted for Kerry.

So naturally, I took the brunt of a whole lot of shit-slinging, mostly keeping my mouth shut (if you can believe that!) -- er, at least, until they would bait me. But the controversy and acrimony always originated with them, sending me yet another, "I can't believe you're going to vote Bush even though he... this... and that..."

And now my sister is sending me more mindless drivel (you can tell she half-understands the stuff she's saying to me, because all she's doing is really regurgitating MoveOn.org kinda pablum) each day. In one email to a bunch of friends, to which I was CC'd, she said that I was like "the lost sheep of the family"... Why? Because anyone who would vote for Bush must surely be lost, confused, stupid... Imagine the utter arrogance! Calling someone a "lost sheep" because they will be voting differently from you! Not simply admitting, "Hey, we have different values, different views, different preferences, and different desires."

There is no getting through to them. I quoted their own words numerous times that PROVED they were being elitist snobs, acting as though anyone who was for Bush just could not be looking at reality objectively, or was just plain stupid. My best friend even emailed me that stupid british tabloid headline about "How can 59M people be so dumb?" I wasn't supposed to take offense at that? I was being called dumb!

Well anyway, I think we should hear from people here who have been subjected, by their acquaintances, to nastiness, condescension, harassment, contempt or lack of respect because they voted conservative in the 2004 elections.

I want to make the point that as obstreperous and acrimonious as I sometimes get here, I was never an initiator of the disputes I went through with these friends and family members. I was always the defender, never the aggressor. And after Bush became assured of the victory in the election, I did not call, write, or email a single person to gloat about it. I waited for them to contact me first, and even then did not gloat. You should have heard them, though, when they finally did call. I even caught Dad expressing that he hopes Bush screws up, to usher in a new wave of Democrat elected officials. I said, really, Dad, you are saying that rather than hope that things go smoothly and well, you're hoping that Bush screws up? Just to prove, or create, a need for Kerry or another Democrat to fix it all? I said, that's like hoping that the wheel falls off because I insisted that you weren't putting the lug nuts on correctly when you changed the tire. Proves where your head and heart are at. Spite and vindictiveness. More and more, the Democrats are locking that down as "theirs" they way they say Republicans have "hijacked" morals.

(Rush Limbaugh was laughing the other day about Dem accusations that Reps have hijacked morals and values. He said, "We've always BEEN about those things, and we're just trying to KEEP them: Democrats are seeing a contrast because they've ABANDONED morals and values!" Words to that effect. It was pure genius!)

One positive thing came out of this: My best friend, being smug and self-assured that Kerry would win (I guess), offered me a wager on my voicemail: "If Kerry wins, you join the ACLU this year; If Bush wins, I'll join the NRA this year." I shot him back a text message saying, "Deal. It's a bet." So, you know how that turned out. I'm gonna send him out a membership application and give him til the inauguration to make good on his loss.

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[Tonto 1]

No, I'm not getting any hate mail.

Then again, I don't question how 59 million people could be so dumb either.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[Paulipod 0]

Thats one of the reasons I would leave discussing politics to places like SC

Although, please dont take this the wrong way... Your interaction style is fairly confrontational (certainly in the posts you make on here) so that may be a reason you get a more extreme response on issues like that...

Not saying that is wrong - just a possible cause.

I know this through personal experience as I often slip into over-eager and come across too strong - definitely changes how people respond to me.

Bodyflight Bedford
www.bodyflight.co.uk

[mr2mk1g 10]

It's possible they're reacting to the way you express your views as opposed to the views you express. It wouldn't be without precident.

[akarunway 1]

No, I'm not getting any hate mail. ==================================================== Me either. And we will see what transpires in the next 4 yrs. Gonna be interesting to sit back and watch and see who was right and who was wrong. Life's a journey and it's getting interesting as hell the older I get

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[rushmc 18]

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No, I'm not getting any hate mail. ==================================================== Me either. And we will see what transpires in the next 4 yrs. Gonna be interesting to sit back and watch and see who was right and who was wrong. Life's a journey and it's getting interesting as hell the older I get

IMHO who is right or wrong will not mean anything. What is thought to be wrong is all that will be discussed here and in the left leaning media. Emotional response will trump an honest debate of the issues. Therefore, I see more of the same in 2.5 years

Sad, don't you think?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[miked10270 0]

Hi Jeffrey,

I can sympathise with you - I used to get quite a bit of hate mail until I set my junk filter to reject anything in French!

Mike.

Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable.

Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode.

[feuergnom 22]

ohhhh pooor boy *pattinghead*

you deal out lots - you should be man enough to take a few. without whining

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle

dudeist skydiver # 666

[TheAnvil 0]

I received a bit of that as well.

I laugh at it. Dumb bastards.

None from my family though. I have several Aunts and Uncles that supported sKerry and are quite bitter about it, but they haven't emailed or anything.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[Michele 1]

I have received hate mail, but not about politics...and definitely not from family.

My family wouldn't resort to that sort of thing; while we may disagree on politics (both parents staunch dems, my brother a conservative Christian, and me somewhat moderate republican) we don't really get going about politics.

The "hate mail" I've received has made me laugh...people don't understand a situation, and light into me as if they *knew* something. And not worth the 5 minutes to reply to them. I'm too busy laughing at them for that.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[beowulf 1]

I am not popular enough to receive hate mail.
sniff sniff

[Shotgun 1]

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Did you make it known to your family, friends and acquaintances that you were voting pro-Bush, and are now receiving emails every couple of days predicting Bush will bring about the end of the world, or economic ruin for the U.S., or environmental ruin for the world, or any other ill on humanity and nature in general?

