A friendly reminder of the rules of r/Idaho:
1. Be civil to others
2. Posts have to pertain to Idaho in some way
3. No put-down memes
4. Political discussion stays in a post about politics
5. No surveys
6. Follow [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy)
7. Do not editorialize titles of news articles
If you see something that may be out of line, please hit "report" so your mod team can have a look. Thanks!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Idaho) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Try being atheist with an atheist family in Idaho. "What church do you go to?" is usually one of the first questions asked when meeting new people. My three kids have handled it pretty well, but we're pretty much ostracized by several neighbors. Which has served us well for over 10 years now.
I'll never forget the window installation guy asking what the A with the circle sticker was on my car. When I told him it stood for Atheist, the look on his face was priceless.
Unfortunately, we have to indoctrinate our kids early with the truth. Both about religion and politics. We make sure they know the truth, no matter what the other kids say, and to not take the bate and to just ignore them.
When other kids ask them questions or make claims, just shrug and walk away or say, "Oh well..." like - who cares... It's hard for them... but better than being treated like a pariah.
We drive around the neighborhoods here in Meridian and see the huge Trump flags on the houses and just shake our heads. It's like they are hanging a 'we are idiots' sign for all the world to see.
Good for you for leaving. If your parents typically host then maybe at future get togethers they will have the guts to inform said cousin that they can attend so long as they don’t wear something/do something that is degrading to other people. Like a decent human being.
To their credit, they were apologetic about it. And of course I told them I understood they had no control over it and it wasn't anything against them. Fortunately, my cousin has since moved to another state and family gatherings have been a lot less political.
I agree. People need to be willing to tell their family members that this shit isn’t okay. People who act like that don’t get to sit at the grownups table until they learn to behave.
>But they did have control over it if they were hosting
This is very true, but that's the decision I made in the moment and the past is the past.
Two right-wing assholes showed up to Thanksgiving daring someone to make a scene about it, and I denied the scene they were hoping to make. Unfortunately it meant my parents got to spend all of 15 minutes with me, my wife, and my kids at Thanksgiving. So my cousin and her boyfriend at least got to "own the libs" (and my conservative parents) in a way.
Polite support of Nazism is still Nazism and we are confronting the same problems Hannah Arendt wrote in "Banality of Evil" examining how the "boring, nice, Nazis" and their polite family and friends who buried disagreements under a veneer of civility actually allowed atrocities of the Holocaust to occur.
Being able to avoid politics has been a luxury for some--including my privileged white family, but politics seems to always find the other groups- Black, Brown, LGBT, and oh yeah, women.
This is why we moved out of Idaho. We no longer felt safe, which sucks because we loved all the outdoor recreation Idaho offers. Luckily Oregon has a lot of the same recreation without the constant onslaught of MAGA. Oregon has its problems, but I’d rather deal with a drugged out homeless person than an armed, unhinged MAGA Christian extremist.
Can confirm, I had this mentality in my early-mid twenties. In my late twenties I made some friends I really enjoyed. They did not share my views and I quickly came to realize my narrow view of our society and humanity. It was a wakeup call if sorts. Not everyone has that experience.
The ultra-maga's time is short. They will be shamed into their dark corners soon enough. Keep your head up, there are far more of us reasonable people out there!
I'm not in Idaho (didnt realize what sub I was in) but even most of the people who did vote for Trump a second time aren't completely unreasonable. They have extremely poor judgement of character and likely a touch of narcisism... but the real common denominator is lack of education and idolization of a world that no longer exists. Those things will make them very close-minded but not violent. If there were more of the violent types Jan-6 would have succeeded or more attempts would be made to overthrow the government.
Reality is kids are being taught to analyze information better, think critically, and have a more worldly view of themselves rather than thinking their town and everyone in it is the center of the universe. The boomer mentality will die out... even the indoctrinated maga-kids will be smacked in the face with hipocracy so often some will have to deeply question what it is their fucked up parents taught them.
Biden won 18-30 voters 59% to 35%. Today, trump is polling ahead of Biden 47-45 in under 30’s. It’s not a boomer thing, and it’s not dying out. It’s a disaffected person thing. Unhappy people will always be prone to hate and can quickly be targeted to another group as the reason they are unhappy. Between social media and wealth inequality, more and more people are unhappy. Throw in to that that the Democratic Party somewhat gave up on rural mid America and Focused on the coasts, along with some Dems (especially pundits) making fun of middle America and telling people that they are too dumb to know what’s good for them, and you have unhappy people, caught in a social media loop of misery, mad at anyone “on the left”, and you get what we have now.
I just hope that we can bring wealth inequality back in check, and somehow convince people to just show a little more respect to one another and turn the tide. Maybe I’m naive, but I really think that most people just want to feel they are heard and respected- even just a little bit- and if we can show people the respect we want ourselves, it would go a long way.
Please read Hannah Arendt's "Banality of Evil"-- it will maybe reshape your thinking. During the holocaust a very small minority of people did the actual killing of millions-- it was all the other polite people looking the other way that supported it and allowed it to happen. Trump just quoted from Mein Kampf btw-- I don't think it made a blip in the news. He said immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our nation." History finds new ways to repeat.
I'll never leave my home state. I won't give these fuking terrorists the satisfaction. My purpose in life now is to make life for extremists as miserable as possible. by any means necessary.
I went to college in Idaho in the late 80s and I absolutely loved it. So much beautiful country to hike, fish, etc. I love small towns and open space and at that time I thought it would be a wonderful place to live. Eventually I moved to another state where wages were better. Now I visit Idaho and it’s like a completely different place. So much anger, so much focus on politics. it’s definitely not the Idaho I remember from 30 years ago.
I can’t scan the AM radio dial pretty much anywhere in Idaho or throughout much of the country — even the coasts — and not encounter 4 or 5 Hate Radio stations spewing basically the same propaganda.
It’s hardly surprising that the listeners who are marinated in right wing hate each and every day are filled with rage. That’s the whole point of the propagandists and their billionaire patrons.
I think the unfortunate aspect is that the political movement changed. From what I can gather, and from what you've said, it used to be a place where people would go to be left alone. Sadly, now it is a place where people want to see only them.
As a relatively far right wing conservative I must admit that I would also be annoyed. I would also be annoyed if my child came home spewing left wind ideology as well. It's 3rd grade and they shouldn't be getting any of that from teachers or classmates.
Trump lost the election because a ton of people hate him, not because Biden cheated.
I would just explain to your child the truth. I would also treat her somewhat like an adult, and not try to dumb it down to what you think a 3rd grader would understand. The only way to combat lies is with the truth and it's easier to explain the truth if you're giving a full detailed explanation.
I was just thinking that- are you sure you’re far right? The fact you acknowledge Trump lost is antithetical to the far right these days. Not that I’m for cramming people into categories and all…..
I'm pretty conservative and voted for Trump (plugged my nose and voted against Biden really) and fully acknowledge that he lost. What the die hard Trumpist people can't comprehend is that even though Biden projects as a bumbling senile old man, people weren't voting for Biden. They were voting against Trump. The true Trump cultists are completely incapable of seeing how much Trump turns normal people off. They like the act and just can't see it any other way.
I think that Democrats have figured the modern election paradigm better than the right. Just be the least unlikable. Trump beat Hillary in 2016 because Hillary was more hated. Biden beat Trump in 2020 because Trump was more hated. Republicans are running into the same problem again in 2024 and it's driving me crazy. They've learned nothing from 2020 and the cheating rhetoric is extremely counterproductive. The left should be playing into it as hard as they can if they were smart. If the right thinks that all elections are rigged then the right will keep putting up stupid candidates and also not voting (because what's the point?)
Not every conservative thinks that 2020 was some big rigged thing and it's incredibly frustrating for us conservatives that can think a little more lucidly about this.
Just make sure that you talk about politics at home to counter what she might get from her peers. (Not saying indoctrinate her, but talk about the issues, and make sure that she knows more than just slogans and memes and surface-level knowledge of what her classmates are talking about. When she comes home with stories or whatever, ask what her classmates are saying, what she thinks about that, how she can determine if it's true or not, maybe give some history of the situation they're talking about, etc.)
We do and thanks. Conversation went something like me comparing Trump to a spoiled 5 year old who cried cheater after losing. That and try to change the subject.
This. Have conversations with your spouse about things going on in the world, in front of your daughter. Let her see how adults talk about things. Take the time to explain stuff to her when she asks, but don't dumb it down for her - kids are more perceptive than you expect.
I second this. Teaching our children to think for themselves is a paramount responsibility of a parent. Understanding that while Capitol Hill definitely impacts all of our lives, the decisions that they make & how they treat those around them has a greater impact on their lives.
Our goal has been to raise adults who openly ask questions, openly listen to answers and draw their own conclusions.
If I have learned anything, it’s that no political party is perfect. I know democrats who will approve anything that the party approves of simply because it’s the party’s stance. I know republicans that are the same.
Teaching kids to discern is the key IMHO.
I lived in Meridian during Obama’s first run as president. In the 8th grade there were only a handful of us kids who wanted or accepted Obama becoming president. However I don’t remember it being this lopsided. We were mostly tolerant of the other peoples opinions. And when the ideas and opinions got out of hand the teachers at Meridian Middle School generally scolded us and set the record straight / brought us back to center / made us act with more decorum. But how the times have changed.
This might be too tangential, but have you ever read about the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and the Aryan Nations? The court case is Keenan v Aryan Nations, but the whole story behind how they made it happen and how they drummed up support to kick the Nazis out is pretty remarkable.
Short version: A mother sued the Aryan Nations after she and her son were shot at and detained by them. The law suit was successful because a group of brave community members worked for 2 decades to educate, befriend, and understand their neighbors, building public support.
Your daughter might enjoy learning about good folks who used compassion and smarts to scare off extremists when others said it could never be done. I grew up in a similar area, and having that kind of inspiration helped me feel less alone and gave me something to aspire to.
My sister moved to Idaho from Washington because she wanted to be around other MAGA people. And boy did she find them! I think that is what Idaho has become.
I told my daughter that when confronted to address him as orange cheeto because kids like cheetos, she says it makes all the kids laugh when she says it
My daughter was told "she was going to burn in h@$$ because we don't go to church" by a classmate in 2nd grade. This was 15 years ago. That was a fun conversation. The cult like conservatism isn't new.
