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tdawg-1551 t1_jdqxv8f wrote

Most of the time, people who do this, whether it is about Jews, Communism, socialism, etc, they have no idea what any of it means. They are just parroting back things they heard. "x,y,z is bad, so that is socialism." "I don't like a,b,c so that is because of Jews". They are just idiots.

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budtoast t1_jdqz41v wrote

I don’t go outside a lot. Are there lots of people here like this? Should I be worried about them?

I ask because I have never once in my life seen something like this. But again, I don’t go outside a lot so maybe it’s not as big of a deal as it looks like…

Edit- I should say that I have been outside before. Since moving here, which was a year ago, I have not left the house much due to chronic illness and I am not super familiar with this town

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tdawg-1551 t1_jdqzykv wrote

I wouldn't say there is nothing to worry about, but the majority of the time, these people are just internet warriors who want to try and impress others online. You might see someone with stickers on the car or flags hanging on the front porch, but it's not like there is a mob terrorizing the city.

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budtoast t1_jdr0r2j wrote

Oh yeah I know that, I’m more asking if I should be cautious of them. My girlfriend is trans and I recently heard someone say “all trans people are jews” and I’ve been hearing the “trans people are groomers” narrative and I just don’t know if these types of people will try to target someone who’s trans who just happens to be in town.

Maybe I’m overreacting, but it does worry me a little. I don’t leave because I have chronic illness, but whenever I do leave, if something were to happen I couldn’t physically do much to help the situation. And we have been in danger before but in another town so that’s why we’re so cautious.

Thanks for these reassuring words. I’m concerned that these ideas are spreading to normal people who otherwise wouldn’t be convinced by them had the internet not pushed these mentalities everywhere

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red_baa_ron t1_jdr8fxo wrote

They're trying to activate people to look into it by visiting their propaganda website and joining their group. I don't think "normal" people would engage with this, not even your average local conservative person who may harbor some bias. But I do think this is dangerous because it is more likely to activate the person who is already looking for a way to feel accepted for these types of fringe views. I think those people can become dangerous with the right grooming by these groups. (Notice I said "grooming" because this is actually a situation where it fits.)

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budtoast t1_jdrffpu wrote

The ways THIS is being implemented yeah- I have known some people with straight up N-zi sentiments who wouldn’t pick this up because it’s “egregious.” It has the “vibes” of something created in a mental crisis.

The people who are really dangerous are the ones who don’t openly say these opinions and don’t type them up to post around town. They do like to spread these ideas anonymously and through their familial ties, but this makes you seem crazy. If you were to make bags of rice spreading any political opinion people will suspect that opinion is crazy. But they’re trying to do their part for their beliefs I guess… ugh.

This is another level of something I’ve seen plenty of times here in the rural Midwest. This is just the most OPEN I’ve ever witnessed out of anywhere I’ve ever lived. Springfield is better than where I’ve lived before, but it is only located a few hours away. And a lot of people I knew there had really harmful ideas. Hopefully people here will be able to recognize when harmful ideas are being pushed on them

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_ism_ t1_jdr903d wrote

I can't wrap my head around how they expect these ideas to spread. Normal people like us are sitting here rolling our eyes. And yet, we see this shit is spreading so your fear is valid. I just wish I knew the key to how these organizations convert people to their ideology because it seems to require a LOT of brain gymnastics to get there. I have an overactive brain for a living and all my thought experiments do not lead me to a place of hate, it makes no sense.

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budtoast t1_jdr9gyj wrote

For me personally… I grew up in a really conservative household… I know firsthand that these kinds of ideas sneak in right under your nose. >!I used to believe that the Holocaust was bad but the N-zis did a lot for Germany to help them.!< This is something my dad repeats regularly and he had convinced me of. I now know that’s not true, but the fact that these ideas can sort of exist and silently spread freaks me out.

I didn’t know it was spreading on me for years until people told me. As far as I know, my family and the others I knew at my Catholic private school were considered normal in the community. People didn’t treat them any different, but they also didn’t always openly say these things.

Edit: Anyways, that’s how they expect the ideas to spread. Those types of communities and people hiding what they believe and only openly saying it like this- anonymously

Edit 2: Also people don’t usually like to discuss politics. You’d never know, unless you brought it up, that your friend believes objectively wrong things

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_ism_ t1_jdrh6x8 wrote

I went to catholic school and a very sheltered, conservative family too actually. I've been unlearning a lot of stuff my whole life too. We didn't discuss things this taboo explicitly the way I gew up so the messages were probably very subtle.

But I do remember learning about things like racism in school and going home and starting to point out ways I caught my family being racist for example and started to see the idiosync in their behavior vs what they preach. I wish I remembered more of my awakening in detail. I remember being punished and taken to counseling for some sexuality musings they found in my journal too. By the time I was 16 I had a plan to work and save money to move out at 18 and was just 100% disgusted with my family and school and feeling really unsafe there. Somehow I escaped.

&#x200B;

I think my point is that my questioning and need to point out injustice didn't vibe with my family's values but that felt gross enough for me to be willing to throw away their conditional "love and protection" and fend for myself.

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budtoast t1_jdrksd8 wrote

Oh yeah- also I should say they’re not directly correlated all the time. I believe family values and some Catholic beliefs are good, so my personal bias is just what it is. But it does exist is my point and there are methods for spreading really harmful or scary beliefs. I’m sorry you sympathize. I hope you’re doing better today and I’m glad you made it out.

