# What are we to do with these insects we refer to as Republicans? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 1, 2019, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076 "2019-10-01T04:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/121 "2019-10-01T21:58:17Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > And vote against Republicans. Every chance you get. Yes! To be perfectly clear, don’t kill any Republicans, or damage any of their property, but do but vote against them and socially ostracize them and encourage the punishment of law-breaking. But seriously Asahi, you’re in a sketchy place, stop doing that and get help. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/122 "2019-10-01T22:02:27Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > If it had been phrased as,\*\* “What are and aren’t conservative values?”\*\* I think it would have generated a much more levelheaded and cooler discussion. Optimist. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/123 "2019-10-01T22:40:47Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > The only reasonable response to the OP should be to note that they are a crazy person. Anything different would be like responding to a Nazi’s hatred of Jews by saying, _“yeah, some of them are kinda bad”._ Unfortunately that’s many of the responses so far. The OP is what happens when you mix lots of alcohol with incoherent rage. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/124 "2019-10-01T22:51:46Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > l All he said was that it said more about them than it did about the insectoid republicans. I don’t really know who you are, but I think maybe you and **asahi** can go in havsies for group therapy. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/125 "2019-10-01T22:59:04Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > I don’t really know who you are, but I think maybe you and **asahi** can go in havsies for group therapy. Wait, are you taking my throwaway comment about the republicans being “insectoid” as being, somehow literal? Have you actually parsed this? Thought about how in describing them with the adjective form of the word, I am not so much calling them bugs as calling them humans with large faceted eyes and chitinous plating? Have you noticed my rather laissez-faire attitude to the idea of being horrified at insulting terms in the pit? Have you… …no, you probably haven’t. Why yes, I clearly am deciding to think of republicans as literal insects so I can hunt them for sport, or whatever. That is clearly a thing that is literally happening. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/126 "2019-10-01T22:59:58Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > This is true; but part of the problem is that the Trumpists have been conflating “Trumpist” and “conservative”, and having considerable success at presenting them as synonymous. I hope that you’re objecting to them doing so at least as much as you’re objecting to liberals doing so (maybe you have been, I don’t know.) I think their attempts to equate the two is far worse. Note that I’ve objected to the suggestion that all conservatives are mind slaves to Trump, but I don’t deny that there **are** people who are mind slaves to Trump. And I don’t mean supporting him sometimes but not other times, or voting for him because they think it’s better than having a Democrat in office, I mean people who make excuses for every stupid thing he says or does and believe all criticism of him is based on “fake news” or pushing a liberal agenda. Those people exist and are demented. Their attempt to hijack the term is trying to say there are two sides to American politics; liberalism and Trump. Which is absurd. Hell, Trump is barely even publicly acting like a conservative; he’s a big government guy who favors eminent domain for crying out loud. That’s not conservatism as I’ve heard it for the past 4 decades. But yes, those assholes can die in a fire. But they don’t give cover to people on this board who gleefully lap up those ideas, because they’d love to insist the only alternative to their beliefs is Trump. It makes it really easy to demonize anyone who disagrees with them. Which is cheap and tawdry, and intellectually dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![Taesahnim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taesahnim/32/84_2.png) [@Taesahnim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taesahnim)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/127 "2019-10-01T23:15:07Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > What is one to do? > > These houseflies. These mosquitoes. These vermin. > > A party they are not; they exist as a cult of perversion and perverse love of inequality. Wow. Bigot much? ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/128 "2019-10-01T23:26:46Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > Wait, are you taking my throwaway comment about the republicans being “insectoid” as being, somehow literal? > > Have you actually parsed this? Thought about how in describing them with the adjective form of the word, I am not so much calling them bugs as calling them humans with large faceted eyes and chitinous plating? Have you noticed my rather laissez-faire attitude to the idea of being horrified at insulting terms in the pit? Have you… > > …no, you probably haven’t. > > Why yes, I clearly am deciding to think of republicans as literal insects so I can hunt them for sport, or whatever. That is clearly a thing that is literally happening. Ok, maybe you need your own therapist. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/129 "2019-10-01T23:36:57Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > Ok, maybe you need your own therapist. I suspect you’re trying to insult me, but you’re just coming off as dumb. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/130 "2019-10-01T23:55:44Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Does he? Does he _really_? \*Really \*really? > > He deserves \*so \*much more. I’m with **MrDibble** on this. > [@begbert2](#): > > I suspect you’re trying to insult me, but you’re just coming off as dumb. Eh, it was funny. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/131 "2019-10-02T00:07:34Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > I’m with **MrDibble** on this. > > Eh, it was funny. Of course you would. You are one of the biggest instigators of ‘snark’ and drama on this board. If you’d think for yourself instead of posting for social approval from the mentally damaged you’d be a better person. You folks create your own bogeymen with your dishonesty than wage a crusade against the fiction that you create. It’s really exceedingly bizarre to witness and be part of. