"Get out of my neighborhood" the Republican asshole screamed at me

[undeterred]

As usual, I was doing a lit drop for my candidate this weekend. Got about 7 hours in yesterday and 5 hours in today before something happened.

I was in the town of Oconomowoc, population 12000 - in South Central Wisconsin. It's not really a small town or a city- it feels like a suburb, although its not actually a suburb OF anything. Like most of the district its more Republican than not, so we are doing lit drops in selected wards. Although WI is about 50:50 we have two Dem Senators and a Dem Governor at present, so a lot of Reps are voting for Dems for the bigger offices. I am working for Bryan Kennedy, who is running against Sensenbrenner. A lot of people don't know who Kennedy is, even though he ran in 2004.

Most of the time doing a lit drop is pretty uneventful. There are newspaper boxes at a lot of the homes so I drive up, put the lit in, and drive away. I might wave or smile at people who are out, but I make no attempt to engage them.

Today I saw a yard sign for our Democratic governor, with a woman outside gardening. I stopped to chat, and she said "Yes there are a few Democrats on Oconomowoc, especially teachers!" But she said it was very red here and a lot of her friends were afraid to even put up a yard sign. (She gladly put up a sign for Bryan Kennedy.) Governor Doyle has done much to promote stem cell research at the University of Wisconsin Madison, and she said a lot of her neighbors hate him for that. The only bumper sticker I saw in Oconomowoc said GOD IS PRO-LIFE. I agree- God cares about the lives of civilians in Iraq so we should all vote Democratic.

After this I was in another neighborhood (upper middle class) and there was a man out on his riding mower. I gave a little wave and put the lit in his newspaper box. A minute later I was a couple of houses down and I heard him scream "Get out of my neighborhood" and turned to see that he was riding his mower straight toward my car. I took off down the street. He got off the mower and started running toward me. In the rear view mirror I could see him taking the lit I had just dropped and throwing it on the ground. Not his, but his neighbors.

I can't fathom what I did to deserve that reaction. I have 3 bumper stickers on my car (GOP = Grand Oil Party) (Defend America - Impeach Bush) and (Kennedy for Congress). You can't really read them unless the car is stopped. The lit is mostly positive, and although its anti-Sensenbrenner, it only goes after him in ways that should make traditional Republicans not want to vote for him.

So I hate to admit it, but after that I left and went home. During the lit drops I sometimes walk from house to house and leave my old dog in the car with the windows open. After this experience I really hesitate to do that.

What the hell is wrong with these people that they don't even think someone has the right to distribute information about a candidate who is not from their party?

I feel deterred. :(

[SammyWinstonJack]

1. He owns the neighborhood?

:eyes: Maybe his neighbors wouldn't appreciate him taking the lit you put in their newspaper boxes. Maybe they would like to read them? It wasn't his right to do that. Crazy republican!

[BlueStorm]

2. They are a bunch of pissy cry babies...

You did good, don't feel deterred. I know that it was scary but he really can't do anything to you, if he did he would be facing some jail time, I think all he did was try to intimidate you.

Just keep dropping lits, who knows the area might switch from red to blue.

BlueStorm

[Jo March]

3. Bravo to you for the work you are doing!

Those types of people are just so angry, aren't they? But they are angry for different reasons than we are. They are angry that their view of the world - the war is great, the economy is great, torture is just fine and dandy - will be challenged. They can't handle the truth, you know?

You keep doing what you are doing but if you feel threatened, leave but call the police. He threatened you. No - he terrorized you and he should have been reported to the police. They might not do anything but he would be reported and you'd get it on record.

Good on you for the work you're doing! Keep it up!

:thumbsup:

[rfranklin]

20. in 2004, I found the Kerry leaflet I was distributing torn up and...

stuffed under the windshield wiper on my car. You have to be pretty paranoid and very angry to note the car (amongst dozens of others in a garden apartment development) and tear up the brochure in many pieces, leave your house and walk over to the car.

[undeterred]

39. Yeah, like ripping up the Kerry lit really accomplishes something

Actually I like seeing the oppositions campaign lit. But they hardly ever send me any.

[Jo March]

61. Your sig line made me LOL!

Yes, a person does have to be pretty paranoid.

We've received stuff from the RNC - I have NO idea why - and I had the great pleasure of shredding it but I didn't call the RNC and scream and throw a fit or anything. I figure that I can let them waste money sending me their lit. ;)

[raccoon]

63. I second that. Report that whackjob to the police.

And thanks for the good work you're doing.