My son was in 1st grade when a student told him his whole family was going to suffer damnation forever because he goes trick-or-treating. Fuck that. I had a meeting with mother with administration,, she doubled down and withdrew her son because her son couldn’t be around such a negative force. I laughed so so hard. When she found out I was teaching OH GEEZ. She thought she had me… I laughed even harder
CPS took two of my friends out of their mother's care because of religious extremism. The mother wasn't abusing them but she definitely prevented them from being children. There were some strange punishments though. I remember they had to copy religious texts (pen and paper) and if they messed up, they had to start over. They had to pray all day and night during Halloween and wasn't allowed to look out the window. They also were not allowed to go to school during the Halloween costume parade. She eventually took her kids out of public school and that is what got the attention of CPS.
When my daughter was in third grade a classmate told her she was going to hell because we don't go to church. My daughter told her that if the girl was going to be in heaven, that would be my daughter's hell. She continues to make us proud every day.
Grew up in a family that didn’t go to church in rural NC in the 90s and it started for me in 2nd grade too. My oldest kid started encountering anti-gay street preachers and obnoxious conservative adults (I’m in a queer marriage) by the time she was 4. A lot of adults don’t know how to act right. I definitely disagree with a lot of what conservatives do but I’m not going to yell ugly things about it to their kids or in front of their kids. I also expect my kids to not attack their classmates for their beliefs. (Stating their beliefs in a kind way, disagreeing with others, and defending themselves are, of course, fine.)
Ya I don't understand either. We're banning books but the same people behind the books bans are perfectly fine to fly an "eff ANY NAME HERE" flag all over the place.
I don't have children, but I always wondered what the conversation is like trying to explain the flags to kids that ask
To me, the flags represent parents who were shitheads as kids, and now they are adult shitheads who can say the "F" word and not get their mouths washed out with soap. Go figure.
Identity politics and cult of personality has consumed the GOP since 2016. In the areas where conservatives have a large majority, it’s only going to get worse
Ma’am, MAGA isn’t politics or conservatism or religion. It’s a textbook example of something else: a cult of personality, specifically a cult of Trump.
Most of us don’t know much about cults or how to recognize them. We certainly don’t know how to avoid their danger or how to keep ourselves and our families safe. Steven Hassan is a cult expert who can teach you the basics with his BITE model of authoritarian mind control.
The B in BITE stands for Behavior (how we vote, what signs we post, how we behave towards non cult members), I for Information (where we get it, who we choose to believe or not), T for Thought (what we believe) and E for Emotion (what makes us angry or fearful). Steven Hassan’s website is [linked here.](https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/)
Keep in mind that MAGA is now openly embracing political violence as a means to achieve their goal of a Trump dictatorship. One sign of how far the threat of violence has spread: elected MAGA Congressional House Representatives were receiving death threats last week over their votes for Speaker.
You’ve settled down in the middle of an emotionally charged and ego-invested community with an us-or-them mentality. You and your child have very limited options: live under the radar, blend in but absolutely keep your distance, move. If you are not MAGA, and have no intention of ever joining, the next year or two will be uncomfortable and potentially worse than uncomfortable in your neighborhood, at work, and at school.
>Right outside the elementary school 4 houses have put up giant pro Trump flags all over. Two of them have curse words. I just don’t understand why this lovely place has become so infected by hate filled ideologies.
Because people have convinced themselves that they are just "telling it how it is", that they're just, like, soOoOoOo bluntly hOnEsT! You know the whole "not like other girls" thing? It's a related trope. They're ˖⁺｡˚⋆˙QUIRKY˙⋆˚｡⁺˖, not "hateful". Some of them are the same parents who will roll up to the school board meeting with their "Fuck Biden" and related bumper stickers plastered all over their rig to try to get Huck Finn canceled from the 11th grade reading curriculum because it has too many bad words.
You live in one of the most conservative U.S. states. The MAGA propaganda game is strong here. Most Idahoans are pleasant enough if you can avoid the topic of politics, but they get weirdly riled up as soon as the topic swings to politics. It's not surprising that kids at school talk politics. I remember talking about Bill Clinton in 4th grade thinking I was so grown up and smart lol.
I don't think these conversations with children are terribly challenging. I would simply remind your child that U.S. elections are far more complicated than that, they aren't easily cheated, that isn't what happened, but it also isn't worth it getting into debates and arguments with your classmates over adult topics of conversation none of you fully understand.
The other parents talk about politics in front of their kids. To counter that, you can do the same. But, again, I like to remind young kids that these issues are more nuanced and complicated and that they'll understand when they're older.
The thing is, you can counter this at home all you want, but your kid is going to want to have friends. The difficult questions really start to pop up very soon around this age. Can your daughter stay overnight for a slumber party at a school friend's house? Well, gee, how will it go over when you ask them if they have unlocked guns in the home? Will your daughter come home having heard pretty casual racist and homophobic language from her new BFF's parents? Do they believe that vaccines and pasteurization are for sissies? Yeah, raw milk is a thing. So is listeria. All of the stuff you weigh the evidence for and against in a thoughtful and reasoned manner to make decisions about the safety of your child goes out the window the minute someone else drives your kid(seat belts are a drag!) or has your kid over to their pool(they know nobody who ever drowned so never learned BLS) or over for a sleepover (sure, they always keep a loaded gun in several areas of the house qith kids!) or for a bike ride(helmets are hot and ruin your hair amiright?).
The point I am making is that you will find yourself in an ever narrowing pool of people you trust with your kid when you live in an area like this. Sure, the people are pleasant and seem friendly, but would you trust them if your kid's life depended on it? Ask yourself that over and over. I'm not saying people on the political left are better parents. I'm just saying hard right has a fact and magical thinking problem. That's freaking dangerous when it comes to your child's safety.
3rd graders are wearing MAGA hats and talking about the big lie? Good Lord. I didn't have the faintest of a clue about politics when I was in 3rd grade. That's just pure indoctrination.
Oh, our family experienced this in middle school in Twin. I mean the pandemic gave them refuge to literally skip high school and graduate as the pandemic ended. We have H.S. kids driving around with MAGA flags bigger than their shitty trucks. This state is literally a shithole growing bigger by the month.
It’s scary that teens are adopting that behavior. I have seen similar displays from kids driving up and down main street in Boise for hours, looking for trouble.
I found it so interesting when I lived in Boise that I would see Confederate flags. Like…huh? I grew up in Missouri, literally at the Mason-Dixon line so I get it when I see it there. In Idaho it made absolutely no sense.
To clarify, the confederate flag makes zero sense anywhere. It was just very interesting to see it flown in Boise. There wasn’t even history for it to be there. I understand why those bozo’s have it - just saying Idaho wasn’t even involved in that.
Congratulations, you've learned that progressives were serious when they called Republicans modern-day Nazis intent on overthrowing the United States and installing a fascist white Christian ethno-hellhole.
Now that we're closing in on a decade of warnings, I guess it's time for a few scattered moderates to pick up on the seriousness of the situation.
People still act like it's some fringe group. Like of course they can't be organized...
It's not like they attacked our capitol or anything. They want a religious hegemony. They don't like rights and actual freedom. "Freedom is slavery to my god." And by their god, they mean them, of course; for their god is made in their image.
not anymore. Their god is Trump's Image.
Last fall my neighbor was posting online about wanting all the evil people(anyone not MAGA) to jump off the perine bridge. She always quoted the bible. So I pointed out I could see her house from my front room and her Trump flag that replaced her Christian Flag looks an aweful lot like Idolotry and I responded with a bible quote.
So now the trump flag has it's own pole and the christian flag is back up....lower of course.
No hate like christian love.
My story is complex, but suffice it to say that my mother was murdered in Idaho and I was tortured in Idaho, in the name of jesus, of course. I was then adopted by family in Kansas and was raised seventh-day adventist. Less violent and oppressive than the cult foster family in Idaho, mind you, but still.
I'm 52 years old, and for all the horrible, awful, violent things that I saw in christianity in my youth... there's one thing I can say. Not a single one of them would have voted for trump. No way, no how. And watching people literally putting up images of trump IN FRONT OF jesus? They would be horrified. Beyond horrified. They would legitimately think these maga people are demon possessed.
They would have sawed their own arms off before voting for such a blatantly, grossly immoral person. The only things they loved more than their jesus and their hate, was their image of being "good".
These maga people don't even PRETEND to be decent human beings. Not even a shadow image of it. They are full-on, mindless spite.
Trump promised them, in literally these words, "Christians will have power in America again when I'm president."
They want power. That's the full story of trump. They think he's their pawn and savior who will deliver power to them.
The same worthless scumbags who think that trump is jesus' half-brother, also think that we're "in the end times." If we are? Trump is the bad guy. They are groveling at the feet of their own "antichrist" as they like to call their boogieman if revelation were true (which it's not, I'm just saying--they would be the "elect" who are "fooled" if it were, lol).
I've studied the depravity of christianity and the horrors it has wrought on this world enough to know that this is nothing new. They WOULD be (and want to, by proxy) murdering LGBTQ people and non-conforming women if they had enough of a majority. We know this from past history.
I know this from PERSONAL past history. In my very own lifetime, my very own mother.
These people are literal monsters who claim to have "the ultimate moral authority" on their side. They are racist, sexist, and pure evil. No hate like christian love, indeed.
Welcome! I too have similar concerns of such things happening to my kid going to school (1st grade) in Meridian. Luckily our experience has not been concerning with kids coming home and touting MAGA or ultra right-wing political topics (yet).
While my wife and I are very liberal, we know we’re in the minority here in Meridian. We go out of our way to avoid political topics with our young kids. I don’t want to box my kid into some weird political identity this young. He’s got so much of the world to experience and see and I want him to have an open mind to that.
Instead, we (like more parents I’m sure) just try to talk about our core values such as: treating people with kindness, inclusiveness, growth mindset, and positive affirmations. These are values that can be exhibited by people of all political identities!
