Freeper Types at "Going Upriver"

[CBHagman]

Today I attended a showing of "Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry." The audience was small, mostly people over 40 (and a lot over 50), from what I could see.

After the movie was well under way, a couple came in and sat in front of me, settling in with their supply of soda and popcorn. They proceeded to talk back and forth, which is usually a bad omen, but the husband took his hat off, so I thought maybe they were considerate types underneath it all.

What followed was a repeat of an experience I'd had a few months earlier at the showing of anothr documentary, "The R-Word." At that one, a man behind me laughed automatically at anything he perceived was related to liberal activists -- i.e., shots of Sean Penn, Martin Sheen et al. It became distracting after a while, especially since it seemed so automatic and forced, that I moved away.

Well, I began to notice that this couple was laughing or making snide remarks at nearly everything. Since the husband had a sort of gutteral chuckle, I thought at first it could be just some sort of tic or physical problem. No, they were laughing: at RFK's former staffer, at Edmund Muskie, at Hubert Humphrey, at Senator Fulbright, et al. They also snorted a lot, mostly at John Kerry. Thank God they were too tardy for the JFK footage.

The creepiest part was that they also laughed at the image of a mangled body and references to comrades killed in Vietnam. The husband sneered, "Aw," when Rev. Alston mentioned the cold reception he'd gotten in the U.S. on returning home from the war.

At the conclusion of the film, the audience applauded and the freeper-type husband booed repeatedly. When he got up, I saw he had an anti-John Kerry t-shirt stretched over his large beer belly.

On my way out, a white-haired man in a "VETERANS FOR KERRY" button said, "Well, in terms of thinking versus non-thinking participants, I think the audience made out pretty well." Or words to that effect. I vented a bit to him, having spent most of the movie distracted by the boors nearby.

Anyway, I glared a lot at the freeperish couple but didn't confront them. It's not proper to tell people they're rude, and penetrating their skulls with any notions of sanity or empathy seemed unlikely without considerable effort.

Any similar fun and games at your local cinema or elsewhere? Do tell!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

1. I would have moved as soon as I knew they were freepers

at the very least walked down the aisle in front of them, then I would have seen the anti-Kerry shirt.

I am silly enough to probably tell him I was happy to see he was here to learn more about Kerry.

The good thing is, it's a powerful film. I thought freepers didn't go see stuff like that on principle? LOL!

Sorry the experience of them was bad, but I would have moved as far as I could get from those losers.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. Why would these people pay

to see this movie?

That makes no sense.

[CBHagman]

5. Good point.

That wasn't clear to me either. Maybe they had free passes (a distinct possibility). They could also have been doing research for their local GOP. They made a point of telling the immigrant staff at the door how much they had laughed at it.

As for Moonbeam Starlight's point, I had problems moving without disturbing another viewer. I hate it when latecomers clamber over me, so I didn't want to try it myself. It was also going to be hard to get totally out of earshot of the couple, as the theater was small.

[Was_Immer]

8. probably sneeked in

[cheshire]

3. My husband would have put a stop to that. But I would have moved to the

front and told everyone or out to the lobby to tell them I was being distracted. I understand your not doing it but I payed good money to see that movie.

[mitchum]

4. You should have "accidently" spilled a large Coke down that fat fuck's...

back :)

[CBHagman]

6. Great minds with but a single thought.

A devil on my shoulder kept urging me to stick the husband in the shoulder with my John Kerry pin. I had to settle for glaring and looking as threatening as a 5'1" person can.

[Carni]

10. I like your approach LOL

Belching over the seat and kicking back with your feet up (and over the seat aimed right at his empty head) would also have been a viable option in my opinion.

[AnIndependentTexan]

7. should have called the manager

[BUSHOUT]

9. You should have thrown you f#cking drink at him and kicked his face in.

All the while screaming "NO MORE YEARS! NO MORE YEARS!!!"

[Kathy in Cambridge]

11. That's a bit over the top

is it meant to be?

[BUSHOUT]

14. Well, he should have at least thrown his drink at him then.

The Ahole was obviously there to stir up sh#t, so he deserved to get some sh#t on him.

[Kierkegaard]

13. Enhance your calm, John Spartan!

I feel ya, but I think I would have tried telling him to STFU first.

[KittyWampus]

15. And Then You Wake Up & The Bed Is Wet????

:wtf:

[LittleClarkie]

12. What struck me was his reaction to the Rev. Alston

I thought "freepers" supported the troops. I thought "freepers" were upset at how the veterans were treated after the war.

Kerry echoed the cold reception comments in the Vietnam history book I have. I don't understand how some think that this behavior started WITH Kerry when he experienced it too.

Witness the lyrics to Alices Restaurant, for one thing, written in the late 60s. None of this STARTED with Kerry.

[CBHagman]

17. Love that picture, Little Clarkie

When they ran that portrait of Kerry in the NY Times, I had to clip it out!

For those who haven't seen "Going Upriver," the portrait above really conveys the look of JK during the early '70s.

[Kierkegaard]

19. They aren't interested in facts or logical deduction.

They only want anything iconic to which they can attach their hatred. In this case, the movie. Doesn't even matter if they understand what they are ridiculing...

[cheshire]

20. He came in on the last of the protests. and war. Good point LC

[RevolutionStartsNow]

16. My son stuck his tongue out at a Republican today

We were at Safeway and there was a grumpy guy there at one of those "Republicans Register Here" tables. He's there a lot, it bugs me, because one of the checkers told me that he won't register non-Repubs.

Anyway we walked out and I guess he didn't see my Kerry shirt because he said "Are you registered to vote?" and my 8 year old son turned to him and stuck his tongue out.

I cracked up, but also told him not to do that because it's mean.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

18. I thought he had to register both parties

is it legal to have partisan voter registration tables?

[RevolutionStartsNow]

21. Yes he does

And I will report him. Or at least have someone check him out.

I think it's okay to have a "Dems Register Here" or "Repubs Register Here" table but you can't refuse to register someone from another party.

He was handing out BC yard signs, too. He had a customer or 2, but in this area he's lucky to have 10 people talk to him all day. This is a solid Dem area.