Blew a gasket, pissed off my bagger cousin

[Narkos]

One of my cousins is one of those bagger drones who loves to send chain emails about how evil Obama and liberals are. I used to take the bait and engage him, but stopped about two years ago. He started sending me some shit recently, and in one of them it was the exact same stupid email he had sent two years earlier! (Something about how Barney Frank single-handedly caused the financial meltdown and how Bush was blameless). Anyways, he had a Facebook post last night with some fake quote from John Adams about how debt ruins countries. I simply said in the comments that the quote was bogus, and he retorteds "so what if it's bogus....it's true isn't it?" We went back and forth and finally he busts out with this complete lie...that Bush increased the national debt by $400 billion, while Obama increased it by $2trillion. it was then that I basically said, dude, this is the reason it's impossible to discuss politics with you. You have zero respect for the facts and the truth. You are completely out to lunch. Then he starts whining about how mean I am, and how this was supposed to be friendly banter, and how dare I make this personal. He then basically unfriended me. Now his sister went on Facebook and made some comment about 'why are people so mean on facebook", which I assume is about me. Anyways, this is a guy I hardly see or talk to. Just so I don't piss off more of my family, I'm thinking of calling him to apologize just to reduce the damage, but on the other hand I kind of feel like he needed a good kick in the pants. What do you guys think?

[Denninmi]

1. Why apologize?

I too have radical right wing relatives. I make very little pretense around my family about being able to tolerate them. I generally avoid them at all cost. After my mother dies, I have no intention of ever seeing or hearing from any of them again.

Life is too short to put up with toxic people.

[Narkos]

8. Except for my bagger parents and BIL, I agree

unless I already love them and have to tolerate it some people I will. You're right. The rest can fuck off. I'm sick of these baggers!

[bluestate10]

29. Screw your cousin. You parents are going to back their blood when pushed against

a wall.

[Avalux]

2. Ummm....don't call him. Don't talk to him ever again.

Someone like that is a lost cause and if it pisses off your family to not engage with this guy, they'll get over it.

[Narkos]

9. LOL! Agreed. Would never associate with the guy otherwise. n/t

[SunDrop23]

3. There is alot Congress could do, but they won't so long as there is a BLACK man in the WHITE house.

Print it.

[Bake]

4. Don't apologize.

Just my $0.02. He started it, you finished it. I love how they always end up with their feelings hurt when somebody finally calls them on their bullshit.

Let him cry.

Bake

[Narkos]

11. Thanks. I needed to hear this stuff. n/t

[Narkos]

12. Thanks. I needed to hear this stuff. n/t

[Sheepshank]

34. He unfriended you...right?

He is the one that made moves to sever ties...you are not the one that owes anyone an apology.

[yankeeswin]

5. Never apologize

He's not going to apologize for his lies. He just got pantsed by his own lies so he calls you "mean." Screw him. He can apologize to you.

[Narkos]

14. Haha! It's true, anytime you pin the freaks down, they start crying! n/t

[shireen]

6. apologize for what?

you spoke the truth.

[Narkos]

15. Well, I wasn't nice about it. I didn't

mince words. I basically said, you are out to lunch , you have zero respect for the facts, and that is why it is impossible to engage in any meaningful dialogue with you. No name calling, no profanity, but I'm sure it stung.

[shireen]

20. I though your response was appropriate

i don't know if there's a gentler way to convey that message.

You sound like a caring person, concerned about hurting his feelings. I admire that. But sometimes, blunt talk is necessary in dealing with people like your cousin.

Good luck. :hi:

[Narkos]

23. Thanks!

[bluestate10]

30. If you cousin is the aggressive bully that I envision based upon my interaction with baggers,

apologizing is the absolutely LAST thing you should do. You will just roll over and give that bullying fool a victory that will just embolden him.

[Narkos]

32. I know...I'm kind of a softie though...afraid to hurt feelings, but you're right n/t

[iris27]

7. This is why Facebook is the devil.

Face-to-face, people (usually) have more tact than to bust out this fact-free nonsense. But with FB, all filters go out the window. Maybe it's just too easy to copy and paste? I dunno.

I miss the easy access to pics of my niece and nephew, but it's not worth the blood pressure increase of having to read my brother and SIL's constant stream of teabag/super-fundy assholery.

Edited to add: Don't apologize. You didn't do anything wrong. Once of the catalysts of my leaving FB was a huge drag-out political fight that started with bullshit my brother posted on his wall, that later expanded to e-mail, that led to me blocking him. Neither of us apologized; things are still ok in person. Not great but then they never were.

[Narkos]

16. Agreed. I'm usually more careful on FB, but after a few drinks, well...

in vino veritas

[iris27]

22. Well, I meant him not you. I never could keep myself from breaking out the Debunking Stick when

my family members posted patently false RW "truthiness" either. Nor can I stop myself on the few occasions that they're bold enough to do it in person...but those are much rarer.

[obxhead]

10. 4 months ago I removed every family member from FB.

Every single one.

FB, and the openness people use on it, destroyed my opinion of many rarely seen family members.

I'll have to see these people in the coming years and a funeral is the wrong place for a fist fight because of a past FB argument.

[Narkos]

17. Wow, I'm not sure if could do that. I'll probably be a bit more careful. n/t

[obxhead]

25. There is still the phone and email.

I can keep in touch with the family I need/want to easily enough.

The distant relatives essentially ruined FB for me though.

Sharing pictures was the biggest reason to include family on FB for me. That is easily rectified by emailing them the link to the album I want them to see though.

[abelenkpe]

13. have a birther mother and tea party brother/sister/father

so I know your pain. I wouldn't apologize. He should have known better than bring up politics given your differing views. He was looking for a fight and got one. He can't then turn around and act the victim when he doesn't have the wits to keep up.

:hug:

[DearAbby]

18. Apologies wont change anything

been caving enough when we need to confront these SOBs.

[Narkos]

19. That's kind of been my attitude; these guys are bullies and need to be confronted. n/t

[Peregrine]

21. If it is true, then it isn't mean (nt)

nt

[Shagbark Hickory]

24. Thanksgiving wasn't enough. Facebook makes arguing with your family a daily occurance.

[Drahthaardogs]

26. Write your own Facebook entry asking

"Why are teabaggers so stupid on Facebook?"

[Narkos]

33. Haha...that gave me a good laugh! n/t

[B Calm]

27. I quit talking to my right wing cousin 4 years ago. My advice is to ignore

him and go on with your life without your cousin.

[bluestate10]

28. Take this for what it is worth. If were my cousin, I would not apologize

and would say a hail "fuck you" to anyone that take his side. His ilk behave aggressively and fain great pain when they are challenged with facts.

[ellie]

31. I unfriended all

of my husband's family. Not only are they stupid, they are nuts.

[mnhtnbb]

35. I've cut off communications--and unfriended my SIL of 30 some years

over politics and her smarmy fb comments.

You're better off without having to deal with him on fb.

[otohara]

36. Eff Him

and don't apologize.

[Zoeisright]

37. Apologize for what? Telling the truth?

You also need to inform him that most of that $2 trillion was BUSH'S two unfunded wars he kept OFF budget that President Obama put ON budget.