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xchadrickx t1_jdsvzzh wrote

President Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."

It's worked our entire lives. Facebook just makes it easier.

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my_monkeys_fly t1_jduhij5 wrote

Honey, they've done this since the 70s and 80s around here. Every few years they get a bee in their butt crack. Don't be alarmed or let the fear mongers make you afraid.

But, I also got called a transphobe for telling someone to not be afraid of missouri... so take it for what you will. I still say just live your life.

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budtoast t1_jdv2uz6 wrote

I think the issue is the anti trans bills being pushed by Missouri. That is no reason to call someone a transphobe if that’s what you were called. Unless you intentionally misgendered someone or expressed distaste or hatred towards trans people.

Missouri is a fine place to live. I’ve seen worse places. But it also isn’t even on the top 20 states for trans people to live right now. We could go to any number of those and it would be better but we can’t afford that. We are stuck here. Where we can find a large amount of political rice bags on the street. I don’t think it is good or bad. Could be worse, could be better.

Edit: Also I’m not afraid because of fear mongering, though I do sometimes wish that were the case. No, the fear mongering is happening through the people calling trans people and drag queens predators. I’m afraid because of bills being pushed that want to limit my freedoms, not because of claims that an entire group of people are hurting children. I have been physically attacked because of these beliefs. My fears are reasonable.

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my_monkeys_fly t1_jdv3bwn wrote

And I agree. I keep telling people to just bide their time, and in 10 years things will be very different. I just hate seeing people borrow trouble before they absolutely have to, and maybe it seems I'm being glib. But, I'm a natural worrier, and it's no way to live.

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budtoast t1_jdv3ts4 wrote

I know that. I think there are things you shouldn’t baselessly worry about, and there are things that make sense. Considering I have experienced violence for my appearance and my girlfriend’s appearance before in a town not far from here, we are a bit cautious. I mean, the guy who hurt us had a sw-stika tattoo.

If it has happened before it can absolutely happen again. Once I started having issues with my health again and we moved here we haven’t seen too many scary things. We’ve heard of some people getting shot or violence outside of places like Martha’s. But beyond that, we’re just hoping that this town is an improvement from where we used to live. If we get attacked again, I may not be able to move like last time, and I could get hurt badly.

Essentially, I am not fear mongered. I’m afraid of those who are

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my_monkeys_fly t1_jdv49v4 wrote

I've lived here my entire 51 years, and have known people of all varieties ( the only way I can think of to encompass all the beautiful types of folks). Let me tell you, we have our assholes, but most of the beautiful people are just here living their lives. I don't speak fo4 the rest of MO, but I promise you. Anyone ever tries to hurt you, you come right back here and message me. I'll go granny redneck on em for ya. Deal?

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budtoast t1_jdv4n6z wrote

Thank you. I’ll take that deal but I can’t guarantee things will work out. I’m hoping to go outside more often during the summer so I suspect that will potentially bring problems with it. The worst we’ve experienced here was HEAVYY staring in Hobby Lobby and people obviously whispering about us. So I’ll take that any day over outright violence.

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my_monkeys_fly t1_jdv50e2 wrote

Hobby lobby is corrupt and overpriced anyway. Go to joann.

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budtoast t1_jdv56mp wrote

You’re totally right. We couldn’t find that specific item anywhere else, but we swore to never go back there because it was so uncomfortable and overpriced lol. Plus they no longer do that 40% off deal thing. (it was the ONLY art store where I used to live so I used that coupon all the time)

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[deleted] t1_jdspf2z wrote

Had a lady honk at me a few days ago and asked if I was part of the FBI (had a jacket with FBI on it). Told her no and then she promptly told me to remove it because the FBI doesn’t exist anymore since the Illuminati are killing all the agents. Absolute batshit. I just smiled and said, “oh, that’s crazy….” and quickly got into my car 🤣

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Professional_Fox4467 t1_jdt6bqj wrote

Unite the right rally, Jan 6, the multiple attacks by proudboys and neo Nazis, etc and we know damn well there's a number of them here. This place is has enough honkeys for them to blend right in. Even if there's only one there's too many and there's only type of good Nazi. This complacent attitude is how we got here.

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Oddgenetix t1_jdsqdfs wrote

One of my favorite Springfield memories: I lived in a neighborhood over by bass pro, and a very friendly family approached me while I was pounding cigs on my front porch. It was October. A little chilly. They informed me of the Halloween thing that their church was throwing. They were pleasant, a little pushy, but very polite. I said I wasn’t interested, they thanked me for my time, and moved on.

Not 20 minutes later this second family that was clearly following them crawled out of the shadows like neurotic morlocks from an HG wells novel. They informed me everything the other family had told me was a lie, and Halloween was the devils festival, and that Harry Potter was a warlock, etc etc. they handed me a xeroxed collage of pure unmitigated antisemitism and insanity, before scurrying back in to the night like wounded raccoons.

It was an interesting evening. And I kept checking that I had locked my front door the entire night.

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DaddyChickenTendies t1_jdrylff wrote

Don’t get you perception of reality from people on the internet lol

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budtoast t1_jdryqx3 wrote

That’s a shame, people outside of the internet seem to have more concerning opinions than on the internet. Usually this stuff is less overt, but it is out there and I’ve heard people talk about it. Never spread direct propaganda on paper tho, so that’s why I ask about this town.

Also someone who actually attacked me once before had a N-zi tattoo, so this type of thing is a bit hard to see when I moved away to be safer.

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