Tornado Alley (PROG)

[Matrix999]

My Trump Loving Parents Have Become Skeptics

I do a Skype chat with my parents every week. Over the years it’s become a familiar pastiche of amusement (as octogenarians learn to use modern technology), routine (going through the day-to-day chronicles of errands, outings and family updates), and frustration (as any mention of anything political results in a recitation of Fox News talking points).

Just about four weeks ago, my employer advised that everyone able to do so work from home until further notice. I’m lucky that my role allows me to contribute remotely and proud that my company values its employees’ safety. My parents attitude at the time was this seemed overblown or even nonsensical. My father in particular was openly mocking anyone who was willing to disrupt their normal routine over what he considered a garden variety bug.

Since then I’ve seen a gradual acknowledgement of the situation, but still had to fend off occasional comments downplaying the severity and had to suffer a number of pro Trump (or anti Pelosi) memes on Facebook, along with a little amount of misguided information about looming cures or treatments that had bubbled up from the RW noise machine.

Today’s conversation was different. My mom proudly relayed how she had crafted homemade face masks from bandannas, and how they had learned to go to the store at off hours to avoid the crowds. My dad had stopped complaining about missing his pool game and golf outings, and has recognized that they will be sheltering in place for another month, at least. They even pumped me for a list of movies to queue up on Netflix.

The real kicker came when my mom wondered aloud why so many people were still going around without masks or practicing social distancing. My dad replied, “they’re getting conflicting information from the news.” And basically implied that he had learned whose word to not take seriously. Neither of them specifically said anything against Fox, the administration, or the GOP, but it’s a huge step forward just to hear them using their own critical thinking skills and applying their own life experiences in the midst of this, rather than taking their cues from those that don’t have their best interests at heart. It makes me just a little more hopeful than I had been that the truth will out, eventually.
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Sunday, Apr 5, 2020 · 12:53:49 PM EDT · knowdaboom
Wow! First rec list appearance! Thanks everyone! Also, some of the commenters are advising me to not get my hopes up. Believe me, I’m not. But any step in the direction of sanity is welcome.

dailykos