If their reasons aren't due to bigotry that's almost worse because it shows that they lack critical thinking in addition to being unfazed by bigotry.
Just because somebody shares genetic material with you doesn't mean their opinions are sacred
Are they racist because they're too stubborn to accept anything else or are they racist because they just don't know?
If it's the 2nd one then you can probably talk them out of the racism. If it's the first then there really isn't much that you can do.
These are the people that raised you, grew together with you, helped you, care about you, etc. If that doesn't mean anything to you, then you and I have very different values as human beings so there's no point in arguing any further.
Also who said their opinions are sacred? I'm arguing for the opposite, that their opinions aren't sacred. Their opinions are just opinions, and you don't have to respect their opinions but you can still respect and care for them as a person.
I'm sorry to hear. How have they reacted in the aftermath if I may ask? If it's too personal I totally understand not sharing.
All I can say is that there are about to be a ton of awkward Thanksgivings around America in 10 days.
They've basically disowned me, my dad and siblings don't care for me anymore. Occasionally my mom will reach out, but not in a way to reconcile, which ends up escalating our damaged relationship further.
I talked to my mom for the first time in two years and she continued to insult me and my boyfriend with racist and homophobic terms. After that conversation I'm perfectly fine and no longer guilty of separating myself from her.
They've basically disowned me, my dad and siblings don't care for me anymore. Occasionally my mom will reach out, but not in a way to reconcile, which ends up escalating our damaged relationship further.
I talked to my mom for the first time in two years and she continued to insult me and my boyfriend with racist and homophobic terms. After that conversation I'm perfectly fine and no longer guilty of separating myself from her.
Thanks Nepenthe for the input and your experience. What would you advise to those who are not affected by the bigotry spewed by friends? I.e. as the above article is suggesting, is it high time for white people to do ugly work and reach those with abhorrent beliefs (or perhaps convince the apathetic or moderates)?
Just take comfort in the fact that when Trump screws up and doesnt fullfill his promises you can say I told you so and rub it in. It is petty but maybe next time they will listen to you so when Trump 2.0 comes along hopefully they think twice. I done this with all my friends that voted Brexit but now realise the effects of the weaker pound.
Intellectually, I feel like there's nothing to be gained by cutting them out. It's not going to make Clinton president, it's not going to offer any comfort to the women, people of color, LGBT community, Muslims, etc. who are feeling justifiably terrified at the reality of a Trump presidency and GOP-controlled Congress and Supreme Court. So on that purely logical level, I wonder if the best thing to do is just tell them how their decision has made me feel, hear them out when they respond, and leave it at that.
My parents are in the top income tax bracket. From what I can tell, a significant reason they voted for Trump was so that their taxes wouldn't go up. I'm starting to feel like that is one of the most abhorrent reasons to vote for him. I could at least understand and empathize if they were say blue-collar workers or pro-life single-issue voters. They even went to a Trump rally and seemed to revel in being called "deplorables."
I've been sort of generally disgusted by them over the past couple months, but the weekend before and week of the election, I haven't even had the stomach to speak to them much. I feel pretty disappointed and disillusioned with the fact that acted like such shitty people from a position of such privilege and success.
It's been time for white people to speak out against bigotry. If nothing else, this election proves what happens when good people stand aside and allow evil to waltz on into the White House. People empathize with those in closest proximity to them, and white people are on average going to be closest to white people. Challenging bigoted views in the home is one way to at least get the gears in one's head turning, assuming their opening to listening.
Granted, I'm more of a pragmatist. I'm exhausted of the idea of enlightenment and education because it's been over half a millenia and we've not gotten anywhere close to smashing bigotry into dust. People are suffering every minute that someone is having a talk with ol' Grandpappy about why slavery wasn't a good thing for black people. I want results regardless of whether or not everyone is on board the ship already. Ergo, I would rather people protest, call their senators and hit up town hall meetings, and VOTE (yes, even if you don't want to have a beer with the candidate in question) to institute legal protections, recognition, and exceptions for minorities in the meantime. I feel governmental precedents inspire change quicker than cultural and educational shifts do. As I said before, slaves weren't freed because white people ever got around to liking us. We were freed because a President signed a document saying so. Thus, I want more documents signed and more laws instituted in the meantime.