My grandmother is a very passionate environmentalist, and I live with her. She wants me to help her get her views out by typing letters, getting addresses for her, and spreading her message online. She puts a guilt trip on me if I don't want to get involved, saying: "I wish I had a daughter who would help me!". I believe wanting to protect the environment is good, but she mixes her views with religion in a way that others don't understand and it turns them off. She gets too emotional. How should I handle this?
I think if you already do enough to assist her and if her messages are truly offensive you might arrange to do something supportive like drive her to Sierra Club meetings to give her an outlet and a venue for her passions. The high school student idea sounds good too -- who wouldn't like a personal assistant?
It is too bad that she can't do what she wants to in supporting a cause, but it is not fair to drag you in when her messages make you uncomfortable. Living with her does not automatically make you her volunteer committee!
"Gram, you do have a granddaughter who will help you with a lot of things. This isn't one of them!"
Since you do support the basic cause but not your GM's brand of spreading the word, would it help any to do some environmental activities on your own, and show them to her? Sign the occasional online petition, perhaps make monetary contributions to causes you find especially compelling? Or instead, explain the GM what causes get your passionate endorsement. "Gram, I understand how strongly you feel about these issues. When I have extra time or money I can donate I direct it toward the XYZ issue. That is what I feel strongly about. Let's each pursue our own passions!"
I would not give in to demands that I associate my name with messages that I am uncomfortable with.