They're everywhere

[Orrex]

A few minutes ago I was laughing good-naturedly with several friends/coworkers about another coworker--not present at the time--who is a full-bore Truther.

He's a smart guy and a good friend, but I tell him to his face that he's a dumbass when it comes to 9/11 conspiracy theories. You can tell that he's cast from the Loose Change mold by the nature of his his response:

Rational Person: extensive, well-supported explanation of physics with examples and citations
My nutty friend: Wellllll, i don't know, man. You're entitled to your opinion, I guess.
Rational Person:

So in the midst of our current japery, during which I was gratified to see that my other coworkers belong to the reality-based community, another coworker stood up and said "Wellllll, i don't know, man. You're entitled to your opinion, I guess."


Ye gods! THEY'RE EVERYWHERE!

[progressoid]

1. My former boss.

He seemed like your average right wing racist teabagger. But if you were cornered by him then the really crazy stuff came out. The Illuminati. The New World Order. The Masons. The Jews. And pretty much anything on Art Bell's old show.

I stopped in about a year after Obama was elected to see everyone. Didn't take long for him to tell me all about Michelle's mother practicing Voodoo at the White House. It was at that moment that I clearly recalled why I quit.

[DetlefK]

2. My proposal: Pinch him.

When he complains, say: "What? Me pinching you? I don't know, man. That's just your opinion, man. Maybe we just have to agree that we don't agree on whether this "pinching" ever happened."

And then pinch him one more time.

[Orrex]

3. So I just now spoke with the first nutjob conspiracy coworker

In the course of it, he explicitly stated--not speculated, not proposed, but stated--that Sandy Hook was a false flag operation for gun control.


Unfuckingbelievable.

[Archae]

4. The guy is an asshole.

Anyone who believes that absolute bullshit about Sandy Hook is a total asshole.

[Orrex]

5. Alas, that's becoming my impression as well.

He's otherwise a good guy, but this might be enough to sour my impression beyond repair.

I'm planning to ask him flat-out if he believes the Holocaust happened.

[progressoid]

6. Wow.

That's a special kind of nutty. There really isn't much chance of a rational discussion with him.

[Orrex]

7. It was a real gut-punch

It was on par with the realization years ago that a different friend and coworker was an over-the-top horrible racist, complete with an analysis of which groups she hated most and for what reasons. Walking unexpectedly into something like that is a real blow, and I'm just your average white mutt. What if I'd been of a different ethnicity or background?

The mind boggles.

[Orrex]

8. A relevant article from Cracked.com

The site gets a lot of harsh criticism from people who love pseudoscience and conspiracy theories, because the writers cut right through that bullshit and destroy those insane theories with clear reasoning, extensive citation and delicious snark.

HERE'S a heart-breaking but very relevant article on the mindless cruelty of conspiracy truebelievers.

[DetlefK]

9. Simple: Do as they preach.

Get uncomfortably close to them
or
smack something out of their hands
or
step on their foot
or something like that.

And when you receive a complaint, answer: "No, I didn't. But you are entitled to your opinion."