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Understander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@The\_Understander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Understander)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/132 "2019-10-02T00:20:00Z")
Hm. On one hand, it certainly isn’t good to refer to political opponents as vermin. Bad, bad history, there. On another, don’t be fool enough to think you’re getting the same consideration from the Fascists. And I feel no guilt in using that term to describe the Traitor and his supporters. Put that on a list, if you want. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/133 "2019-10-02T00:28:42Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > As for this thread, I’ve always been fond of insects. I used to keep a pet praying mantis. Problem is, she didn’t seem to have a sense of when to stop eating. We would feed her bug after bug after bug and eventually she gorged herself to the point where we worried. > > So I’m chill with half of our nation being insects. Most insect stories end with a fatality so when I got to the end and it was “we were worried” it was kind of quaint. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/134 "2019-10-02T00:55:17Z")
the topic of this thead is not genocide. It’s that Rs are trolling so heavy they are losing contact with the earth and any values humans can share. The offense is so ambient and widespread that it feels like someone is saying very loudly in our ear that if we don’t subscribe to the “reasonable opposition” religion where the two parties are seen as equal, for the sake of TV comity, then we are being unfair or totalitarian. The rebupkis are breaking any contract they may have had with ordinary people, and trying to rat fuck democracy in a frenzy of political bloodlust, lying, corruption, and collusion. Isn’t that the topic of the thread? It was over the top, you godwinized him. What about reality? ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/135 "2019-10-02T01:07:33Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > Such as? Not to speak for octopus, but I do know that he has espoused and made great arguments for a minimum INCOME, just not a minimum wage. The thought being that a minimum income allows for unfettered market control of wages, while acknowledging that a certain level of pay is required to survive in today’s economy. When he is actually discussing a broader issue than how other posters behave on the board, he’s a pretty valuable poster. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/136 "2019-10-02T01:30:20Z")
> [@The\_Understander](#): > > On one hand, it certainly isn’t good to refer to political opponents as vermin. Bad, bad history, there. “Don’t call me Vermin. Someone called me Vermin once. Once!” > [@](#): > > On another, don’t be fool enough to think you’re getting the same consideration from the Fascists. And I feel no guilt in using that term to describe the Traitor and his supporters. Put that on a list, if you want. I agree with you. Dehumaniizing terminology is not kosher. However, describing fascists as fascists is completely correct. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/137 "2019-10-02T01:36:44Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Of course you would. You are one of the biggest instigators of ‘snark’ and drama on this board. If you’d think for yourself instead of posting for social approval from the mentally damaged you’d be a better person. > > You folks create your own bogeymen with your dishonesty than wage a crusade against the fiction that you create. It’s really exceedingly bizarre to witness and be part of. You have wounded me. Oh wait, no. I do find your constant persecution complex amusing though. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/138 "2019-10-02T01:39:41Z")
Insects? No, and that’s fucked up. More and more I think Trump’s gotta be understood as a cult leader, who’s structured the cult very effectively around himself to make it difficult for the disenchanted to leave. Part of the job of folks outside of the cult, then, is to make it **easy** for the disenchanted to leave. You do that by welcoming folks who leave, by making it clear that they won’t be attacked by the non-cultists on their way out the door, that they’ll receive protection, even if they’re not our favorite folks. You really fucking don’t do that by calling them insects and reinforcing their culty us-against-them narrative. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/139 "2019-10-02T01:48:52Z")
> [@Isosleepy](#): > > It is amazing. We have a guy in office who should be the most easily defeated candidate in a re-election campaign ever, and some of you have found the one sure-fire way to put that in doubt: helping him with an us-vs-them narrative that will help a lot of people ignore the things that matter. > Never mind that by talking about any issue in this way (us good, they evil - start the tribunals) you are destroying the fabric of American society, and making civilized political discourse increasingly impossible. Cue the chorus of:”not us, it’s them! They did it first, worse!” Which may well be true, but ignores the fact that the only behavior you can control is your own. Polarization, the destruction of the position in the middle, is inherently a bad thing. The notion that compromise, insufficient zeal, and anything but the most extreme position is weak, unworthy or even evil is the space that should be reserved for teenagers and the mentally unhinged. It is no way to (try to) run a country. You’re wrong. Republicans are irredeemable. They are destroying my America, and I cannot forgive them for it. I never will. There’s a time for rage. This is that time. If you’re not enraged, you’re a pussy, and you’re a weak American who doesn’t deserve what America could offer you. I’m done being nice. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2019, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076/140 "2019-10-02T01:49:58Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Insects? No, and that’s fucked up. > > More and more I think Trump’s gotta be understood as a cult leader, who’s structured the cult very effectively around himself to make it difficult for the disenchanted to leave. > > Part of the job of folks outside of the cult, then, is to make it **easy** for the disenchanted to leave. You do that by welcoming folks who leave, by making it clear that they won’t be attacked by the non-cultists on their way out the door, that they’ll receive protection, even if they’re not our favorite folks. > > You really fucking don’t do that by calling them insects and reinforcing their culty us-against-them narrative. Go to hell. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-to-do-with-these-insects-we-refer-to-as-republicans/841076.md?page=8)