No, I made it known that I was definitely NOT voting pro-Bush... But I don't feel bitter that he won because I wasn't exactly pro-Kerry either. I think they were both pretty lame options, and of course none of the other candidates had any chance of winning. (Is there any way to fix this two-party dominance thing???)

I do think this election has shown how fiercely divided our country is, and I would like to see a solution that is fair to everyone. I'm guessing that leaving most issues to the states is the best answer; that way, some states will end up with strict conservative laws and other states will be much more liberal... So we can choose where we want to live in the US without having to force our morals on everyone else in the country; that seems like the only fair way to go... (My biggest problem with Bush is that I don't think he will leave most issues to the states, but hopefully I am wrong.)

Oh, and no I haven't been sending hate mail to anyone I know who voted for Bush. That would just be silly...

[Guest]

Kinda on-topic, kinda not.

Laurie Anderson (from NYC, btw) is playing tonight and tomorrow at a Seattle venue.

The weekend paper had a story with some interview questions, and naturally, the election came up.

She said she wasn't surprised that GWB won, because she travels a lot, and DOESN'T SPEND ALL OF HER TIME IN NYC (my emphasis).

My context is this - libs are in shocked disbelief that their candidate lost. I've read this quote in several places: "Nobody I know is voting for GWB".

And there you have it.

mh

.

[slug 1]

Don't sweat it
OTOH their just rying to get your goat. Don't worry be happy ignore them.
if they don't get over it, ignore them. You don't have to visit and be their punching bag.

R.I.P.

[peregrinerose 0]

Yes, but the opposite direction. I'm on an email list with 1500 other ODs. They are primarily white, male, 50ish, and republican. I get quite a bit of hate mail from them since they know I voted for Kerry. Frankly, I don't give a damn. If someone doesn't like me because of a difference in opinion, that is just tough shit and they don't deserve me bothering with a response.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[CornishChris 5]

I would go as far as to say that you are not receiving hate-mail Jeffrey.

Yes, you are receiving mail from family that disagree with your politics but I would be prepared to wager that the basis for them sending this mail is not a hate of you. A hate of Bush maybe but not you.

I think it goes to how just how divided the US and the world were over this election. Lets hope that Bush can now bring people together.

CJP

Gods don't kill people. People with Gods kill people

[wmw999 2,146]

I received a lot of "Kerry is the anti-Christ" drivel from someone in my church. The vast majority of it is clearly just regurgitations.

I didn't consider it to be hate mail, just not worth my time to read it (since all of it had been quite thoroughly discussed here on SC ).

Ya know, if it's hate mail to say someone is wrong for supporting Bush, what is it to say that Kerry is a traitor and that people who vote for him are voting for the doom of the country? Honest opinion? Well give me a fucking break -- maybe someone else's honest opinion is different.

Anvil, I picked yours because I was too lazy to go all the way to the top, and yours at least referenced the original topic. I don't think you think I'm a traitor

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[bigway 4]

Sounds like you have a good family jeffery, i am sure they love you though.
Why dont you buy them a years subscription to a republicans magazine or a nra magazine for christmas?

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[rehmwa 2]

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Sounds like you have a good family jeffery, i am sure they love you though.
Why dont you buy them a years subscription to a republicans magazine or a nra magazine for christmas?

That is a good idea - Last Christmas:

I got my older ex-hippie left wing nutjob brother in law Slander by Ann C.
I got my other younger right wing nutjob brother in law the Al Franken book.

They traded them on the spot. All for my personal entertainment.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

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It's possible they're reacting to the way you express your views as opposed to the views you express. It wouldn't be without precident.

Okay, well maybe "hate-email" was too strong a term for it. I mean, really, that I've been getting these condescending, "Democrat-voters-know-better-than-you" obnoxious emails from my friends and family because they just... can't... abide the fact that I voted pro-gun with little regard for any other issues in this election.

To be straight: I was NOT confrontational with them, I did NOT court these discussions (I did react to them once they were rolling, however), and I sent repeated emails back asking that they please stop condescending because I was taking offense at their attitude that their reasons for picking their political choices were somehow superior to mine, as though they lamented my freedom to use the criteria I chose to use. (Or rather, it was a "criterion.")

-Jeffrey

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[SkyDekker 1,141]

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obnoxious emails from my friends and family because they just... can't... abide the fact that I voted pro-gun with little regard for any other issues in this election.

I don't see what is so wrong with your friends and family pointing out that that is a very short sighted and narrow view to base your vote on.

[TypicalFish 0]

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obnoxious emails from my friends and family because they just... can't... abide the fact that I voted pro-gun with little regard for any other issues in this election.

I don't see what is so wrong with your friends and family pointing out that that is a very short sighted and narrow view to base your vote on.

As opposed to the women who vote based on their views on choice? Or the ones who vote for the more "Christian" of the candidates? My point is that everyone has an issue that is most important to them; if that is what they choose to base their vote on, so be it. It's not anyone else's place to judge.

"I gargle no man's balls..." ussfpa on SOCNET

[SkyDekker 1,141]

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As opposed to the women who vote based on their views on choice? Or the ones who vote for the more "Christian" of the candidates? My point is that everyone has an issue that is most important to them; if that is what they choose to base their vote on, so be it. It's not anyone else's place to judge

I agree, not in any ones place to judge, except maybe a judge

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[TypicalFish 0]

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I agree, not in any ones place to judge, except maybe a judge

Absolutely; I thought you were making the case that PJ was being short sighted and narrow minded if the Second Ammendment was what he chose to base his vote on. If it is, that's his take on it, and I respect him for actually taking a stand.

Even if I don't necessarily agree with it...

"I gargle no man's balls..." ussfpa on SOCNET