Overheard at Library--I failed to respond

[peasant one]

Okay sorry I failed this one. Two guys at library (both in their 40s??) one wearing a t-shirt that says, "keep your opinions, I'll keep my guns." (he had an artificial leg--don't know if it was war related) Another guy says: "Hey I like your shirt." They start talking about how bad everything is getting and how it is about to get a lot worse. They stated they are purchasing lots of ammo. I was at the check out and librarian was talking to me in a loud voice because she, too, could hear them. One guy says (paraphrasing here) I know four who need bullets right now. I was so taken aback I failed to respond. My husband saw my face (he is hard of hearing and didn't hear the exchange) and quickly came over and got me out of there-- I feel terrible I didn't respond. I think these types of conversations are going on with Trumpers all the time. My husband says no good will come of talking to them. What could I have said?

[First Speaker]

1. Not a damned thing. Getting out quick was the least bad option you had then...

...you can't say anything to these people. Nothing will get thru.

[customerserviceguy]

51. Agreed

If they knew you felt the way you did, they'd just pick on you, and hopefully it would stay only verbal.

[johnp3907]

2. Best not to say anything.

They’d just add you to the list.

[shenmue]

3. I won't criticize you

[TreasonousBastard]

4. This was in the library? Imagine them in a bar.

[RazBerryBeret]

5. I agree about keeping quiet

seems like they were looking for a response, I mean don't they know you are supposed to be quiet in a library? and why didn't that Librarian 'shushhhhh" them? Republican blow-hards trying to act tough, obviously compensating, so you did the right thing.

[Skittles]

6. fuck you, you gun humping pieces of shit

that's what I would have said

[rzemanfl]

10. I bet you would.

[Skittles]

17. to be fair, I have actually said that a few times

oh yes

[tblue37]

29. Don't you know Skittles? She is famous for kicking asses when necessary. nt

[rzemanfl]

31. Oh, I know Skittles.

[AJT]

18. I think I would have looked their crotches and said

"Looks like you need big guns to make up for you tiny dicks.....dick heads."

[Dem_4_Life]

46. LOL that is a good one.

[Cirque du So-What]

7. I doubt I would have said anything

Just not worth it.

[Tipperary]

8. Cool story.

trumpers in a library?

[ck4829]

11. They could be using the anonymity most libraries provide to do 'research' on pipe bombs

[Tipperary]

12. Maybe.

This story just does not work for me, sorry.

[pandr32]

52. Absolutely

And Gawd knows what else

[Niagara]

24. These RWNJ's are everywhere

They attend elementary, junior high, high school and college. They can also teach at these same facilities, just because they have a college education to teach, doesn't mean that they swing Democratic.

They work in the same places that we do. They sling hamburgers, they wait tables, they work suicide prevention hotlines, they can be car mechanics, they can be our retirement and financial advisors and the electrician or plumber that we hire.

They also go to the same public places that we do, this includes the library.

[essme]

26. I am a librarian

You'll find plenty of Trump fans in the library....and furthermore, some of those ARE the librarians.

[Tipperary]

33. It was actually a joke; so many here post how rumpers are ignorant, stupid, non-literate, etc.

I have lived in red areas; I know one’s political affiliation is really not a factor in library patronage.

[peasant one]

32. Making copies

They were both in the library but one was making copies and the other was just hanging out by the copy machine--so don't know if either one was in the library ...for books. Very small library in a red state.

[Runningdawg]

55. Public access computer

Easier to do searches you don't want showing up in the history of your own computer and much easier to make anonymous threats.

[SCantiGOP]

9. Too many crazies out there

Not worth the confrontation.
I’ve had a few minor incidents (getting flipped off in traffic, yelled curses) because of my fading Blue Wave 2018 sticker on the back of my car.

[maxsolomon]

13. Always ask a question if you engage. No opinions.

"Who do you plan to shoot?" Something like that. Be syrupy sweet.

If they answer, or even if they won't, another question: "What did they do that makes you want to kill them?"

And so on till the rusty hamster wheel in their brains falls off its axle. It doesn't take long.

Regardless, you know who the four they meant are, and they sound like blowhards who won't do jack shit. As usual.

[avebury]

22. The only thing I would add would be to

activate the audio recorder on my phone in a way that they would not see it. It is legal to record people in Oklahoma as long as at least one person knows that a recording is being made. If you had someone with you, the other person could walk away and take pictures of the suspects in a covert manner.

You don’t even actually have to talk to them. If you get enough evidence you can contact the Capitol Sgt of Arms and pass the recording and pictures to them.

[klook]

23. Best practical suggestion,

though not without risk.

[Initech]

14. If I were them I'd be more concerned about criminals coming to take my guns than the government.

Just do a quick Google search - there's thousands of stories of stolen guns out there.

[Baitball Blogger]

15. They think they're going to get respect for their gun comments.

One guy in a party thought he was funny when he said, no matter what the question is, the answer is to buy more guns.

The NRA has earned its blood money.

[zipplewrath]

16. "You're wrong"

"But I guess homicide is your solution to that."

Of course while you're walking AWAY from them.

[procon]

19. Try a little tongue in cheek sarcasm.

Smile.

Me: Oh, are you in that movie they're shooting here in town?

Gun nut/conservasaurus: Huh? No.

Me: Sorry, I saw your costume (heard you practicing your lines) and thought you were an extra in that zombie movie. Can't wait to go see it.

Smile.

[CrispyQ]

45. +1

[KT2000]

20. best not to say anything

there are a few dynamics going on here.
First they want people to hear, likely wanting someone to respond
Such gun talk indicates possible crazies
Two men together may create the out-machoing each other, they cannot back down in front of each other

Be careful out there - you did the right thing.

