Deprogramming Conservatives is Hard, But You Can Do It

On anti-LGBTQ violence, Musk-Trump comparisons, and how to change minds.

I didn’t want the paid version of this newsletter to turn into the “domestic terrorism variety hour”, but here we are.

If you haven’t heard, 45,000 residents in Moore County were without power, running water, or a way to heat their homes for five days (Dec 3rd-8th) after a deliberate attack on their electrical grid. It is heavily suspected that this attack was done in response to an 18+ drag show in the area, with mounting evidence including provocations from transphobic extremist group Libs of TikTok and the fact that the attack was “consistent with the neo-Nazi messaging promulgated online”.

A Moore County, NC resident staying warm beside a trash can fire after losing power. (AJ+)

As an educator, I’ve long been fascinated by the idea that you can give two different people the same exact information and they can both come away with radically different interpretations. As compassionate humans, we’d like to believe that everyone is a good person deep down, it’s just that they’re ignorant or have been given bad information, and that’s why they’re bigoted. People just need The Correct Facts.

But then attacks like this happen. And then the Department of Homeland Security declares that the LGBTQI+ community, Jewish community, and migrant communities are under unique threat right now. And then you, a non-Jew, get accused of being secretly Jewish on TikTok (yes, this really happened to me this week). And then you’re not so sure anymore. How could you possibly rationalize an attack on a county’s electrical grid as “good” or “justified”? How do people who don’t spend all day thinking about systemic oppression even process this information? Are they even thinking about it at all? Are they even hearing about it at all?

Let’s over-analyze a tweet to learn more. Surely, this is the answer: more analysis.