[Jo March]

64. Yep. A little visit from the police might calm him down. nt

[silverweb]

4. That's their mindset.

Everything has to be unreasoningly, unquestioningly their way or not at all -- and they pursue that agenda with subterfuge, intimidation, and even violence. It's why I call them reTHUGs.

[undeterred]

8. I feel sorry for the Dems who live there

When the teacher told me her friends were afraid to put up yard signs I didn't think she meant that people actually felt threatened, but maybe some of them live next to a RePuke like this one.

[silverweb]

49. My daughter's been threatened while canvassing.

She was distributing literature during one of the last election cycles, I forget which one. One woman screamed at her to "get off my property or I'll call the cops," and another literally started to chase her down the sidewalk calling her a "filthy Democrat." This was in a supposedly "upper class" San Diego neighborhood.

reTHUGs are reTHUGs -- and they're pretty much the same no matter where you go. Some are just able to maintain a more civilized façade better than others.

[undeterred]

50. That's horrible. That's the difference between us and them

I respect their right to distribute information. I don't tamper with the other party's lit or lawn signs if I see them. People who don't agree with me have the right not to agree with me without being penalized for it. Too bad the feeling is not mutual.

[Nitrogenica]

5. Do not be perturbed. A rightie shot my van and that

has energized me to do more that I probably would have otherwise.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2838024

I say get out there and distribute that lit, man.

Remember most of them realize they have been wrong and struggle with pride issues.

[Ksec]

6. You shouldve brought me along

Im 6'1 and about 240. I work out regularly and if I dont say so myself, can be a little intimidating.
Lemme know if you need a bodyguard next time:)

[undeterred]

9. Yeah, that would be good!

My dog isn't very scary.

[Gabi Hayes]

7. what's his address? I'll pay him a friendly visit

[undeterred]

12. He lives on Armour street - I kid you not

And he looks like an ax murderer who might mow someone down with a riding mower if he didn't have an ax handy!

[Poiuyt]

32. Nice picture Gabi

A lot of us are afraid to post images of ourselves on the internet. I admire your courage!

:rofl:

[Gabi Hayes]

44. when you've got it.....

[Greyhound]

10. Is it possible to go out in pairs, armed with video cameras?

Nothing cools these assholes off faster than the possibility of being publicly shown being the anti-American idiots they are.

[novalib]

11. What The HELL IS WRONG WITH These People???!!!!

"What the hell is wrong with these people that they don't even think someone has the right to distribute information about a candidate who is not from their party?"

What the HELL IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE???!!!!

Easy -- They are fucked up beyond belief.

They have NO ability to THINK. They just do whatever the hell Bush and his gang of thugs tell them to do.

And they cannot STAND anyone who thinks differently!!!!

[SammyWinstonJack]

17. They can't stand anyone who thinks for themselves.

I think they are jealous of that, knowing that they incapable of doing so. :evilgrin:

[undeterred]

18. If someone dropped Bush Cheney lit at my door

or lit for the Repukes running for state or congressional offices it wouldn't make me angry. I would see that person as politically unwise but it would never occur to me to tell them to get lost.

This is America, isn't it?

And if anyone has a right to be angry, isn't it those of us whose rightful power has been stolen by thievery, lies, and chicanery?

[satya]

13. Of course you did nothing to deserve that -- he's a jerk.

I really appreciate what you're doing and I hope that this guy doesn't dissuade you (judging by your username that doesn't seem likely). IMHO, Sensenbrenner may be one of the biggest threats to our constitution. I would love to see him ousted in November.

Thanks for doing what you're doing! :hug:

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Screw him. AND his rider mower.

You are certainly entitled to your feelings, and you shouldn't have to feel intimidated in any fashion, whatsoever, when out there. I would never criticize you for following your instincts and leaving an uncomfortable situation.

However, in my experience people like this are usually more bluster than bite. You can always call the cops. What was he gonna do? Mulch you?

[undeterred]

Yeah, I realized that my car had to be faster than his riding mower

or him on foot... but his screaming at me down the street kind of threw me off balance. I once had someone say "whatever it is I don't want it" when I pulled up, but they weren't trying to stop me from giving information to their neighbors.

I don't wanna be mulched.

[Warren DeMontague]

28. I hear you. Maybe you should inform the central office.

Get a team to cover that area, or something.

[undeterred]

34. I think its just one person and it could happen anywhere

5 minutes before that happened I was talking to this nice young woman about her adorable rottweiler puppy. A half hour before that I handed lit to a man who was standing by his mailbox talking to a neighbor, and when I passed by again later they were talking politics!

I think this type of thing is probably 1 in 1000. I've done at least a thousand, so this was it. I guess I expect negativity if you're actually talking to people, but this was hostility, and I never said a word.

