Comments on: I have no words for this

By: No Pasa Nada » Blog Archive » Finish Line

No Pasa Nada » Blog Archive » Finish Line — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:53:03 +0000

[...] of re-watching episodes of America’s Next Top Model. So that is my answer to the question of what to do in such a situation: To seriously contemplate resorting to listening to my gut instinct and hit below the belt OR! I [...]

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:40:34 +0000

Ladie=lady.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 15:40:09 +0000

A little late to the game here, but a couple weeks ago I was discussing “crazy McCain rally lady” with the woman cares for my children every day while I am at work. After I finished ranting and raving about the fact that crazy rally ladie seriously believed Obama was an Arab muslim terrorist, the babysitter looked at me and said, with all seriousness, “But isn’t he Muslim?” Way to be informed and learn about the candidates America!

By: Kristabella

Kristabella — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 23:58:31 +0000

I would set them straight. But it seems that the people who actually believe this cannot be convinced that he isn’t a terrorist. Which is the scariest thing about this.

By: Amelia

Amelia — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:56:51 +0000

When they say that Obama is a Muslim, I simply point out that nowhere in the requirements to serve as President does it state that the candidate has to be of a certain religious background; i.e. One does NOT have to be a Christian to be President.
I don’t argue about whether or not he’s Muslim or Christian or whatever, I just point out that it’s a moot point.

When they say he’s a terrorist, I ask them why they think that. If they say it’s because he’s Muslim, I point out that in the past there have been those who are white and claim to be Christians who’ve launched terrorist attacks on Americans. Tim McVeigh ring a bell, anyone?

I figure it’s easier to point out that anyone could be a “terrorist”, not just someone of Middle-Eastern descent.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:15:10 +0000

My cousin sent me one of those emails a while back, so I just replied with the Snopes link debunking it. Usually I just ignore it. There’s a segment of my family that’s a little crazy, so I tend to not open any emails from them that are obviously forwards. Luckily this stuff hasn’t ever come up in person with them.

By: Aimee Greeblemonkey

Aimee Greeblemonkey — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:32:00 +0000

I would lose my shit.

By: Becca

Becca — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:38:10 +0000

Ok, like I have said before, I am a McCain supporter. If someone made that comment to me I would burst out laughing. I mean, come on! Even McCain would set you straight if you made that comment to him (which he did in rally recently). If only every voter would actually do their research and use their BRAIN!

By: JSauce

JSauce — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:30:39 +0000

Yeeeah. Dealt with this as well last week: she said “All the issues aside (?!), I just can’t have someone named Obama in office.”

For the love.

This was also the same week that my mother proudly sent me her anti-Obama website that she just put together.

I just don’t know what to say anymore.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 15:35:10 +0000

Yeah, the first issue is definitely trying to clarify that being Muslim does not necesesarily equal being a terrorist (and being non-Muslim doesn’t necessarily equal being not a terrorist). Then there’s the issue of 1) why does the speaker believe Obama’s secretly a Muslim and 2) why does the speaker believe Obama’s a terrorist? (And in the case of an e-mail I received the other day, 3) why does the speaker believe Obama is the Antichrist and that Sarah Palin has “the Anointing”?)

But yeah, I might think all those things, but I seldom actually say them out loud because it tends to give irrational people the additional irrational idea that I’m out to get them and try to make them look foolish with my devilish rhetoric. So in conversation, I tend to say as little on the subject as possible (which for me is not saying nothing, it’s correcting MILDLY).

In the college composition classes in which I’m teaching persuasion, however, I’ve been using the whole “pals around with terrorists” thing as an example of logical fallacy and ad hominem attack, and for the most part, the students are getting it, which gives me hope.