Long story short, my brother in law lives across the street. We live in NJ. He says he’s very concerned about coronavirus. His daughter and wife have pre-existing conditions. I totally get it. However, he tries to police everyone else. “You don’t care about my family because you aren’t doing things the way i think you should”. This includes him watching out his windows and creeping on his cameras and calling us out when our kids get too close to the other kids when playing, or if I inadvertently shake a neighbor’s hand while saying hello out in the street (yes, it’s like that). We are taking reasonable precautions, but we aren’t totally cucked. This has been going on for a year. His parents and sometimes my wife are enablers for him. They’ll say things and all but there’s never any consequence to his actions. He’s done and said some pretty mean very disrespectful things about this all. Even calling me “a fucking asshole” because I got the virus last year, from going to work to keep my bills paid. This is only the tip of the iceberg. This dude claims it’s about concern for his daughter, meanwhile he lets her go into the gaggle of kids playing “too close” outside.... lets her play for a bit, then comes over to pull her away and make a scene that no one is wearing masks and social distancing. Or he’ll let her around all of us who he says “I can’t trust you with the covid precautions”. Then complain that he can’t trust us and pull all this other watchdog shit. Sounds more to me like someone who just wants to trap people into shit he can complain about (which was pretty typical of his BS even before covid. I’m somewhat venting here, and I apologize. But I don’t really have anywhere to turn about this. Everyone around me and involved basically says “He’s over the top and shouldn’t act like that, but it’s ok because he’s only trying to protect his family”. Drives me up a wall!! I’m not a confrontational person, and I’ve given him/them the be if it of the doubt for this past year, but it’s really starting to affect our lives and more importantly our kids’ lives in a negative way and it’s causing problems between myself and my wife (who is finally starting to see it for what it is) and my in laws. For me personally, my family is basically not in the picture and these people are really my only close family and they do a lot for us. I’m caught between a rock and a hard place. Anyone else have to deal with a similar situation? How are you getting through it without blowing up on people and damaging relationships?
-Sorry for any misspellings. Typing on a rush on my phone. I’ll try to fix whatever I find.
Additional Info: There's no avoiding this guy. My in laws are all so close, there's no way to cut him out, or get away from his BS. Also, there's no talking to him about anything ha already "knows".. He's stubborn as a mule. I'm not really trying to even be friends. But I have to get along to get along. My in laws are literally involved in every aspect of what we do, and now, with this, every decision has to pass the test of whether or not it' something he can start shit over or not. Fucking blows!!
I am so sorry to hear this Fren, I am sure you are not alone. I will be interested in what others say on this also.
For me, I have got to a point where I am seriously not giving so much of a fuck what others think of me. I am sorry for swearing, I didn't used to but in this last year - I do somewhat and it is very liberating. These enforcers of tyranny want to be the very BEST rule keepers. They love the control they have over us not so willing.
Think what you have, you have knowledge, you have facts that are coming out every day. You have Frens like us. You had suspicions, early on and its built and built. More and more people have come out. There are stats, the absence of flu, conflicting instructions, hypocrisy, Asymptomatic transmission (lack of it), hypocrisy, bullying, more and more will cement together. The narrative is leaking. It is truly shocking now...
What to do - in my opinion. Sit yourself down, get your belief and your guts in order, get it clear. Then MAN UP (said to you with love) - stand up. Most importantly let your wife and your children see you stand up to this man. He is bullying your family, he is controlling you and you KNOW it is wrong or you wouldn't be questioning it. You don't need us - you should KNOW what is right for you.
He probably knows you don't like confrontation, nor do I, but he is using it to his advantage to be the best at following rules. He is probably terrified and trying to keep everyone safe. I say to you he is lazy and hasn't done his homework. Right now I want to tell a Covid Nazi to fuck off - I enjoy regularly going onto FB just to fight with the virtuous.
You are a kind man, I can tell - but enough putting this man and his paranoia first. Tell him to Fuck Off you have reached your sealing point. You will comply when you are shown transparency from the people implementing this tyranny (which wont happen). When they are put under scrutiny is when you will listen.
My other half was a push over too - he said he will get the vaccine because he want's to go on holiday. In a firm but gentle way, I said fine but in order for things to be right between us, he needs to make an informed decision. That's all I ask for. With that and several tense weeks later, we are building a shed with the holiday money and I am the brains of the outfit apparently to his mates - who are giving him shit and he is fighting back at them. It would have been lovely for him to take the lead but it wasn't going to happen, but by heck I am seeing a good interesting side now.
Katie Hopkins on Youtube perks me up when I am not so focused.
Good luck and sincerely all the best to you and your family. DEEP BREATH and then lets hear you ROAR! Your bully will have a stark choice presented to him. He will have lost his control over you all. Freedom rather than capitulate. Start small, and then where will it lead. You will love the feeling x