this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2023
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I'm in a demographic that's probably not common on this site. I work a physical, traditionally "blue collar" job. It's the kind that attracts the "male with no college education, conservative politics" -- you know the type.
The thing is, I am also a white guy that looks and sounds like them. I own guns, I'm an outdoorsman, I can crack off-color jokes with the best of them. They assume I'm "one of them" and openly share shit with me they'd never say out in the open.
I hear Qanon adjacent crap far more than I care too. A current favorite of theirs is the "Trans people and drag queens are grooming kids!" A disturbing number of them frequently speak in support of violence against or even the murder of LGBTQ/leftist/woke people. Hell, listening to them talk I'd expect a few of them would probably do it themselves if they thought they could get away with it. This is the sort that got excited when they heard there was a shooting at a Pride (unrelated to Pride it turned out) event near our town.
So you're right: nobody is voting to murder anyone ... yet. But the aforementioned exist and vote for those that absolutely would if they could. That happily support policies pushing society in that direction, and would be thrilled if murder of their political "enemies" were a reality.
I have the same problem in a heavily conservative city - I have a big beard so many of my social conversations go from "shitty job market eh?" to "Target funds antifa terrorists" in record time.
Literally under 30 seconds one time, gave me whiplash. ๐