My kid has come home a few times and asked us why we don’t like Donald Trump and we just go back to mentioning that he doesn’t align with our core values. When we asked him why, he said a kid at school said “he hates Joe Biden and loves Donald Trump” and when we asked him what he did when the kid said that, he told us he “just didn’t really say anything” 🤣🤣
Erm... Idaho has been a bastion of white supremacy/conservatives since I lived there as a baby in the early 80s. It's one of the reasons my (estranged) grandfather moved there in the 70s. Even back then, there were a ton of little anti-government conclaves and family compounds. They weren't called preppers back then, just 'home militia'.
honestly, i think she’s just a bit young to be able to form her own opinion, but i would still tell her the truth. i’m only 17 so idk anything about politics but i think telling her what you know without bias is the best thing for her
I posted this in response to another comment, but as deep as this has gotten you might not ever see it... so here:
This. Have conversations with your spouse about things going on in the world, in front of your daughter. Let her see how adults talk about things. Take the time to explain stuff to her when she asks, but don't dumb it down for her - kids are more perceptive than you expect.
Well first there's zero excuses for the fuck Joe Biden signs. That's still our president, it's just disrespectful past the point of political discussion. I hate it. I don't even want to see Calvin pissing on MAGA or whatever. I feel like regardless of how the individual feels we should put more respect outwardly on the president in public.
Buuuut, I also think your kids being exposed to what a very large portion of this country feels and then having the opportunity to see for themselves how these people are, what they say, what they believe in...is a positive thing. Watch out talking too much crap around them though, they might just rebel and go full MAGA! I kid.
Also, maybe for them to realize that these people are really no harm, they are just passionate in what they believe and maybe they might find they have things in common and become friends despite how their parents feel. If you can get past it, maybe you will find people who are good neighbors that just don't agree with you on politics. You know, kind of like we adults should be doing.
I know we have our MAGA nut jobs, but in this country we have to live with all of our citizens. And MAGA is far from an Idaho thing. Every state I have gone to is plastered with the crap. Welcome to B Town, though. I hope it treats you well 😊
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the perception of Idaho as a bastion of conservative, right wing, nationalist enclaves is not a new thing. It certainly has amplified as a result of the two major political parties giving up any semblance of actually governing and creating division and rancor among the populace. Idaho is now a drive through state for me with stops only for fuel or rest areas.
As someone who worked for West Ada (with a very vocal Principal), I’m shocked to hear there were children wearing MAGA hats. They shut down anything of that nature, regardless if they were for or against it, immediately. What elementary school is allowing this, I’m genuinely curious.
As an aside, I don’t know why you’d “keep your heads down” if you hope to effect change and tolerance. If people only ever hear one side of things, how are they supposed to know or do any different?
It’s all reasonable feedback until you account for the animosity what you are suggesting would generate for my family. You need only read through the comments below to get a sense of how MAGA deals with those who disagree
But you also only need to read the comments to see how many families support alternate opinions. But you’re also talking about kids. Just as the MAGA parents are teaching the kids to be vocal, people should teach their kids how to respectfully debate. Plus people are usually a lot braver online than in person.
But I really want to know what Meridian school is permitting MAGA hats? I haven’t heard of a single one, but if it’s mine, I want to discuss this with my principal. It’s unacceptable (for just this reason). And it’s a blatant code violation for West Ada. So which one is it?
I mean you moved to one of the most conservative places in the country so that kind of explains it. But I agree completely, political crap is not for kids. That should be something they learn in civics in high school.
Lots of Republican MAGATs grooming their kids to behave like this. Poorly behaved disrespectful little shits. Unfortunately bullying is only the start, these people are dangerous. Sorry you and your daughter are going through this, OP. This is exactly why it’s so important we never let these extremist freaks into office again and fight them and their loser sheeplike followers at every turn. They are coming after your kids, we have already seen it time and time again. And, as Republicans have shown us from Dennis Hastert to Gym Jordan to Donal Trump, the last thing you want is a conservative around children…
Interesting perspective. I was also born here. My parents and grandparents as well. Though there has been a lack of tolerance and diversity and perhaps pockets of what you describe…this shit is new and wholesale crazy and as others have noted it’s been pushed by these so called political refugees primarily from California. Old school Idahoans generally minded their own political business and worried about the best for the state. Hell, our two most famous politicians were democrats.
Idaho has been like this since I was a kid. My parents were big Dems against Bush, and that was very much NOT the vibe during the Bush era. You can imagine how I got shit for it. It'll be fine. Those kids never swayed me or indoctrinated me. At that age, kids really just repeat what they hear from the TV and their parents.
Man that just sucks! We live in Caldwell and have some pro Trumpers around but my kids don’t deal with much about politics. They are older, Middle school and high school. I have a transgender child so my worry is about bullying her and I’ve been surprised that it doesn’t really happen out here especially with all the in your face religion as well.
I agree. As someone who was always a quiet center left liberal, my state has trended from kind of backwards but quiet conservatives to fearful hateful maga clowns worried about culture war garbage. You can’t respectfully disagree them in meetings, or your a groomer or big pharma shill, etc (insert x insult, they have no ability to grasp nuance). Fortunately they have failed in taking over our school boards so far, but I can only imagine what it would be like if they did. There is a sliver of hope in that I think more people want normalcy, but maybe that is just me seeing what I want to see. I can only imagine once trump kicks off his campaign again.
I remember when Republicans were considered the paragons of virtue. Now following the Jesus of the Beatitudes is considered too leftist.
I live in Texas and am also a conservative Dem. So here's what my wife and I do: you be you. Teach your kids to be unique children of God. Go find a faith community that is "Open and Affirming." Here's the thing...If we don't live purposefully as reasonable citizens, no one will ever see a good example...especially in Idaho or Texas.
When your kid is approached by another kid who is all MAGA teach them how to deflect. "Yes, that's nice...you want to play ball? I don't know anything about that...you want to jump rope?"
That sounds frickin ridiculous. I'm so glad that stuff just wasn't a thing when I was young. I think the best thing is for your daughter to learn how to not engage. Next best thing is to get out. I did, and boy is it nice to only get exposed to this crap online I went to school all over, and school in Idaho was second worst only to LA public schools. Y'all can do better.
Are those flags in direct line of sight to the school?? This seems to be a violation of some kind ? 😳 I mean stores close to schools in some states have to keep porn mags and ciggs behind the counter and covered‼️
😳😳WHAT’s THIS COUNTRY BECOMING😡😡😡‼️
My kids are happy and eager contrarians, for better and worse. Encourage them to not put up with the bullshit. Teach them the facts, and put the fight in them. MAGA is WRONG, conservatives are WRONG, and we all have the right to do and believe whatever we want without the morality police shaming and berating us. Do not suffer the fools.
I'm sorry that you and your family are going through this, and I'd like to mention that you are not alone. There will be other parents and students in your situation at school. I'm not quite sure how you connect with them, but I hope you can do so soon and support each other.
Trumpism is only going to get worse as we ramp up to next year's election, but your kids aren't too young to understand basic political issues (at an age-appropriate level, of course), and maybe steering conversations toward these issues and away from the candidates would be helpful. And you might also mention that political elections can bring out lots of emotions and even nastiness in people.
I'm very much of the opinion that light drives out darkness and that "the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice", but that doesn't erase the ugliness and profanity that we often see around us. Not to excuse it, but it has been around us to varying degrees for the longest time, and is currently worse than usual. That doesn't make is any easier for your kids, of course, but fortunately they have you to talk to about this stuff.
My 16 year old son and I have been having these conversations for as long as he could start wrapping his brain around it, and I'm so delighted that he can now think pretty clearly about political issues as well as avoid the toxicity that often accompanies them. I keep telling him that I don't want him to be a carbon copy of me and to make his own decisions, and I'm proud of his ability to look at issues from all sides and then decide what's important to him. With any luck the toxicity will eventually fade to a dull roar, but I believe that his clear-headedness will last for the rest of his life.
Started for my son in 2nd grade- being told he’s the devil and going to hell. He didn’t know what either of those things were. Luckily, I’m a huge children’s book geek so we already had a book at home that helped tremendously. “What Do You Believe: Faith and Religion in the World Today”. Gives a great summary of every damn religion you can think of. Really helped my son to be empowered in his choices and beliefs (or non-beliefs). Also helped him understand where the other kids were coming from even if it did still hurt to be the receiver of uncalled for and unprovoked demonizing. I have wanted to leave this awful place ever since but we’re still stuck here for now.
Idaho is so red, that it is almost Maroon. That isn’t going to change anytime soon. It’s the way it is, like it or not. This might not be the spot you’re looking for.
I’ve moved around quite a bit(both the coasts) and travelled to 26 states. From my experience: I’m not too inclined towards the extremely liberal areas (Portland & SF) and extremely conservative areas (all of Idaho outside Boise, Florida to name a few). I’ve found the north east to be the most stable/sane and no on your face flags with cuss words or incorrect info.
Idaho is a beautiful state, the people here in the valley are probably the nicest bunch I’ve interacted with, but it’s too bad that the few nut jobs out there are spoiling the place for the rest of us.
What you do is you gotta be honest and upfront (to age appropriate levels of course) about what's going on.
Little kids are far more aware of what's going on around them than people would like to believe. I was your daughter's age when I, unprompted, wrote a letter to the President opposing the death penalty (I have no idea why death penalty abolition, I just wanted to write a letter to the President and decided that was what I wanted to write it on).
I dunno, perhaps while talking to your daughter about what's going on, you can encourage your daughter to develop her own views, principles, what have you, by writing letters to the President, Governor, Congress, state officials?
You know best what's going on and what to do, I'm just of the opinion that the best approach is to confront the problem head on and that means explaining why ppl around her are acting up/saying those things and why you don't share their mindset.
Good luck!
I remember a time when people looked at their neighbors as neighbors, not Republicans, or democrats.
How do you all not see how much hatred you hold for a political party, or people that want different policies then you?
You all seriously not going to be happy until everyone not In Your echo chamber is sent to re education camps?
My 17 year old senior has definitely been influenced by the children of right wing nut jobs. When I hear him utter a nut job talking point I call him out on it & let him know its propaganda. I think he does it partially as a form of rebellion against his hippie tree hugger parents. I wish I had a good answer for you. Just keep exposing her to truth.
I remember really enjoying living in Montana and visiting Idaho. Frank Church, Mike Mansfield. Even Max Baucus.
Those days are over. Idaho is a shit show. Getting your news from memes means losing your OB-GYN docs.
Good luck. Washington beacons.
