Many people will not change their opinions about the battle flag and will become more obnoxious about flaunting it. But at least they may have taken a kick in the complacency. I think that them knowing they're not as surrounded by acceptance as they may have thought they were is a good first step.

I often avoid actively engaging on things like FB when I think it will be futile and not be heard the right way. For me the most recent I-hate-that-I'm-ignoring-this-but-I'm-ignoring-it moment was with a younger cousin on DH's side who is Mormon, who posted some crap about how the real bigot isn't the person who is opposed to SSM but the person who thinks being against SSM is intolerant and bigoted. I let it go for a bunch of reasons, but mostly because she has a foster brother who is gay, who moved into their home a troubled teen who felt alienated from his religion, and if seeing him now happily in love isn't enough to convince her there's something wrong with her position, I don't see how my scolding her on FB would help.

I know FB can be an echo chamber but I'm so glad mine is, sometimes...

Yeah. I know it's problematic in a big picture way, but i like my bubble. I would be on Facebook even less than I am now otherwise.

ETA and a big part of my non-engagement on a whole host of topics is pretty much what Burrell said. I know my knee-jerk responses would not help anything, and I don't have the wherewithal to really dig in. It's just too much.

I spent like an hour last night telling my sister not to buy the extended warranty, and she's back at me today about it. I said "don't buy it" 27 ways to Sunday. She also writes the world's rudest e-mails. She usually puts the entire e-mail in the subject line along with things like "RESPOND NOW!" Why has she never noticed that other people don't write e-mails like that? Why?

The discussion of Confederate symbols has once again highlighted the world's ugliest statue: [link] That thing is right next to the interstate, and I swear there has to have been accidents because of it. At least it's the statue Nathan Bedford Forrest deserves.

Why has she never noticed that other people don't write e-mails like that? Why?

For the same reason that my aunt who writes emails IN ASSCAPS EVERY SINGLE TIME doesn't seem to notice that the people who reply to her use regular cap/lowercase because it's goddamn readable.

I spent like an hour last night telling my sister not to buy the extended warranty, and she's back at me today about it.

I have to admit the only reason I didn't try harder to talk my mother out of buying the warranty and service plan on her new computer is that we were at Best Buy, the sales guy seemed like someone who might post here, and I thought of askye.

Why has she never noticed that other people don't write e-mails like that?

One of my coworkers does that. It irritates everyone and she's been asked to write emails normally and she won't. I think she believes if she just does it enough, everyone else will realize her way is best.

I'm lucky in that there are few people on FB that I really have to keep in contact with, like family, so if I can't stand something someone says, I'm able to call them out with no regard for repercussions and then block/unfollow if they get obnoxious. My nieces generally agree with my views on important stuff. My BFF's teenage daughter is a good person, but they live in Redneck-Backwardville, TN, and the kid listens to her dumbass classmates too much.

Jesse depending on the plan and the computer it might be a good deal. They'll only repair up tothe cost of hte computer so if it wans't expensive might not be worth it. But the tech support is really good for people who aren't tech savvy. My dad has used tech support tons.

He has a tendancy to download things that say he should rather than making sure they are legit. Plus they came out and helped him figure something else out.

But the tech support is really good for people who aren't tech savvy. My dad has used tech support tons.

My mother's not bad, and getting better all the time. I did tell her I wasn't going to help her!

The discussion of Confederate symbols has once again highlighted the world's ugliest statue

Ugh. I knew exactly which statue you meant before clicking the link. It's hideous.