I tried to be welcoming. I really did.
Once many years ago, my family went to visit a great-aunt who wanted to give my mother some family mementos: photos and postcards and things. We spent a lovely afternoon with her as she told us about the people in the pictures, and the background behind them, and various things that she recalled. I especially remember how beautiful her garden was, with lots of shady places beneath the tall pine trees around her property.
My father loves to read, especially newspapers and magazines--the newsier the better. And so when Dad saw a newspaper on a side table, he picked it up and examined it. "What's the Illuminati?" he asked my great-aunt.
And that's the day I learned that people can be really, really crazy.
I haven't quite gotten to the point of not arguing with crazy, but I've at least learned that it's better for my sanity to walk away. Because I'm not going to change their delusions about anything (sadly, especially for women who have been sexually harassed), and their craziness certainly isn't going to influence me to their way of thinking.
It's better for everyone if we just go back to talking about football. Especially if they don't care about football.
My father loves to read, especially newspapers and magazines--the newsier the better. And so when Dad saw a newspaper on a side table, he picked it up and examined it. "What's the Illuminati?" he asked my great-aunt.
And that's the day I learned that people can be really, really crazy.
I haven't quite gotten to the point of not arguing with crazy, but I've at least learned that it's better for my sanity to walk away. Because I'm not going to change their delusions about anything (sadly, especially for women who have been sexually harassed), and their craziness certainly isn't going to influence me to their way of thinking.
It's better for everyone if we just go back to talking about football. Especially if they don't care about football.