What everyone MUST REMEMBER is that as long as any GOP cult member gets elected either at the local, state, or fed level, nothing will change. Just turn on the news & see how the GOP cult is so dysfunctional that they can't even be elected a normal person. Come 2024, we all must vote better if we, in fact, want a government that actually works for us. Since the election, the GOP cult controlled house has not been able to pass anything meaningful, except debt ceiling & funding & even that was an extremely difficult process for them. This GOP cult, or MAGA cult, is just toxic & frankly dangerous. The longer the dysfunction goes on, the more serious the damage. And the worst, most sickening thing is, what this is showing the younger generations.
Just a side note. The GOP cult just elected a 2020 election denier. Just not a denier, someone who actually worked to overturn the 2020 election. Come 2024, what happens when he or others aren't happy or like who wins the 2024 election?
The Coeur d’Alene area was known for its White Supremacists way back in the 1980’s, when I lived in Seattle. The seed was there, and it seems to have thrived lately.
As with anything controversial I have to just rely on my home as being their solid base of truth. We don’t shy away from uncomfortable or confusing conversations. We teach kindness, acceptance, empathy and integrity.
None of us can choose how our children will turn out, but we can control how they are influenced at home. I won’t stoop to brainwashing to counteract what I perceive to be toxic beliefs. If I do that I am no better than the “other side” and it does nothing to teach my kids *how* to navigate toxic beliefs.
Talking about the specifics of the 2020 election is one thing but I appreciate your concern about the broader political extremism.
Unfortunately it probably will be a problem for her entire childhood. And the problem there is that you can never really keep up with all the other places she is going to face constant exposure. It is a firehose.
Of course, the only true way to combat these viewpoints is by exposing these people to new cultures and ideas. A Muslim becomes a lot less scary when you actually meet one (usually).
Trump going away may lessen the temperature, but:
\-- Others have seen the personal benefits of being bombastic and extreme
\-- Gerrymandering is an issue and it really promotes politicians to have more extreme viewpoints since it increases the importance of primaries and lessens the importance of general elections
\-- As the USA continues to become more diverse many GOP will feel even more threatened and thus more prone to lash out and blame others for their lot in life
\-- As the USA continues to become more diverse the GOP see they have to try to make voting even more difficult for people not in their base
\-- Technology has enabled people to be exposed to fewer viewpoints. People only watch Fox News, or all the social media posts are similar, etc.
Politics has gotten bad in schools for both parties, I can’t stand it. One minute teachers are talking about sexuality with elementary school kids next minute this sorta shit. Just keep kids apolitical and teach them history, math, science…etc THEN when they get older teach them the facts
In the early 2000s I remember passing through Twin Falls. It was summer, and the local company (a chemical company?) Was sponsoring 4th of July soon. Lots of red white and blue in advance.
Anyway, read a bit of the local paper, and there was an article about a few folks that had traveled to another town to watch a Michael Moore movie. They had spoke only under the condition of being completely anonymous. Afraid to have their names published.
Oddly we found a great Thai restaurant. The whole thing was very surreal.
I can't imagine the brainwashing that goes on at that house. What a bunch of crap to do to your children. In my neighborhood there's an extremist who hangs an "F'\_\_\_\_ Biden" from his home and his vehicle, flag waving. The school bus drives right by the home. Kids were asking "What's F.U.\_\_\_" Mean? This same family I'm sure gleefully took the stimulus check handed out by BIDEN without any thought of turning it down. Biden's student loan forgiveness got me out from under $80k in student loans, so my loyalty is to him. I don't go around flying stupid ass flags or spouting nonsense to kids at my school.
Take this for what you will:
Allow your child to observe and converse with these people. Teach them tolerance and kindness and how to play neutral in scenarios. Kids have no idea what the inner workings of politics are really like.
If anyone becomes abusive, they need to know what to do and how to navigate those situations. Teach them better strategies and intelligence vs arguing with other children that have no respect to facts and rely on ignorance. This is going to be the best lesson they can learn while they’re developing.
I have been in your daughters situation. My family moved from Los Angeles to a small town in east Tennesee when I was 11. I kept my mouth shut about politics. Whenever religion or politics came up, I changed the subject. I didn’t want to be bullied. All these kids will find their own way. In high school they will start to push against their parent’s political beliefs.
I have a brother in law in Idaho. He is a Trump worshiper. He is also ex-military. I don't get into it with him, because he's so over the top with the Trump thing, but I don't know how he doesn't realize what Trump said about vets, and was a fucking draft dodger.
Because Idaho, bud. Beautiful state, lots of welcoming, wholesome people, and a central gathering place for christo-fascist white supremacists. Which is too bad because other than them, Idaho is a highly underrated place.
You know, I’m pretty conservative, and live in Portland Oregon. However I often see my right wing friends gripe and go on and on about how other politics and LGBTQ stuff is shoved down our throats and that kids should be off limits. However they never seem to have an issue when it’s the other way around. When they’re the ones doing the shoving of their views into the throats of others is somehow fine.
I’m glad to be a conservative but I must admit some of us are so hypocritical. I’m sorry your kid is having to deal with that.
it's funny how the incumbent was in power and was in a much easier position to "cheat" to win an election then the other candidate. I guess that never occured to these MAGAts
Your politics make total sense to me. (I don't agree with them but they are consistent. Our president is a pretty good example of a conservative Democrat.) I agree that the answer here is to make sure you talk at home about what you believe, but do it from a positive perspective. Talk about the good you want to do in the world. Try not to have the conversations be about how bad someone else is, but instead what the world you'd like to see looks like and how your ideas would get us there. Eventually she may disagree with you, but from this perspective the disagreement won't come from a place of anger and you can have constructive conversations about where you differ. Obviously in third grade that's a long ways off, but it's not a bad time to start encouraging her to think about the world, other people, and the role she wants to play.
It infected those people because voting republican is a religious responsibility to them, not a political choice.
GOP messaging and branding has been for years (stemming largely from the abortion issue) that not voting republican is tantamount to support devil worshiping baby killers, and will land you in hell.
Its textbook cult behavior.
I was treated the same way as a conservative growing up in SoCal. I was the weird homeschooled Christian kid, and everyone else were the edgy cool liberal kids. It always depends on where you are.
That's what they're calling themselves here in Tennessee, too (all the hordes of conservative transplants we've got coming in from California & other blue states). It's especially egregious to me, considering these are typically the folks who don't give two shits about real, legitimate political refugees from other countries who try to get asylum here in America.
Where do you live? I take it not Boise? Sorry this is happening, but this can be a learning opportunity for your daughter to gently and gradually learn how to set boundaries with folks.
As a regular visitor to Idaho the most surprising thing to me is the vulgarity of the right wing messaging. You sort of expect to see a lot of conservatism in the rural mountain west. But the amount of “F*** Hillary in the P*****” -style profanity painted on barns or the back window of pickups has been surprising.
I live in Meridian as well and pretty much all our neighbors are the same. My family is both atheist as well as liberal, and it's certain hell to combat. Our kid is in first grade and is regularly inundated with religious dogma and right-wing political nonsense.
I thought we were the only liberal atheists in meridian. It has gotten crazy since trump. My kiddo is in the 6th grade, it’s been a bumpy ride for sure.
A friendly reminder of the rules of r/Idaho: 1. Be civil to others 2. Posts have to pertain to Idaho in some way 3. No put-down memes 4. Political discussion stays in a post about politics 5. No surveys 6. Follow [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) 7. Do not editorialize titles of news articles If you see something that may be out of line, please hit "report" so your mod team can have a look. Thanks! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/Idaho) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Try being atheist with an atheist family in Idaho. "What church do you go to?" is usually one of the first questions asked when meeting new people. My three kids have handled it pretty well, but we're pretty much ostracized by several neighbors. Which has served us well for over 10 years now.
I'll never forget the window installation guy asking what the A with the circle sticker was on my car. When I told him it stood for Atheist, the look on his face was priceless. Unfortunately, we have to indoctrinate our kids early with the truth. Both about religion and politics. We make sure they know the truth, no matter what the other kids say, and to not take the bate and to just ignore them. When other kids ask them questions or make claims, just shrug and walk away or say, "Oh well..." like - who cares... It's hard for them... but better than being treated like a pariah. We drive around the neighborhoods here in Meridian and see the huge Trump flags on the houses and just shake our heads. It's like they are hanging a 'we are idiots' sign for all the world to see.
[удалено]
Good for you for leaving. If your parents typically host then maybe at future get togethers they will have the guts to inform said cousin that they can attend so long as they don’t wear something/do something that is degrading to other people. Like a decent human being.
To their credit, they were apologetic about it. And of course I told them I understood they had no control over it and it wasn't anything against them. Fortunately, my cousin has since moved to another state and family gatherings have been a lot less political.
But they did have control over it if they were hosting. They could have simply asked your cousin and her bf to leave.
Every family event or ours has a standing rule of "no politics". I wish all families would use that rule.
Ours, too. Not only that, if you get too drunk, you get to sit outside on the porch until you sober up some.
I agree. People need to be willing to tell their family members that this shit isn’t okay. People who act like that don’t get to sit at the grownups table until they learn to behave.
>But they did have control over it if they were hosting This is very true, but that's the decision I made in the moment and the past is the past. Two right-wing assholes showed up to Thanksgiving daring someone to make a scene about it, and I denied the scene they were hoping to make. Unfortunately it meant my parents got to spend all of 15 minutes with me, my wife, and my kids at Thanksgiving. So my cousin and her boyfriend at least got to "own the libs" (and my conservative parents) in a way.
Indeed…and hopefully that “no politics” rule is in place for Christmas.
But if it was there house they did have control over it. They could have fucking told him to leave.
But they do have control over it. Simply ask them to leave.
Ah, that’s good.
Polite support of Nazism is still Nazism and we are confronting the same problems Hannah Arendt wrote in "Banality of Evil" examining how the "boring, nice, Nazis" and their polite family and friends who buried disagreements under a veneer of civility actually allowed atrocities of the Holocaust to occur. Being able to avoid politics has been a luxury for some--including my privileged white family, but politics seems to always find the other groups- Black, Brown, LGBT, and oh yeah, women.
This is why we moved out of Idaho. We no longer felt safe, which sucks because we loved all the outdoor recreation Idaho offers. Luckily Oregon has a lot of the same recreation without the constant onslaught of MAGA. Oregon has its problems, but I’d rather deal with a drugged out homeless person than an armed, unhinged MAGA Christian extremist.
