Living in Fort Worth, Texas, just up the road from Crawford, Texas, I'm in the heart of the reddest state in the union. Bush country. I'm exposed to the arrogance, ignorance and mindlessness of right-wing Republicans, their falsehoods and their propaganda, every day. It's enough to drive a feller to drink. But, since I don't drink, (I have other vices to compensate,) I've developed another method for dealing with them in order to retain some level of sanity, short of chewing off a leg.
As Rob says, when they spew their mindless drivel at you, you must not let it stand unchallenged. It must be refuted. They must be hit hard with the truth. However, it must be that we have a much more virulent strain of Republicanism here. They have developed a total immunity to the truth. Don't know what it is, don't want to know what it is, will not listen to it.
So, what I do when they tell me how wonderful George Bush's Iraq war is, how he's been right about everything and how the only salvation for this country is to elect only right-wing Republicans instead of those goddam, heathen liberals, I respond accordingly.
I graciously thank them for their contribution to helping to bring the truth to light, by pointing out that the truth is a weak and unimpressive thing without the false to contrast, define and confirm it. I point out that, just as black or white is neither without the other, just as a rose only smells so sweet as when compared to the smell of a dead goat, just as the glory of the day is not as glorious without the contrast of the gloom of night, what they have said only enhances the truth, the glory, the sweet smell of what I have said.
I thank them for the confirmation of the truth they have provided with their falsehoods and remind them that without their illogic and unreason, we who tell the truth would have a harder time of it.
I then tell them how much I appreciate their comments on the false as confirmation of the truth and encourage them to comment freely and at will, which will serve as proof of the truth in any future comments I might make.
I make it clear, but indirectly, that I'm attacking the falsehood of their person rather than the falsehood of their statement.
Since its impossible to argue logically with these suckers, what I do is, phrased in the most gracious, appreciative terms, offer the most damning insult to their intelligence, their reason, their logic, and most of all, their person, their self-image, but in a very sympathetic way. I don't attempt to counter their irrational argument, I attack them personally, insulting them by pointing out their intellectual deficiencies, but done in a very nice, seemingly complementary way. I point out their inability to observe and correctly interpret objective reality, the unexpressed synonym for which is, Stupid. I call them stupid in a very gracious, subtle way, without ever saying the word stupid.
Subtlety, second only to silence, is the most expressive form of contempt. To dismiss their argument as proving the opposite of their intent is contemptuous of them and is the most effective way I have found for dealing with their falsehoods, unreason, illogic, ignorance and arrogance, which, of course, is wholly deserving of contempt.
So, the next time a Republican hands you some bullshit, say, "Hey, that's great, thank you for bringing that up since its so far from the truth of what I said, it actually proves the truth of what I said. Please comment with falsehoods anytime. We need all we can get. It makes the truth shine in contrast to the false."
And, remember, if you are not a Republican, you are inherently, genetically, morally, ethically and intellectually superior to any Republican. Start acting like it. Don't be afraid to enter into a battle of wits with a Republican. Its alright to fight an unarmed person.