[Laffy Kat]

21. Those kind of people are unpredictable.

I wouldn't provoke. You did the right thing by skedaddling.

[peasant one]

27. I felt bad though

I felt almost as if I was legitimizing them by not stopping and saying something, Like: this is wrong. But I get it that they were not gonna change political parties because I said something. But I felt that they shouldn't be allowed to take over the common places and make these hateful statements.

[Laffy Kat]

44. Let yourself off the hook on this one. nt

[Niagara]

25. You didn't fail anything

It's best not to engage. There is no reason or logic with these people. Period.

[Loki Liesmith]

28. You can't fix the willfully broken

These folks are not going to be reached. Put your energies elsewhere.

[Blue_true]

30. You did the right thing. Those types of people are one inch from going off.

The best way to handle them is outvote them at every elected office level.

[FM123]

34. No! You did not fail in any way.

What ever you did or did not do, if you got out of there alive - it was the right thing.

[Pepsidog]

35. The Murdoch's should not be able to show their face in public without public protest. Make their

life a living hell like they have made our life. I’m talking about all the Murdochs who should not be able to eat in a public restaurant in peace. They should be publicly harassed and tormented. Their faces should be splattered all over the internet and demonized like they have demonized progressives. I’m talking from Rupert on down to the youngest adult members of the family. Rupert could easily put a lid on the creature Fox if he wanted. Why should he live a peaceful life of luxury while Fox spreads hate and lies and divides us.

[dflprincess]

36. Surreptitiously taken their picture

and sent it to the Secret Service with a note you heard them discussing killing elected officials.

(It would have been hard to do, but it's a nice fantasy.)

[lunatica]

37. I make it a rule not to speak to belligerent, threatening strange men

who talk about shooting women to each other.

[LiberalFighter]

38. Report them to the FBI

Provide whatever description you can. It may not be much but it could matter.

[Mariana]

39. "I think these types of conversations are going on with Trumpers all the time."

They are. It's nothing new that they fervently wish for the violent deaths of prominent Democrats. They did the same thing the whole time President Obama was in office.

[Takket]

40. DO NOT ENGAGE

I mean this literally the only thing that would cone of confronting persons like that is being shot. Even the police can’t do anything until they break a law.

Walk away, stay away, stay safe, and never engage with a gun humping MAGAt.

[patphil]

41. These guys are looking for people who attempt to engage them.

Then they can go on the attack and validate their anger and hatred.
It is definitely NOT good to engage them.

Your husband was right.

Patrick Phillips

[colorado_ufo]

42. Try this:

"Hey brother, this is a library! Shouldn't you save that kind of talk for church?"

[not_the_one]

43. You know, maybe we are approaching this from the wrong angle...

I know this is a ludicrous scenario, but we HAVE to take these imbeciles to task. We always stay quiet, keep our mouth shut, walk away. We ACT like the cowards they assume us to be. They have to understand that the shit will not go down like they expect it to.

If I were in that situation I would hope that I would have the courage and forethought to:

Look to my same sex partner and say, so they could hear, "Well honey, apparently our plan is working!"

One of them would undoubtedly say "What plan? What the fuck are you talking about, faggot?"

I would reply "Apparently you haven't heard what we liberals are doing. We are buying as many guns and as much ammunition as we can get our hands on, without causing notice. If you think you are going to walk right over us, boy, are you in for a surprise!"

"And by the way, we would be happy to buy you a one-way ticket to Russia, where you can bask in living the white supremacist life under Putin, with Trump as his lapdog, who will flee to Russia to keep from getting arrested for treason. Putin will promptly take your precious guns away. Unlike the lie you keep repeating about Democrats taking away everyone's guns. We Democrats need our guns to protect us from traitorous bastards like you."

Then walk out.

Yeah, I know, talk is cheap, and could get you killed...

So obviously Your Mileage May Vary...



A boy can be a hero, if only in a dream....

[CrispyQ]

47. I think you are right that they need to be called out, though.

It gets down to, is it worth the risk to call out their hate in our public sphere? They now think they have the right to contaminate our public spaces with their hate & bigotry. I liked the poster above, who suggested humor - the zombie movie - but I'm not quick on my feet to think of something like that. And the advice of another poster, that if you do decide to confront them, have the audio/video of your phone turned on. And yes it can get ugly, so it's a judgement call, case by case.

[CrispyQ]

48. "Shhhh! This is a library!"

That probably wasn't appropriate where you were standing, but it still may have made them shut up. If there were kids around or you were near the children's section, you could have said, "Hey, there are kids around, do you mind?" But never feel that you have to challenge someone. We need to stand up to bigotry when we see it in our public spaces, but never at risk to our own safety. I did like the zombie comment, though. Wish I were quick enough on my feet to think of that, but I'm going to tuck it away.

[brooklynite]

49. "If you hate this country so much, go back where you came from"?

[elocs]

50. Discretion is the better part of valor.

You're not going to change their minds. Nothing good would come of it. Instead, work to get people to bother to turn out and vote for Democrats. That is doing something practical and useful.

[LanternWaste]

53. it is beyond the ability of most to fix Broken Men.

In 1855 Frederick Douglass had a series of dialogues with white slave-owners who could not, or would not, comprehend that slavery was morally wrong and it was during these communications that he wrote, “it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men“.

A quick response or hasty comment from you to these broken men, regardless of how meaningful or substantive, would not have repaired the deeply flawed idée fixe they have carried with them their entire lives.

I default to pity for them these days; a pity for what could have been, a pity for lost potential, a pity that they care more for what they hate than for what they love.

Broken men.

[Doreen]

54. We forgive you because not any one

of us can fix stupid. It would have been a waste of your valuable energy.