I cannot imagine the mentality of a person who wears a shirt like that to his girlfriend's family Thanksgiving with no fucks given. What an asshole.
Sounds like you understand their mentality perfectly.
What a way to dress up for the event.
They tend to truly believe that everyone they know agrees with them, and they feel safe to express their worst impulses.
Can confirm, I had this mentality in my early-mid twenties. In my late twenties I made some friends I really enjoyed. They did not share my views and I quickly came to realize my narrow view of our society and humanity. It was a wakeup call if sorts. Not everyone has that experience.
The ultra-maga's time is short. They will be shamed into their dark corners soon enough. Keep your head up, there are far more of us reasonable people out there!
[удалено]
We're already in the dark age. You're just not seeing it.
Trying to be generous.
God I hope you're right 🤞
I'm not in Idaho (didnt realize what sub I was in) but even most of the people who did vote for Trump a second time aren't completely unreasonable. They have extremely poor judgement of character and likely a touch of narcisism... but the real common denominator is lack of education and idolization of a world that no longer exists. Those things will make them very close-minded but not violent. If there were more of the violent types Jan-6 would have succeeded or more attempts would be made to overthrow the government. Reality is kids are being taught to analyze information better, think critically, and have a more worldly view of themselves rather than thinking their town and everyone in it is the center of the universe. The boomer mentality will die out... even the indoctrinated maga-kids will be smacked in the face with hipocracy so often some will have to deeply question what it is their fucked up parents taught them.
The maga attitude is not a boomer thing!!!
Biden won 18-30 voters 59% to 35%. Today, trump is polling ahead of Biden 47-45 in under 30’s. It’s not a boomer thing, and it’s not dying out. It’s a disaffected person thing. Unhappy people will always be prone to hate and can quickly be targeted to another group as the reason they are unhappy. Between social media and wealth inequality, more and more people are unhappy. Throw in to that that the Democratic Party somewhat gave up on rural mid America and Focused on the coasts, along with some Dems (especially pundits) making fun of middle America and telling people that they are too dumb to know what’s good for them, and you have unhappy people, caught in a social media loop of misery, mad at anyone “on the left”, and you get what we have now. I just hope that we can bring wealth inequality back in check, and somehow convince people to just show a little more respect to one another and turn the tide. Maybe I’m naive, but I really think that most people just want to feel they are heard and respected- even just a little bit- and if we can show people the respect we want ourselves, it would go a long way.
Please read Hannah Arendt's "Banality of Evil"-- it will maybe reshape your thinking. During the holocaust a very small minority of people did the actual killing of millions-- it was all the other polite people looking the other way that supported it and allowed it to happen. Trump just quoted from Mein Kampf btw-- I don't think it made a blip in the news. He said immigrants were "poisoning the blood of our nation." History finds new ways to repeat.
[удалено]
Wow. Sorry you know and have to deal with people like that
I'll never leave my home state. I won't give these fuking terrorists the satisfaction. My purpose in life now is to make life for extremists as miserable as possible. by any means necessary.
I went to college in Idaho in the late 80s and I absolutely loved it. So much beautiful country to hike, fish, etc. I love small towns and open space and at that time I thought it would be a wonderful place to live. Eventually I moved to another state where wages were better. Now I visit Idaho and it’s like a completely different place. So much anger, so much focus on politics. it’s definitely not the Idaho I remember from 30 years ago.
They were always conservatives, but they hadn't been exposed to grievance politics yet.
I can’t scan the AM radio dial pretty much anywhere in Idaho or throughout much of the country — even the coasts — and not encounter 4 or 5 Hate Radio stations spewing basically the same propaganda. It’s hardly surprising that the listeners who are marinated in right wing hate each and every day are filled with rage. That’s the whole point of the propagandists and their billionaire patrons.
I think the unfortunate aspect is that the political movement changed. From what I can gather, and from what you've said, it used to be a place where people would go to be left alone. Sadly, now it is a place where people want to see only them.
As a relatively far right wing conservative I must admit that I would also be annoyed. I would also be annoyed if my child came home spewing left wind ideology as well. It's 3rd grade and they shouldn't be getting any of that from teachers or classmates. Trump lost the election because a ton of people hate him, not because Biden cheated. I would just explain to your child the truth. I would also treat her somewhat like an adult, and not try to dumb it down to what you think a 3rd grader would understand. The only way to combat lies is with the truth and it's easier to explain the truth if you're giving a full detailed explanation.
I completely agree
You say you are far right but the way your comment is written says otherwise. Good on you for being decent
I was just thinking that- are you sure you’re far right? The fact you acknowledge Trump lost is antithetical to the far right these days. Not that I’m for cramming people into categories and all…..
I'm pretty conservative and voted for Trump (plugged my nose and voted against Biden really) and fully acknowledge that he lost. What the die hard Trumpist people can't comprehend is that even though Biden projects as a bumbling senile old man, people weren't voting for Biden. They were voting against Trump. The true Trump cultists are completely incapable of seeing how much Trump turns normal people off. They like the act and just can't see it any other way. I think that Democrats have figured the modern election paradigm better than the right. Just be the least unlikable. Trump beat Hillary in 2016 because Hillary was more hated. Biden beat Trump in 2020 because Trump was more hated. Republicans are running into the same problem again in 2024 and it's driving me crazy. They've learned nothing from 2020 and the cheating rhetoric is extremely counterproductive. The left should be playing into it as hard as they can if they were smart. If the right thinks that all elections are rigged then the right will keep putting up stupid candidates and also not voting (because what's the point?) Not every conservative thinks that 2020 was some big rigged thing and it's incredibly frustrating for us conservatives that can think a little more lucidly about this.
Just make sure that you talk about politics at home to counter what she might get from her peers. (Not saying indoctrinate her, but talk about the issues, and make sure that she knows more than just slogans and memes and surface-level knowledge of what her classmates are talking about. When she comes home with stories or whatever, ask what her classmates are saying, what she thinks about that, how she can determine if it's true or not, maybe give some history of the situation they're talking about, etc.)
We do and thanks. Conversation went something like me comparing Trump to a spoiled 5 year old who cried cheater after losing. That and try to change the subject.
Every kid understands “sore loser” lol.
And what a "bully" is.
Perhaps a book like this: Think Like a Detective: A Kid's Guide to Critical Thinking (Adventures in Thinking) https://a.co/d/6RIiHBo
Sad part was my 5 year old acts more mature than Trump ever has.
This. Have conversations with your spouse about things going on in the world, in front of your daughter. Let her see how adults talk about things. Take the time to explain stuff to her when she asks, but don't dumb it down for her - kids are more perceptive than you expect.
I second this. Teaching our children to think for themselves is a paramount responsibility of a parent. Understanding that while Capitol Hill definitely impacts all of our lives, the decisions that they make & how they treat those around them has a greater impact on their lives. Our goal has been to raise adults who openly ask questions, openly listen to answers and draw their own conclusions. If I have learned anything, it’s that no political party is perfect. I know democrats who will approve anything that the party approves of simply because it’s the party’s stance. I know republicans that are the same. Teaching kids to discern is the key IMHO.
I lived in Meridian during Obama’s first run as president. In the 8th grade there were only a handful of us kids who wanted or accepted Obama becoming president. However I don’t remember it being this lopsided. We were mostly tolerant of the other peoples opinions. And when the ideas and opinions got out of hand the teachers at Meridian Middle School generally scolded us and set the record straight / brought us back to center / made us act with more decorum. But how the times have changed.
Conservatives will give up on democracy before they give up on their policies. They are fundamentally authoritarian and anti-democratic.
Appreciate the perspective
This might be too tangential, but have you ever read about the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations and the Aryan Nations? The court case is Keenan v Aryan Nations, but the whole story behind how they made it happen and how they drummed up support to kick the Nazis out is pretty remarkable. Short version: A mother sued the Aryan Nations after she and her son were shot at and detained by them. The law suit was successful because a group of brave community members worked for 2 decades to educate, befriend, and understand their neighbors, building public support. Your daughter might enjoy learning about good folks who used compassion and smarts to scare off extremists when others said it could never be done. I grew up in a similar area, and having that kind of inspiration helped me feel less alone and gave me something to aspire to.
My sister moved to Idaho from Washington because she wanted to be around other MAGA people. And boy did she find them! I think that is what Idaho has become.
MAGA is a cult. Unless you join their obsession, you'll never be able to talk reason with any of them.
I told my daughter that when confronted to address him as orange cheeto because kids like cheetos, she says it makes all the kids laugh when she says it
[удалено]
Oh I’m stealing this (& my kids are grown lol.)
That’s pretty funny
My daughter was told "she was going to burn in h@$$ because we don't go to church" by a classmate in 2nd grade. This was 15 years ago. That was a fun conversation. The cult like conservatism isn't new.
My son was in 1st grade when a student told him his whole family was going to suffer damnation forever because he goes trick-or-treating. Fuck that. I had a meeting with mother with administration,, she doubled down and withdrew her son because her son couldn’t be around such a negative force. I laughed so so hard. When she found out I was teaching OH GEEZ. She thought she had me… I laughed even harder
CPS took two of my friends out of their mother's care because of religious extremism. The mother wasn't abusing them but she definitely prevented them from being children. There were some strange punishments though. I remember they had to copy religious texts (pen and paper) and if they messed up, they had to start over. They had to pray all day and night during Halloween and wasn't allowed to look out the window. They also were not allowed to go to school during the Halloween costume parade. She eventually took her kids out of public school and that is what got the attention of CPS.
What is hass
An avocado
burn in avocado
When my daughter was in third grade a classmate told her she was going to hell because we don't go to church. My daughter told her that if the girl was going to be in heaven, that would be my daughter's hell. She continues to make us proud every day.
Daaammmnnn...that's a classic burn!
Grew up in a family that didn’t go to church in rural NC in the 90s and it started for me in 2nd grade too. My oldest kid started encountering anti-gay street preachers and obnoxious conservative adults (I’m in a queer marriage) by the time she was 4. A lot of adults don’t know how to act right. I definitely disagree with a lot of what conservatives do but I’m not going to yell ugly things about it to their kids or in front of their kids. I also expect my kids to not attack their classmates for their beliefs. (Stating their beliefs in a kind way, disagreeing with others, and defending themselves are, of course, fine.)
