Tea Bagger talk.

[C Moon]

Last edited Sun Jun 22, 2014, 04:39 AM - Edit history (2)

I was at the gym on a cardio-machine (sorry if I sound stupid for posting a gym story).
While on the machine, I was watching CNN's story on the Kennedy assassination.

My focus was broken by a voice to my right. I looked over and a guy who looked to be in his late 50's, sloppy, disheveled was spouting out something in my direction (I only bring his appearance up because later he started using obscene language regarding females, as if he were something special). At first I thought maybe he had a mental disorder and was not saying anything in particular; but after listening to him, I realized he was referring to "Kennedy and PT109."

I looked at him strange, and said, "What are you talking about?"
He kept spouting out information...."Kennedy had to rescue those men from the PT109 because he had been partying the night before and screwed up because he was hungover. It's true! But you won't hear CNN talk about it. They can talk all they want about the assassination. But he was a fuck up."

I turned back to the tv and ignored him. He added a few more things, as he climbed on the machine next to me. Then he said, "Well, he WAS the best thing the Democrats have come up with." I guess he realized I wasn't inline with his views.

I looked over at him and said, "I don't want to hear your politics, mister!"
He mumbled, "Well..."

Five minutes later, someone he apparently knew walked up to him, and they began talking rudely about women, and then went on to talk about guns, and ended with "forming a militia."

I moved to another area of the gym.

Right wing folks are always more vocal about their beliefs. It's very annoying.

[bravenak]

1. I like your story.nt

[C Moon]

3. Thx!

[bradla]

2. They feel like other people should believe the same as they do.

This is the herding mentality of AM talk radio. These people are absolutely pathetic.

[C Moon]

4. Agreed 100%! In fact, after my blood pressure settled...

I had some of those "I should have said" moments...
and one of them was, "I don't want to hear your AM radio politics, pal!"

[freshwest]

15. I have a bagger relation. Agree enthusiastically or they go nuts. I stopped talking to her because

of the yelling. And I actually said to her that I didn't call long distance to hear the latest thing Beck said, I called to see how she was doing. I've detailed a number of the conversations here at DU. Really wild stuff. You got it right away, that's what the guy was puking up on you. Here are my posts about her:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251216792#post107

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251145022#post50

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021449535#post15

Hope you get a laugh out of it.

[C Moon]

17. There's a definate pattern, that's for sure.

Thanks for sharing.

Although, I'm glad I was never friends with THAT guy. Eeeek!

I have had Tea Bag type friends in the past few years, and yes, those friendships dissolved. They're kind of like extreme religious folks who think if you're not with them, you're bringing them down to hell. They are really into burning bridges. I believe that goes with being brainwashed (for lack of a better word).

Thx!

[Gman]

5. It's difficult to tolerate public stupidity

I don't know if I would be so polite. I don't handle their stupidity well.

I went off on a guy who was praising Ayn Rand. I peppered him with " you know she was an atheist" then went off on how morally bankrupt Ayn Rand and her writings are and how could someone so pro-life be so ignorant about the contradiction between thinking greed was such a good thing and being pro-life. He was startled at first, but kept on talking his crap and ignoring what I said until I walked away. They can't answer so they ignore reality.

[on point]

6. It's a way to intimidate and bully others

You either agree with them or are exposed as one of the enemy so they can go after you

[C Moon]

9. Yeah. That's what was going today, that's for sure.

[Warpy]

7. The only dumb gym stories are body shaming stories.

Good for you for speaking up to the blowhard. Not speaking up would have left him thinking you agreed with his nonsense.

"I don't want to listen to that crap" is a great way to shut them up if they haven't taken gentler hints.

If I'm feeling especially uncharitable, I'll look at them in disbelief and say "you bought that?" and walk away twirling my index finger next to my temple.

I don't know why they wear their ignorance on their sleeves. I rarely discuss politics IRL and never with strangers, only with people I know reasonably well and who I won't offend.

[C Moon]

8. "I don't know why they wear their ignorance on their sleeves."

That's the phrase I was looking for!

[pamela]

10. "Right wing folks are always more vocal about their beliefs."

Yes and I honestly believe that's the single biggest problem in America today. That may sound like hyperbole but, when you think about it, all our other problems stem from that.

You can't read any article on the internet without some right-winger spouting off about Obama, Democrats, liberals, etc. It could be an article about politics, sports, tv shows, the weather-it doesn't matter-some wingnut will use it to spew an anti-Dem or anti-Obama diatribe. And honestly, folks on the left aren't much better. If Obama does 2 great things and 2 not-so-great things, the voices on the left will be quiet about the former and shouting about the latter. Then we wonder why we lose elections.

The average American, the average voter even, doesn't care that much about politics. If simply faced with the issues, most would probably vote Dem every time. But, they hear all this anti-Dem crap with very little pro-Dem speech to counter it and they conform to what they believe to be the majority opinion. When the presidential election comes around, Dems get a little more vocal and a lot more positive and we win, but the rest of the time? Congressional races, gubernatorial races? We lose those because we're losing the day-to-day battle of public opinion.

Sadly, I don't see this changing. I even like and respect the fact that Dems don't hold back from criticizing our own. But, it's a terrible election strategy. By the time we get around to speaking up in defense of Democrats and democratic policies, it's too little, too late.

[C Moon]

11. That puts it in a nice package, and I agree with you 100%!

[Populist_Prole]

13. I've been noticing that a lot the past several years

Particularly with online message boards/forums. Ones involving hobbies, avocations or other areas of common interest; all ostensibly non-political.

I'm seeing the same few people over and over again politicizing topics, where they didn't really do so years ago. All to often the OP and entire thread will be deleted because it turns into a nasty political debate because someone with a chip on their shoulder had to start trouble.

A recurring them seems to be an absolutely ferocious anti-labor/corporatist/ pro-Wall St view lately; and a marked disdain for economic populism in general. All from posters who I once held in high regard for their contributions. Now I hate the bastards.

[C Moon]

16. "and a marked disdain for economic populism in general"

That's sad. And pro Wall Street? Chripes!!!

[snooper2]

12. you lost me when you went with the "forming a militia"

LOL

[1000words]

14. LOL

I laughed, I cried ... why, it was even better than "Cats!"