[The Deacon]

15. Oconomowoc?

You're a brave person - we never would gone there when we lived in Wisconsin. In fact, right before we moved to the South (Alabama, then Georgia) I seriously considered trying to talk my wife into moving from Janesville to Beloit so we could be in Tammy Baldwin's district!

[undeterred]

23. I live in Madison so Tammy is my representative

but I consider myself a missionary to the 5th district. O8) I am dropping lit in a lot of wards where there is no organized Democratic party to speak of.

I work in Beloit! Funny thing is I drive through the 1st district on my way to work and end up back in the second district. After we get Bryan elected in the 5th I'm gonna work on the 1st and the 6th, but I'll never leave Madison. Home base has to be sane!

[hfojvt]

26. What sort of Gerrymandering is that?

Beloit is in Baldwin's district, but Janesville isn't? :crazy:

[undeterred]

31. Janesville is around 60K, Beloit is around 35K

I doubt the makeup is all that different, although Janesville has a lot of union people because of GM. But the second district has Madison, and you can't out-Dem Madison. :hippie:

[The Deacon]

40. I Worked In Beloit & My Wife Worked In Madison

So we decided Janesville was the acceptable compromise - plus the non-profit I worked for had its headquarters in Janesville. Actually, I really liked Beloit - the smaller size gave it a a more neighborly feeling - not to mention that Bagels & More was only two doors down from my office!
(Okay - I'm making myself homesick for Cheeseland - nobody down here has even HEARD of kringels or honey weiss beer. Hockey night in Georgia DOES NOT include bratwurst, Italian sausage or Polish dogs. And FORGET Friday Fish Fry!)

[undeterred]

41. Some of my co-workers are liberal

and although they'd probably love Madison, they've grown to love Beloit. It is small enough that it does feel like a community, and it sure is nicer to walk to work than drive 50 miles.

Confession... I don't care for beer or football and I'm an Illinois transplant. But Wisconsin is overall a great place to live.

[TwentyFive]

16. You have a right to distribute what you want. He was trampling on you.

This man had no right act threatening in any way. Yelling, driving a lawnmower on public roads, and throwing literature at you is obviously threatening behavior. Any reasonable person would believe their safety is at risk, and the person is out of control. He has no authority to say, "get out of my neighborhood" because he doesn't speak for all of his neighbors...and even if he did...the public roads are, ahem, public.

Unless somebody posts a 'no soliciting' or 'no trespassing' sign in a conspicious place, you have every right to walk up to the door, ring the bell, or leave literature.

Next time you go campaigning, take a mini camera and/or tape recorder with you. Once they see they are being recorded, they will back down immediately. If they live in an upper middle class neighborhood, the last thing they want is a law suit or police record.

Good luck to you!

[buff2]

19. There's not much you can do with people who are filled with hate

Most repukes are so filled with hatred they are miserable,so they take it out on those that cause them to hate so much. I stopped to look at a used car in this guy's driveway the other day....it had a for sale sign in the window,so I thought I would check it out for a friend of mine who is looking for a good used car that's easy on gas. Well,this guy saw my anti-bu$h stickers on my car and he went off on me....flailing his arms around telling me how he hated "Liberals" because they were for gays,abortion and "big government". Can you believe that? What does he think we have now,when we have the biggest WASTEFUL spending pRESIDENT in US history? Repukes make no sense.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. They are scared

We protest three times a week here and we are getting much more support than we did a year ago. But the war mongers are much louder than they were before. They used to just drive by, shake their heads and maybe flip us off. Maybe one (in an hour) would yell something nasty at us. ("Get a job" "I love Bush" etc). And they usually laughed too.

But now we have a LOT who drive by, yell, flip us off and just generally seem very angry. Very few are laughing.

So while we have seen their number decrease, their anger has increased.

I wonder if this guy would have been more likely to just shake his head and laugh at you a year ago. Maybe since then, he has tasted the bitter in that koolaid.

[undeterred]

24. I'm just glad he didn't have a loaded gun with him

If something so simple can make him that angry, he's a ticking time bomb. Maybe I'll send him a nice picture of Bill and Hillary so he gets it in the mail!

[Poiuyt]

30. That happened to a friend of mine

She was going door to door collecting signatures and suddenly found herself staring down the barrel of a shotgun. Luckily, a neighbor saw what was happening and calmed the guy down.

I'll have to admit, the image of a man chasing you on a lawn mower seems kind of comical. Kind of like a Seinfeld episode.