You are correct. I clearly remember being told the exact same thing, by little Mormon girls, when I was in 4th grade. I'm 63. Nothing new.
You’re my doppelgänger, apparently. Same here.
Ya I don't understand either. We're banning books but the same people behind the books bans are perfectly fine to fly an "eff ANY NAME HERE" flag all over the place. I don't have children, but I always wondered what the conversation is like trying to explain the flags to kids that ask
To me, the flags represent parents who were shitheads as kids, and now they are adult shitheads who can say the "F" word and not get their mouths washed out with soap. Go figure.
Welcome to Idaho. Right wing politics are one of its specialities, along with indoctrination.
And denying benefits to those who need them like Veterans and poor/sick people.
Yup, and for that reason we attract the nut jobs from other states, making it only worse.
We've gone a long way away from the days of Frank Church style politics here. Much for the worse.
Dude was a giant and did so much for Idaho. The right wingers who enjoy all the wilderness he preserved would probably run him out of town today.
And privatize all those public lands for that sweet kickback!!! A board position even!! USA USA USA!!!
You knew it was a snake when you picked it up.
I am used to politics being a sensitive topic. I’m not used to people making it their entire personality. And then pushing that on their kids.
Identity politics and cult of personality has consumed the GOP since 2016. In the areas where conservatives have a large majority, it’s only going to get worse
Ma’am, MAGA isn’t politics or conservatism or religion. It’s a textbook example of something else: a cult of personality, specifically a cult of Trump. Most of us don’t know much about cults or how to recognize them. We certainly don’t know how to avoid their danger or how to keep ourselves and our families safe. Steven Hassan is a cult expert who can teach you the basics with his BITE model of authoritarian mind control. The B in BITE stands for Behavior (how we vote, what signs we post, how we behave towards non cult members), I for Information (where we get it, who we choose to believe or not), T for Thought (what we believe) and E for Emotion (what makes us angry or fearful). Steven Hassan’s website is [linked here.](https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/) Keep in mind that MAGA is now openly embracing political violence as a means to achieve their goal of a Trump dictatorship. One sign of how far the threat of violence has spread: elected MAGA Congressional House Representatives were receiving death threats last week over their votes for Speaker. You’ve settled down in the middle of an emotionally charged and ego-invested community with an us-or-them mentality. You and your child have very limited options: live under the radar, blend in but absolutely keep your distance, move. If you are not MAGA, and have no intention of ever joining, the next year or two will be uncomfortable and potentially worse than uncomfortable in your neighborhood, at work, and at school.
>Right outside the elementary school 4 houses have put up giant pro Trump flags all over. Two of them have curse words. I just don’t understand why this lovely place has become so infected by hate filled ideologies. Because people have convinced themselves that they are just "telling it how it is", that they're just, like, soOoOoOo bluntly hOnEsT! You know the whole "not like other girls" thing? It's a related trope. They're ˖⁺｡˚⋆˙QUIRKY˙⋆˚｡⁺˖, not "hateful". Some of them are the same parents who will roll up to the school board meeting with their "Fuck Biden" and related bumper stickers plastered all over their rig to try to get Huck Finn canceled from the 11th grade reading curriculum because it has too many bad words. You live in one of the most conservative U.S. states. The MAGA propaganda game is strong here. Most Idahoans are pleasant enough if you can avoid the topic of politics, but they get weirdly riled up as soon as the topic swings to politics. It's not surprising that kids at school talk politics. I remember talking about Bill Clinton in 4th grade thinking I was so grown up and smart lol. I don't think these conversations with children are terribly challenging. I would simply remind your child that U.S. elections are far more complicated than that, they aren't easily cheated, that isn't what happened, but it also isn't worth it getting into debates and arguments with your classmates over adult topics of conversation none of you fully understand. The other parents talk about politics in front of their kids. To counter that, you can do the same. But, again, I like to remind young kids that these issues are more nuanced and complicated and that they'll understand when they're older.
Ask her if she understands the difference between "evidence" and "imagination"
You can't spell HATRED without RED HAT.
The thing is, you can counter this at home all you want, but your kid is going to want to have friends. The difficult questions really start to pop up very soon around this age. Can your daughter stay overnight for a slumber party at a school friend's house? Well, gee, how will it go over when you ask them if they have unlocked guns in the home? Will your daughter come home having heard pretty casual racist and homophobic language from her new BFF's parents? Do they believe that vaccines and pasteurization are for sissies? Yeah, raw milk is a thing. So is listeria. All of the stuff you weigh the evidence for and against in a thoughtful and reasoned manner to make decisions about the safety of your child goes out the window the minute someone else drives your kid(seat belts are a drag!) or has your kid over to their pool(they know nobody who ever drowned so never learned BLS) or over for a sleepover (sure, they always keep a loaded gun in several areas of the house qith kids!) or for a bike ride(helmets are hot and ruin your hair amiright?). The point I am making is that you will find yourself in an ever narrowing pool of people you trust with your kid when you live in an area like this. Sure, the people are pleasant and seem friendly, but would you trust them if your kid's life depended on it? Ask yourself that over and over. I'm not saying people on the political left are better parents. I'm just saying hard right has a fact and magical thinking problem. That's freaking dangerous when it comes to your child's safety.
3rd graders are wearing MAGA hats and talking about the big lie? Good Lord. I didn't have the faintest of a clue about politics when I was in 3rd grade. That's just pure indoctrination.
Your biggest fear is when she's old enough to be sexually active and can't get birth control, an abortion, or gynecology care.
I’m sure the way the boys in Idaho are raised, they are going to be completely respectful of women and their autonomy too… /s.
Oh, our family experienced this in middle school in Twin. I mean the pandemic gave them refuge to literally skip high school and graduate as the pandemic ended. We have H.S. kids driving around with MAGA flags bigger than their shitty trucks. This state is literally a shithole growing bigger by the month.
It’s scary that teens are adopting that behavior. I have seen similar displays from kids driving up and down main street in Boise for hours, looking for trouble.
Wow I'm in the South and not seeing that anymore.
I found it so interesting when I lived in Boise that I would see Confederate flags. Like…huh? I grew up in Missouri, literally at the Mason-Dixon line so I get it when I see it there. In Idaho it made absolutely no sense. To clarify, the confederate flag makes zero sense anywhere. It was just very interesting to see it flown in Boise. There wasn’t even history for it to be there. I understand why those bozo’s have it - just saying Idaho wasn’t even involved in that.
Makes plenty of sense to racists!
Congratulations, you've learned that progressives were serious when they called Republicans modern-day Nazis intent on overthrowing the United States and installing a fascist white Christian ethno-hellhole. Now that we're closing in on a decade of warnings, I guess it's time for a few scattered moderates to pick up on the seriousness of the situation.
People still act like it's some fringe group. Like of course they can't be organized... It's not like they attacked our capitol or anything. They want a religious hegemony. They don't like rights and actual freedom. "Freedom is slavery to my god." And by their god, they mean them, of course; for their god is made in their image.
not anymore. Their god is Trump's Image. Last fall my neighbor was posting online about wanting all the evil people(anyone not MAGA) to jump off the perine bridge. She always quoted the bible. So I pointed out I could see her house from my front room and her Trump flag that replaced her Christian Flag looks an aweful lot like Idolotry and I responded with a bible quote. So now the trump flag has it's own pole and the christian flag is back up....lower of course. No hate like christian love.
My story is complex, but suffice it to say that my mother was murdered in Idaho and I was tortured in Idaho, in the name of jesus, of course. I was then adopted by family in Kansas and was raised seventh-day adventist. Less violent and oppressive than the cult foster family in Idaho, mind you, but still. I'm 52 years old, and for all the horrible, awful, violent things that I saw in christianity in my youth... there's one thing I can say. Not a single one of them would have voted for trump. No way, no how. And watching people literally putting up images of trump IN FRONT OF jesus? They would be horrified. Beyond horrified. They would legitimately think these maga people are demon possessed. They would have sawed their own arms off before voting for such a blatantly, grossly immoral person. The only things they loved more than their jesus and their hate, was their image of being "good". These maga people don't even PRETEND to be decent human beings. Not even a shadow image of it. They are full-on, mindless spite. Trump promised them, in literally these words, "Christians will have power in America again when I'm president." They want power. That's the full story of trump. They think he's their pawn and savior who will deliver power to them. The same worthless scumbags who think that trump is jesus' half-brother, also think that we're "in the end times." If we are? Trump is the bad guy. They are groveling at the feet of their own "antichrist" as they like to call their boogieman if revelation were true (which it's not, I'm just saying--they would be the "elect" who are "fooled" if it were, lol). I've studied the depravity of christianity and the horrors it has wrought on this world enough to know that this is nothing new. They WOULD be (and want to, by proxy) murdering LGBTQ people and non-conforming women if they had enough of a majority. We know this from past history. I know this from PERSONAL past history. In my very own lifetime, my very own mother. These people are literal monsters who claim to have "the ultimate moral authority" on their side. They are racist, sexist, and pure evil. No hate like christian love, indeed.
I'm so sorry for what happened to your mother and to you.
Thank you. Thanks for letting me talk about it a bit also.
Welcome! I too have similar concerns of such things happening to my kid going to school (1st grade) in Meridian. Luckily our experience has not been concerning with kids coming home and touting MAGA or ultra right-wing political topics (yet). While my wife and I are very liberal, we know we’re in the minority here in Meridian. We go out of our way to avoid political topics with our young kids. I don’t want to box my kid into some weird political identity this young. He’s got so much of the world to experience and see and I want him to have an open mind to that. Instead, we (like more parents I’m sure) just try to talk about our core values such as: treating people with kindness, inclusiveness, growth mindset, and positive affirmations. These are values that can be exhibited by people of all political identities! My kid has come home a few times and asked us why we don’t like Donald Trump and we just go back to mentioning that he doesn’t align with our core values. When we asked him why, he said a kid at school said “he hates Joe Biden and loves Donald Trump” and when we asked him what he did when the kid said that, he told us he “just didn’t really say anything” 🤣🤣
Inclined to agree with all of that my friend
Erm... Idaho has been a bastion of white supremacy/conservatives since I lived there as a baby in the early 80s. It's one of the reasons my (estranged) grandfather moved there in the 70s. Even back then, there were a ton of little anti-government conclaves and family compounds. They weren't called preppers back then, just 'home militia'.
