My van was shot by a freeper update.

[Nitrogenica]

My van was shot by one of my neighbors freeper friends after a political discussion we had one day more than a month ago.

http://tinyurl.com/y94jfg

Original post about this story here.

http://tinyurl.com/y6sr2w

So now my van is fixed. I was reminded last week about what I went through with the neighbors by an episode of this American life, where this liberal family was being absolutely terrorized by their freeper neighbor. Seems he was obsessed with them "not being their kind". (lols)

In this episode, one day their freeper neighbor, as he had been doing, threw a bunch of his garbage in his yard. By accident the garbage contained a large volume of personal info, social security info etc. Here this liberal family had every opportunity to enact revenge, and they decided not to. We have a lot to be proud of as liberals, we are not shallow, evil people.

The inspirational Amish forgiveness story comes to mind, although the Amish's forgiveness is almost mind boggling and is on a higher level than I am. I wish the Christian right would be inspired by them, but they are not.

The episode of This American Life is at the following link.

"Act Two. Unwelcome Wagon. Ira interviews the mother and daughter in a family who wished for years they could do something to stop their neighbor from all kinds of shocking behavior. Suddenly they get the power to decisively change things forever ... and they have to decide whether they will. (14 minutes)"

http://www.thislife.org/



I decided to end my revenge, and I fixed the bullet hole and removed the "Republican Talking Point" Sticker.



So tonight as I was making dinner and saw my neighbor walk down the fence line and look at the back of my van, all fixed with some new stickers on the back. He did a double take, sort of, and swore and went back into his house. I bet he is quite surprised, because he thinks liberals are lazy and welfare dependent. (He watches FOX news constantly, a form of insanity.) Maybe he didn't like my new bumper stickers. F*** him.

All Fixed!



New Stickers.



I think that liberals are pretty forgiving people, but we have been pushed and ridiculed and demonized for 16 years, and I for one am completely enraged about it. I will never forget what the Republican Party has done to us, however, someday, I will be able to forgive them. I'll send my letter of forgiveness to Bush, Cheney, and the whole cabal to their addresses in Federal prison. That doesn't mean I take it out on the sheeples, they don't know any better. My focus is defeating Mark Kennedy, Tim Pawlenty, and especially Alan Fine.

For now, I am motivated, positive, and determined to help win this election for the Democratic party. We can win this, and maybe even get some actual justice in our Government in the future. Thanks to all here at DU, my reminder of sanity in America for many years now.

[niyad]

1. good for you!! sounds like your neighbor is pissed- boooohooo.

[crim son]

2. I've been following your story and appreciate the update.

Your van looks great and I love your new stickers! Keep up the good fight...

[IntravenousDemilo]

3. Ya gotta watch out for those freeper updates! n/m

[Nitrogenica]

6. lols

[Warpy]

4. I'd have kept the bigot, er, bullet hole and sticker until

after the election, but that's just me.

A gentle form of revenge, something to creep him out, would be a sympathy card sent to his wife. Anonymously. From across town or even another city.

He'd know where a "get well soon" card came from, so don't do that one.

I have sent sympathy cards out. Then I've moved on, secure in the knowledge that anyone who's enough of an asshole to merit one will eventually do a worse number on himself than I could ever do.

[Kixel]

5. Minnesota Nice?

Is this what happens when they finally realize that their talking points don't hold water?

I was really sad to see this was from Minnesota. Glad you got it fixed, but I am sorry you had to go through it. People are idiots. The best revenge will be a DFL sweep in November!!

[Nitrogenica]

8. The Righties keep running ads saying, for example,

Patty Wetterling is "Too Extreme" for Minnesota.

Gimme a GD break, righties. "Too Extreme?" It is YOU, Minnesota Republicans, who are too extreme. Patty's opponent, Michelle Bachmann thinks Global Warming is a myth, thinks Schavio was "healthy" and is the most anti-gay candidate in Minnesota history.

[Kixel]

17. Bachmann is creepy...

I just saw that anti-Patty add tonight. It scares me that Bachmann can even be a contender.

[civildisoBDence]

24. Get all the revenge you need: ELECT AL FRANKEN to the SENATE!

Confucius said, "When you go seeking revenge, dig TWO graves."

Wish I had your restraint...

Newsprism

[Nitrogenica]

29. Thanks. I am tempered by the fact that I predicted

what's happening to the poll numbers so so long ago (2 years) to all my friends, righties included. I don't predict election results because of Diebold.

[1932]

7. It would have been a powerful statement if you took his trash back

to him and said something like, "I know this is yours because it has your name and social security number and other personal information on it. I want you to know that I don't want this to get in the wrong person's hands -- someone who would use it against you and try to hurt you. I want you to know that I'm not that kind of person."

[Nitrogenica]

9. The trash story is from the episode of "This American Life"

posted.

My problem was my van being shot and a series of verbal barbs shouted as "the neighbor guy" enters his house or garage. I guess he doesn't want to debate.

[lildreamer316]

10. The OP was referring to a story that didn't happen to them..

or some such that was in This American Life I think. I believe the point was to use that as the inspiration to move foreward with his van and neighbor.

