On behaviour and influencing people

[PredatorOC]

I don't know how accurate all the 'Ron Paul supporters are rude' stories are, but I think it is fair to say that there is some animosity against the other candidates and their supporters.

My humble opinion and advice is that you cannot influence another person by confrontation, no matter how right you are. The self-defense mechanism of the ego will simply kick in and prevent rational thought. The situation will devolve into 'us against them' situation where being right becomes almost a life-and-death situation for the ego. In that situation, shifting your position from one to another becomes a very difficult process, which will require admitting you are wrong on an issue you have dug your heels in. Everyone here can probably imagine the difficulty of doing that.

So ANY hostility, slur or attack, beyond rational discussion, on any candidate or supporter is absolutely detrimental. No matter how 'good' it feels to humiliate someone on being wrong. They are highly unlikely to admit being wrong and will only entrench their opinions. And I am including defensive hostility to this as well (the verbal kind).

Just look at how Ron Paul conducts himself. He sticks to the facts and tries to avoid personal issues, because that is the absolutely best way to make people see the light of reason. All you have to keep in mind is that you have the truth on your side, not to mention a candidate that is truthful. You don't need to attack to win, just present the facts in a calm and composed manner. Don't provoke and don't be provoked.

I know none of us are perfect, but there has to be a determined effort by all to stick to the issues. For example, there is a huge potential for support for Paul even among the 'neocons', but any attack on them will make it that much harder for them to support Paul. Remember, the only real difference between us and Giuliani/Romney/et al. supporters is the war. If you can make that a non-issue, you have a brand new Paul supporter.

[MozoVote]

Uh, oh. Here we go again. Somebody's gonna get hammered for "attacking grassroots supporters" and "don't tell us what to say it's none of your biz" again. :rolleyes: Oh well at least I'll be at work, and can dig up the results from "Hot Topics" when it's over.

(Semi-seriously, if we can't debate something among ourselves without getting snippy, it's a really tough road to change minds outside the campaign.)

[leonster]

Thanks. :)

If you're talking to someone and they say they like Huckabee, just AGREE with them!!! Say "You know what... I kinda like him too... he's an alright guy, you know. Actually I was thinking about voting for him, even!" - if you're holding Ron Paul stuff, this will completely disarm them and almost force them to ask why you changed your mind - and THEN you can mention something like, "Well, for me, the issue that did it was taxes, when I heard how Gov. Huckabee raised taxes by so much when he was in Arkansas... so then I wasn't so sure about him, still considering him though, but looked at other candidates, and then I found Ron Paul, who TOTALLY impressed me. I don't want to knock Huckabee if he's your guy, but if you're interested I can tell you a bit about why Ron Paul suddenly got me so enthused...?"

Flies and honey and vinegar and all that....

[RPFTW!]

I think the 'crazy obnoxious Ron Paul supporter' stereotype is mostly made up by the media to discredit the campaign. They can't find anything on RP to attack so they attack us the supporters. I've never met a rude RP supporter yet, loud and passionate yes, rude no. I know they are out there, some of the truthers are a bit confrontational but I think it is mostly an exaggeration,

[PredatorOC]

I think the 'crazy obnoxious Ron Paul supporter' stereotype is mostly made up by the media to discredit the campaign. They can't find anything on RP to attack so they attack us the supporters. I've never met a rude RP supporter yet, loud and passionate yes, rude no. I know they are out there, some of the truthers are a bit confrontational but I think it is mostly an exaggeration,

I agree. The 'rude supporter' line is probably overblown, but within any large group you are bound to have a few aggressive individuals. I just felt like posting my opinion after reading freerepublic.com and noticing how much grudging support there is for Paul on many issues. Sure, they have their share of rude individuals who seem to repeat 'moonbat' with every comment on Paul, but there are many who could well turn around. And when/if they do, the last thing they need is someone rubbing it in their face.

Let us keep in mind that those who actually support aggressive wars are a vast minority, while the rest simply believe it is self-defense or have been scared into believing it is necessary. So the 'neocon' title isn't really apt, beyond a very limited group. Someone should really come up with a better reference.

[pcosmar]

I have seen much more rudeness from the supporters of the status quo.
From the beginning on Blogs, Forums, Media and rallies there has been nothing but lies, distortions, and attacks.
I have no love for those that are destroying this Country.
I will not be rude, but I do not kiss up to Evil.

[Ethek]

Everyone should read that book by Dale Carnegie

[phree]

I believe that one of the biggest liabilities to the Ron Paul campaign is undisciplined supporters behaving in a rude and aggressive manner. We lost some ground in Atlanta recently when Paul supporters disrupted Giuliani while he was campaigning.

VIDEO (http://youtube.com/watch?v=tnWDdLHxFJc)

Here are some quotes from the Atlanta newspaper:


The younger crowd of Paul supporters had stronger, or maybe more enthusiastic, lungs than the middle-aged crowd of Giuliani's gaggle, who responded with a college try — "Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!" —while the Paul cadres tailed the GOP front runner on his walking photo op in downtown Marietta.

"You're being very inconsiderate," an elderly woman, aghast at the lack of Southern manners, told three young female Paul acolytes.

"You're not helping your candidate with this," a middle-aged man told a 20-something man toting a blue-and-white Paul campaign sign.

"This is a Republican rally," a testy older man snapped, apparently forgetting that Paul, a physician and Libertarian by philosophy, is an elected Republican and running in the GOP primary for president.

His supporters simply answered, "RON PAUL! RON PAUL! RON PAUL!" ARTICLE (http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/cobb/stories/2007/12/02/giuliani_1203.html)

This type of "support" is exactly what most media organizations will focus on in their effort to discredit Dr. Paul. I worry when we refer to our campaign as a "war". Please remember that RP is anti-war, and that he promotes diplomacy over aggression. If this is a war, it's a war of ideas, and ideas have more power when they come from people who are perceived as calm and rational. The fight is for undecided voters, we need to win their "hearts and minds". Yelling louder than the other side will only alienate them from us.

We all have some anger about what's happened to our country and about the lies and dirty tricks of some other candidates, but letting emotion overcome reason is not good strategy.

[RonPaulFTFW]

We have to be positive and humble, just like Dr. Paul.

Go out to change peoples minds with smiles and handshakes. We must convert, not divide. The animosity you see from some faceless person on youtube, digg, or reddit doesn't exist in the real world. So don't take it with you.

This is a rEVOLution of ideas. Liberty. We have to see what we have in common with others and not how we're better. Normal people are just confused by the MSM, not evil detractors.

Please keep that in mind when you go out to spread the word.

[derdy]

So many words! Can't you summarize with pictures?