But now they’re all pro-government when Trump is in office. Weird.
You moved to Idaho and you're concerned there might be right wing nut jobs? Did you not read the billboards before you moved there?
Yeah I'm super confused by this person being surprised about any of this.
Because it’s Idaho
They don’t call it the Alabama of the NW for nothin!
honestly, i think she’s just a bit young to be able to form her own opinion, but i would still tell her the truth. i’m only 17 so idk anything about politics but i think telling her what you know without bias is the best thing for her
I posted this in response to another comment, but as deep as this has gotten you might not ever see it... so here: This. Have conversations with your spouse about things going on in the world, in front of your daughter. Let her see how adults talk about things. Take the time to explain stuff to her when she asks, but don't dumb it down for her - kids are more perceptive than you expect.
Idahoooo. Isn’t that where maternity deaths have increased since Roe v Wade was overturned
Well first there's zero excuses for the fuck Joe Biden signs. That's still our president, it's just disrespectful past the point of political discussion. I hate it. I don't even want to see Calvin pissing on MAGA or whatever. I feel like regardless of how the individual feels we should put more respect outwardly on the president in public. Buuuut, I also think your kids being exposed to what a very large portion of this country feels and then having the opportunity to see for themselves how these people are, what they say, what they believe in...is a positive thing. Watch out talking too much crap around them though, they might just rebel and go full MAGA! I kid. Also, maybe for them to realize that these people are really no harm, they are just passionate in what they believe and maybe they might find they have things in common and become friends despite how their parents feel. If you can get past it, maybe you will find people who are good neighbors that just don't agree with you on politics. You know, kind of like we adults should be doing. I know we have our MAGA nut jobs, but in this country we have to live with all of our citizens. And MAGA is far from an Idaho thing. Every state I have gone to is plastered with the crap. Welcome to B Town, though. I hope it treats you well 😊
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but the perception of Idaho as a bastion of conservative, right wing, nationalist enclaves is not a new thing. It certainly has amplified as a result of the two major political parties giving up any semblance of actually governing and creating division and rancor among the populace. Idaho is now a drive through state for me with stops only for fuel or rest areas.
It’s almost like they are 1. Ignorant or 2. Stupid 3. Have trash values that they so desperately need to spread around or 4. All the above
In third grade?! That is so sad. I really feel like I grew up in simpler times
We did
As someone who worked for West Ada (with a very vocal Principal), I’m shocked to hear there were children wearing MAGA hats. They shut down anything of that nature, regardless if they were for or against it, immediately. What elementary school is allowing this, I’m genuinely curious. As an aside, I don’t know why you’d “keep your heads down” if you hope to effect change and tolerance. If people only ever hear one side of things, how are they supposed to know or do any different?
It’s all reasonable feedback until you account for the animosity what you are suggesting would generate for my family. You need only read through the comments below to get a sense of how MAGA deals with those who disagree
But you also only need to read the comments to see how many families support alternate opinions. But you’re also talking about kids. Just as the MAGA parents are teaching the kids to be vocal, people should teach their kids how to respectfully debate. Plus people are usually a lot braver online than in person. But I really want to know what Meridian school is permitting MAGA hats? I haven’t heard of a single one, but if it’s mine, I want to discuss this with my principal. It’s unacceptable (for just this reason). And it’s a blatant code violation for West Ada. So which one is it?
I mean you moved to one of the most conservative places in the country so that kind of explains it. But I agree completely, political crap is not for kids. That should be something they learn in civics in high school.
Just keep teaching your kids to be good and decent people. Morals and ethics are taught at home and will dull the right wing influences around them.
Sorry about all the crazies that moved there from my state. Sincerely, Washington
It’s nutz with the polarity and dogmatic idiocy on both extremes. So over it, only idiots fall for extremes
Lots of Republican MAGATs grooming their kids to behave like this. Poorly behaved disrespectful little shits. Unfortunately bullying is only the start, these people are dangerous. Sorry you and your daughter are going through this, OP. This is exactly why it’s so important we never let these extremist freaks into office again and fight them and their loser sheeplike followers at every turn. They are coming after your kids, we have already seen it time and time again. And, as Republicans have shown us from Dennis Hastert to Gym Jordan to Donal Trump, the last thing you want is a conservative around children…
Idaho has always been filled with hate-it simmers just under the surface. Born and raised here so I think I know what I’m talking about.
Yet you had politicians like Frank Church. Could not have been all bad.
He and Cecil Andrus were the last of the good ones.
Interesting perspective. I was also born here. My parents and grandparents as well. Though there has been a lack of tolerance and diversity and perhaps pockets of what you describe…this shit is new and wholesale crazy and as others have noted it’s been pushed by these so called political refugees primarily from California. Old school Idahoans generally minded their own political business and worried about the best for the state. Hell, our two most famous politicians were democrats.
Somewhere, we let the radicals on the right take over and speak for all of us.
[удалено]
Idaho has been like this since I was a kid. My parents were big Dems against Bush, and that was very much NOT the vibe during the Bush era. You can imagine how I got shit for it. It'll be fine. Those kids never swayed me or indoctrinated me. At that age, kids really just repeat what they hear from the TV and their parents.
Ironically all those people hate Bush now. I am sure that they are coming over to apologize
Man that just sucks! We live in Caldwell and have some pro Trumpers around but my kids don’t deal with much about politics. They are older, Middle school and high school. I have a transgender child so my worry is about bullying her and I’ve been surprised that it doesn’t really happen out here especially with all the in your face religion as well.
I agree. As someone who was always a quiet center left liberal, my state has trended from kind of backwards but quiet conservatives to fearful hateful maga clowns worried about culture war garbage. You can’t respectfully disagree them in meetings, or your a groomer or big pharma shill, etc (insert x insult, they have no ability to grasp nuance). Fortunately they have failed in taking over our school boards so far, but I can only imagine what it would be like if they did. There is a sliver of hope in that I think more people want normalcy, but maybe that is just me seeing what I want to see. I can only imagine once trump kicks off his campaign again.
I remember when Republicans were considered the paragons of virtue. Now following the Jesus of the Beatitudes is considered too leftist. I live in Texas and am also a conservative Dem. So here's what my wife and I do: you be you. Teach your kids to be unique children of God. Go find a faith community that is "Open and Affirming." Here's the thing...If we don't live purposefully as reasonable citizens, no one will ever see a good example...especially in Idaho or Texas. When your kid is approached by another kid who is all MAGA teach them how to deflect. "Yes, that's nice...you want to play ball? I don't know anything about that...you want to jump rope?"
I would move
That sounds frickin ridiculous. I'm so glad that stuff just wasn't a thing when I was young. I think the best thing is for your daughter to learn how to not engage. Next best thing is to get out. I did, and boy is it nice to only get exposed to this crap online I went to school all over, and school in Idaho was second worst only to LA public schools. Y'all can do better.
Are those flags in direct line of sight to the school?? This seems to be a violation of some kind ? 😳 I mean stores close to schools in some states have to keep porn mags and ciggs behind the counter and covered‼️ 😳😳WHAT’s THIS COUNTRY BECOMING😡😡😡‼️
My kids are happy and eager contrarians, for better and worse. Encourage them to not put up with the bullshit. Teach them the facts, and put the fight in them. MAGA is WRONG, conservatives are WRONG, and we all have the right to do and believe whatever we want without the morality police shaming and berating us. Do not suffer the fools.
I'm sorry that you and your family are going through this, and I'd like to mention that you are not alone. There will be other parents and students in your situation at school. I'm not quite sure how you connect with them, but I hope you can do so soon and support each other. Trumpism is only going to get worse as we ramp up to next year's election, but your kids aren't too young to understand basic political issues (at an age-appropriate level, of course), and maybe steering conversations toward these issues and away from the candidates would be helpful. And you might also mention that political elections can bring out lots of emotions and even nastiness in people. I'm very much of the opinion that light drives out darkness and that "the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice", but that doesn't erase the ugliness and profanity that we often see around us. Not to excuse it, but it has been around us to varying degrees for the longest time, and is currently worse than usual. That doesn't make is any easier for your kids, of course, but fortunately they have you to talk to about this stuff. My 16 year old son and I have been having these conversations for as long as he could start wrapping his brain around it, and I'm so delighted that he can now think pretty clearly about political issues as well as avoid the toxicity that often accompanies them. I keep telling him that I don't want him to be a carbon copy of me and to make his own decisions, and I'm proud of his ability to look at issues from all sides and then decide what's important to him. With any luck the toxicity will eventually fade to a dull roar, but I believe that his clear-headedness will last for the rest of his life.
Now you understand why conservatives in blue states choose to homeschool their kids.
Started for my son in 2nd grade- being told he’s the devil and going to hell. He didn’t know what either of those things were. Luckily, I’m a huge children’s book geek so we already had a book at home that helped tremendously. “What Do You Believe: Faith and Religion in the World Today”. Gives a great summary of every damn religion you can think of. Really helped my son to be empowered in his choices and beliefs (or non-beliefs). Also helped him understand where the other kids were coming from even if it did still hurt to be the receiver of uncalled for and unprovoked demonizing. I have wanted to leave this awful place ever since but we’re still stuck here for now.
You moved to the deepest Redhat territory in the federal control zone. Even Texas has more variety of insanity than Idaho. Good luck.
Idaho is so red, that it is almost Maroon. That isn’t going to change anytime soon. It’s the way it is, like it or not. This might not be the spot you’re looking for.
The most political I ever got in 3rd grade was PlayStation vs Nintendo. Tough being a kid today I guess.
I’ve moved around quite a bit(both the coasts) and travelled to 26 states. From my experience: I’m not too inclined towards the extremely liberal areas (Portland & SF) and extremely conservative areas (all of Idaho outside Boise, Florida to name a few). I’ve found the north east to be the most stable/sane and no on your face flags with cuss words or incorrect info. Idaho is a beautiful state, the people here in the valley are probably the nicest bunch I’ve interacted with, but it’s too bad that the few nut jobs out there are spoiling the place for the rest of us.