[davidwparker]

11. Precisely the reason that I am distancing myself from people who are

Republican. They add nothing to my life. They don't have the same world view and interest.

I started thinking about this when I listened to John Dean's book on authoritarians. They're either racist, greedy, selfish, xenophobic, abusive, sheep, etc.

Good luck with your situation and your energy to help win.

[lebkuchen]

21. I'm reading that book now!

I've seen where aspects of Deans' book have been integrated into various news pieces, w/o citing Dean. I think he'll create a cult-following after this latest endeavour. Glad mine is autographed.

[madrchsod]

12. you must have got his head spinning

faster than linda blair`s in the movie exorcist...

[sofa king]

13. Your "Republican talking point" is brilliant!

You've got a big fan here.

[elehhhhna]

15. ditto.

[tblue]

14. I do blame the sheeple

Bush/Rove/Cheney/Rummy wouldn't be where they are without them. I don't care if they have 'good intentions. ' The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and that's exactly where they put us. It's not that I don't forgive their ignorance, but I do believe they are responsible for what that ignorance has caused  — immoral war, needless death, and the faltering state of this nation. And a lot of sheeple are downright cruel, like the one who shot your car. What is that?



Glad you got your car fixed. I'm sure it feels good to have their ugliness removed from your property.

[glitch]

16. Sometimes you have to move on to keep their ugliness from corrupting your

life. The republican talking point was funny, but having it fixed is more healthy for you.
Good for you.

[Dawgs]

18. Good for you, but Jimmie Johnson?

He's okay, but I prefer Jeff Gordon.

I was dissapointed that Jimmie was wrecked by Vickers last week. I saw it live and felt like he deserved to at least make a run at Junior.

[Nitrogenica]

30. In racing, the fastest win. Jimmie is the fastest.

Juan Pablo Montoya will be awesome, he is the future of NASCAR. I've been a fan of his for years and he has the fastest learning curve I've ever seen. He won the Indy 500 in a car he never raced before. He dod the "Pass in the Grass" at Montegi. I can't stress enough how he and Chip gell as a team.

If only Zanardi could still race, or Greg Moore, they come to mind when talking about Juan. Juan Montoya is going to be awesome.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

19. Isn't that what Jesus would do. Been following your story

and it is very interesting. Did you ever find the bullet? It is too easy to get caught up in the tit for tat scenario. Probably why the middle east is so screwed up.

I heard on cspan this morning that Amy was leading the republican candidate and that momentum is on her side. She will be a good Senator for you.

[Nitrogenica]

31. I never found the bullet. I did the repairs myself, first time I ever

have used "bondo". I bet the right wishes they had some bondo to apply to their tired old talking points.

[lebkuchen]

20. Love the new bumper stickers

That carry/conceal law in MN hasn't done much to impove the neighborhood. I was very surprised to see a sign on one of the MN hospitals saying that guns were not allowed inside. Don't experience America's gun culture in Europe!

I saw someone shoot a gun across the street from my apt. in San Francisco several years ago, and a SWAT team had the place surrounded within 4 min. of my phone call. Have the police phone number ready if you have a similar experience. Who knows how this nut will handle a dem congress.

Have you read John Dean's "Conservatives w/o Conscience?" It's about why "authoritarian conservatives," such as your "acquaintance," behave as they do.

[Nitrogenica]

32. I didn't read Dean's book, I have so little free time.

After the elections I'll have Pawlenty of time, for a few months. It's on my list.

[warrens]

22. It was much cooler before

Although I would have said "Republican debating technique."

As for that family on NPR, they should have NUKED that pig. Spread his financial info everywhere possible (they were planning to leave his SS # and bank account info at truck stops all over the area). If you listen to the story, there's no freaking way I would have held my fire with that psychotic son of a bitch.

[warrens]

23. A few details

He threatened their kids, killed their cat with a baseball bat, then left the bat where they could see it, sat outside their house at night with his high beams shining in, etc. etc. The cops wouldn't do a thing. I would have been all over the SOB>

[lisainmilo]

25. Unbelieveable they actually shot your car!

I am speechless. But, good for you on your fixed van and your new bumper stickers!

[BreweryYardRat]

26. You're a better person than me.

I'd have perceived it as a probable threat to my life, gotten a shotgun, and blown the guy away with a load of buckshot.

Then again, I do live in Florida, the state with the "no duty to retreat" law.

Someone else said "be worried about this guy's reaction if Dems take the House or Senate this November," and I have to agree. Do you have a shotgun?

Edit: No, wait, it's the dude's friend. Does the guy hang out with your neighbor enough for any more potential threats?

[mtnester]

27. You know why he cussed don't you?

Now that the bullet hole is repaired, he thinks you now have the bullet.

Deduce.

[Nitrogenica]

28. Well perhaps.

One interesting thing is that my neighbors buddy who I think shot my van does not want to debate me since our chit chat when I think he shot my van. He has visited many times, and I have been working in my yard, quite available for debate.

The first thing Id say is "How's that project for the new American century doing?"