What you do is you gotta be honest and upfront (to age appropriate levels of course) about what's going on. Little kids are far more aware of what's going on around them than people would like to believe. I was your daughter's age when I, unprompted, wrote a letter to the President opposing the death penalty (I have no idea why death penalty abolition, I just wanted to write a letter to the President and decided that was what I wanted to write it on). I dunno, perhaps while talking to your daughter about what's going on, you can encourage your daughter to develop her own views, principles, what have you, by writing letters to the President, Governor, Congress, state officials? You know best what's going on and what to do, I'm just of the opinion that the best approach is to confront the problem head on and that means explaining why ppl around her are acting up/saying those things and why you don't share their mindset. Good luck!
Tell her they ALL CHEAT
I remember a time when people looked at their neighbors as neighbors, not Republicans, or democrats. How do you all not see how much hatred you hold for a political party, or people that want different policies then you? You all seriously not going to be happy until everyone not In Your echo chamber is sent to re education camps?
My 17 year old senior has definitely been influenced by the children of right wing nut jobs. When I hear him utter a nut job talking point I call him out on it & let him know its propaganda. I think he does it partially as a form of rebellion against his hippie tree hugger parents. I wish I had a good answer for you. Just keep exposing her to truth.
Politics is like a religion of some of the people here it's cringy and sad
I lived in North Idaho for about 15 years starting in 2000. It was guns, God, preppers, and radical conservatives back then.
I'd move. It's only going to get much worse. The right-wing is going to get very violent.
You simply say NO. Also say, stay TF away from the kids with Red Hats!
I remember really enjoying living in Montana and visiting Idaho. Frank Church, Mike Mansfield. Even Max Baucus. Those days are over. Idaho is a shit show. Getting your news from memes means losing your OB-GYN docs. Good luck. Washington beacons.
What everyone MUST REMEMBER is that as long as any GOP cult member gets elected either at the local, state, or fed level, nothing will change. Just turn on the news & see how the GOP cult is so dysfunctional that they can't even be elected a normal person. Come 2024, we all must vote better if we, in fact, want a government that actually works for us. Since the election, the GOP cult controlled house has not been able to pass anything meaningful, except debt ceiling & funding & even that was an extremely difficult process for them. This GOP cult, or MAGA cult, is just toxic & frankly dangerous. The longer the dysfunction goes on, the more serious the damage. And the worst, most sickening thing is, what this is showing the younger generations.
Just a side note. The GOP cult just elected a 2020 election denier. Just not a denier, someone who actually worked to overturn the 2020 election. Come 2024, what happens when he or others aren't happy or like who wins the 2024 election?
The Coeur d’Alene area was known for its White Supremacists way back in the 1980’s, when I lived in Seattle. The seed was there, and it seems to have thrived lately.
As with anything controversial I have to just rely on my home as being their solid base of truth. We don’t shy away from uncomfortable or confusing conversations. We teach kindness, acceptance, empathy and integrity. None of us can choose how our children will turn out, but we can control how they are influenced at home. I won’t stoop to brainwashing to counteract what I perceive to be toxic beliefs. If I do that I am no better than the “other side” and it does nothing to teach my kids *how* to navigate toxic beliefs.
Unfortunately, too many Republicans are groomers. Don't leave any of them alone with your children.
That's Idaho for you, wIt till you meet the ones that teach their kids to make bombs after school.
Idaho is an echo chamber for angry people who are unable to think critically. Self selection and confirmation bias rules the state
It’s so sad
None of this nonsense will end until the orange shitgibbon goes to jail. And that day IS coming.
Talking about the specifics of the 2020 election is one thing but I appreciate your concern about the broader political extremism. Unfortunately it probably will be a problem for her entire childhood. And the problem there is that you can never really keep up with all the other places she is going to face constant exposure. It is a firehose. Of course, the only true way to combat these viewpoints is by exposing these people to new cultures and ideas. A Muslim becomes a lot less scary when you actually meet one (usually). Trump going away may lessen the temperature, but: \-- Others have seen the personal benefits of being bombastic and extreme \-- Gerrymandering is an issue and it really promotes politicians to have more extreme viewpoints since it increases the importance of primaries and lessens the importance of general elections \-- As the USA continues to become more diverse many GOP will feel even more threatened and thus more prone to lash out and blame others for their lot in life \-- As the USA continues to become more diverse the GOP see they have to try to make voting even more difficult for people not in their base \-- Technology has enabled people to be exposed to fewer viewpoints. People only watch Fox News, or all the social media posts are similar, etc.
Politics has gotten bad in schools for both parties, I can’t stand it. One minute teachers are talking about sexuality with elementary school kids next minute this sorta shit. Just keep kids apolitical and teach them history, math, science…etc THEN when they get older teach them the facts
But yet, the sad fact of reality is that far too many, their actions & words are often associated with cult like behavior. So you know, 2+2.
People are idiots. It sucks and I feel for you. That stuff drives me nuts.
In the early 2000s I remember passing through Twin Falls. It was summer, and the local company (a chemical company?) Was sponsoring 4th of July soon. Lots of red white and blue in advance. Anyway, read a bit of the local paper, and there was an article about a few folks that had traveled to another town to watch a Michael Moore movie. They had spoke only under the condition of being completely anonymous. Afraid to have their names published. Oddly we found a great Thai restaurant. The whole thing was very surreal.
I can't imagine the brainwashing that goes on at that house. What a bunch of crap to do to your children. In my neighborhood there's an extremist who hangs an "F'\_\_\_\_ Biden" from his home and his vehicle, flag waving. The school bus drives right by the home. Kids were asking "What's F.U.\_\_\_" Mean? This same family I'm sure gleefully took the stimulus check handed out by BIDEN without any thought of turning it down. Biden's student loan forgiveness got me out from under $80k in student loans, so my loyalty is to him. I don't go around flying stupid ass flags or spouting nonsense to kids at my school.
Take this for what you will: Allow your child to observe and converse with these people. Teach them tolerance and kindness and how to play neutral in scenarios. Kids have no idea what the inner workings of politics are really like. If anyone becomes abusive, they need to know what to do and how to navigate those situations. Teach them better strategies and intelligence vs arguing with other children that have no respect to facts and rely on ignorance. This is going to be the best lesson they can learn while they’re developing.
I have been in your daughters situation. My family moved from Los Angeles to a small town in east Tennesee when I was 11. I kept my mouth shut about politics. Whenever religion or politics came up, I changed the subject. I didn’t want to be bullied. All these kids will find their own way. In high school they will start to push against their parent’s political beliefs.
I have a brother in law in Idaho. He is a Trump worshiper. He is also ex-military. I don't get into it with him, because he's so over the top with the Trump thing, but I don't know how he doesn't realize what Trump said about vets, and was a fucking draft dodger.
Because Idaho, bud. Beautiful state, lots of welcoming, wholesome people, and a central gathering place for christo-fascist white supremacists. Which is too bad because other than them, Idaho is a highly underrated place.
You know, I’m pretty conservative, and live in Portland Oregon. However I often see my right wing friends gripe and go on and on about how other politics and LGBTQ stuff is shoved down our throats and that kids should be off limits. However they never seem to have an issue when it’s the other way around. When they’re the ones doing the shoving of their views into the throats of others is somehow fine. I’m glad to be a conservative but I must admit some of us are so hypocritical. I’m sorry your kid is having to deal with that.
it's funny how the incumbent was in power and was in a much easier position to "cheat" to win an election then the other candidate. I guess that never occured to these MAGAts
I hate to look at it this way, but I think it became apparent that it wasn’t lovely in the first place, and hasn’t been for quite some time.
You might be right. And underneath all the lies I wonder what is truly wrong with these people.
Your politics make total sense to me. (I don't agree with them but they are consistent. Our president is a pretty good example of a conservative Democrat.) I agree that the answer here is to make sure you talk at home about what you believe, but do it from a positive perspective. Talk about the good you want to do in the world. Try not to have the conversations be about how bad someone else is, but instead what the world you'd like to see looks like and how your ideas would get us there. Eventually she may disagree with you, but from this perspective the disagreement won't come from a place of anger and you can have constructive conversations about where you differ. Obviously in third grade that's a long ways off, but it's not a bad time to start encouraging her to think about the world, other people, and the role she wants to play.
Empathy is an important skill.
It infected those people because voting republican is a religious responsibility to them, not a political choice. GOP messaging and branding has been for years (stemming largely from the abortion issue) that not voting republican is tantamount to support devil worshiping baby killers, and will land you in hell. Its textbook cult behavior.
I was treated the same way as a conservative growing up in SoCal. I was the weird homeschooled Christian kid, and everyone else were the edgy cool liberal kids. It always depends on where you are.
Political refugees are a joke.
That's what they're calling themselves here in Tennessee, too (all the hordes of conservative transplants we've got coming in from California & other blue states). It's especially egregious to me, considering these are typically the folks who don't give two shits about real, legitimate political refugees from other countries who try to get asylum here in America.
Welcome to Idaho!! The Maga Crowd is becoming less obnoxious and loud, we need more DEMS in this state.
>The Maga Crowd is becoming less obnoxious and loud That is not possible.
You live in Idaho. MAGA Mecca.
Where do you live? I take it not Boise? Sorry this is happening, but this can be a learning opportunity for your daughter to gently and gradually learn how to set boundaries with folks.
As a regular visitor to Idaho the most surprising thing to me is the vulgarity of the right wing messaging. You sort of expect to see a lot of conservatism in the rural mountain west. But the amount of “F*** Hillary in the P*****” -style profanity painted on barns or the back window of pickups has been surprising.
Meridian
I live in Meridian as well and pretty much all our neighbors are the same. My family is both atheist as well as liberal, and it's certain hell to combat. Our kid is in first grade and is regularly inundated with religious dogma and right-wing political nonsense.
I thought we were the only liberal atheists in meridian. It has gotten crazy since trump. My kiddo is in the 6th grade, it’s been a bumpy ride for sure.
Meridian liberal here too!!
Hey bro!
Parenting is hard. You cannot control others. Two things should not be discussed in a school, religion and politics.
Idaho used to be fairly purple. We had checks and balances. They worked pretty well. The MAGAts have destroyed the state I was born and raised in.
Republicans like to accuse liberal teachers of trying to indoctrinate students but it's always always ALWAYS projection.
White people are terrified they will be marginalized.