[dicknbush]

22. Just remember Sensenbrenner is the guy who....

Turned off the mike during a hearing because he didn't want to listen to the truth anymore so it is not surprissing that his constiutents are rather rude and borish as well. Keep up the hard work. I wish Iwas in a tight district I would be on the streets every day TRhank you for doing the trenches work.

[undeterred]

25. I am working for a terrific candidate

but the horribleness of Sensenbrenner is also a strong motivator. He is among the 5 most god-awful people in Congress, and if I can do anything to make it more likely that he doesn't come back, I will. The support for Bush in WI has been dropping steadily, and I can't fathom how anyone who is sick of Bush can't also be sick of Sensenbrenner.

[DawgHouse]

27. It sounds to me like he thinks HE'S the "decider."

[NoodleyAppendage]

29. Next time bring a video camera and STAND YOUR GROUND.

The greatest weapon we have against the fascist uprising is their own misdeeds and ill behavior. I would have recorded his tantrum on videotape and stood my ground, then I would have given a copy of the tape to the local media.

Use their own idiocy against them. Democratic judo, if you will.

J

[proud patriot]

33. LOL the visual of this guy chasing you down on his lawn mower

has me rolling :rofl:

they are like little mini dictators in their own minds

:crazy:

[undeterred]

37. I would have expected it more out in the country

where you see a lot of "no trespassing" or "private property" signs. But this guy is on a fairly busy street with a lot of small businesses and neighbors he doesn't get to choose.

Unless maybe he owns the whole street and they rent from him - and its a condition of the lease that they vote Republican?

Yeah, he was one scary dude. Probably thinks Bush is brilliant and wonderful.

[ewagner]

35. Bravo!

:applause: :applause: :applause:

This is the kind of work that needs to be done.....keep it up...

BRYAN KENNEDY ROCKS!!!!!

[alfredo]

36. Go back to that neighborhood, but don't go alone.

Find the biggest, baddest volunteer to walk with you.


Carry a police whistle and use it.

[undeterred]

38. this is ohsowhite wisconsin

I should bring a black guy and a hispanic guy with me as bodyguards. :evilgrin:

[alfredo]

43. Take a Lutheran

[MoseyWalker]

42. were you driving while brown?

if so, then..........

people are nuts.

[undeterred]

47. No, I'm blue eyed blond

I look like I could be old Wisconsin stock.

But maybe, with the bumper stickers, I looked like I'm from MADISON, and you know what Bill O'Reilly says about people from MADISON - we worship SATAN.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

45. Guess they're finally feelin' the burn

:rofl:

[roseBudd]

46. I say he committed menacing not sure if it was aggravated but you did feel

threatened. I peeked at your profile, you are female and due to his greater physical strength and the intimidation factor I think you should at least mention it to a police officer.

[undeterred]

48. I did feel threatened, but realistically

I was in my car the whole time so nothing could have happened unless he had a weapon. I'd be afraid of getting a republican police officer.

I want to mail the guy something that will really annoy him though. :evilgrin: Maybe I'll get him a Hillary for President sticker and get him on her mailing list!

[roseBudd]

54. Or you could buy a vial of fox urine from a hunting supply and use a

hypodermic needle to inject it through the seal on the window of his car :evilgrin:

[undeterred]

55. What would that do?

:shrug:

[roseBudd]

57. It stinks up the inside of his car, it's really petty but fun. I had

college students keeping me up until 4 AM 4-5 nights a week and one of my friends told me about fox urine. I ended up throwing it through an open window.

[davsand]

59. Crazy does feel intimidating--no doubt.

I don't blame you at all for freaking out at first, but I also have to say my first reaction to your story was a desire to hit REVERSE.

Imagine how he'd have felt if you'd started BACKING your car toward his lawn mower at a fairly high rate of speed.

Add in the idea of hanging your head out the window while screaming "I AM a Democrat, I'm pissed as hell, and I am not gonna take it anymore!"

I think he'd have left skid marks.

:evilgrin:


Laura

[undeterred]

60. I wish I could have

But in the moment I felt too much fear for myself and protective of my old dog who was in the back seat of my car.

It was kind of like when you have a minor car accident and you expect the other person to be rational but their reaction is totally out of proportion to what happened. I had an accident like that once and I just locked the car and rolled up the windows while this person screamed and swore at me. When its clear that the other person is totally irrational, I just want to get as far away as possible.

[and-justice-for-all]

51. Do not back down, push on...

...Now is not the time to be cowardly, to much is at stake.

[Blue Diadem]

52. If you can remember where he lived, make a police report

These types of things need to be reported..that man sounds like a nut. He was threatening you by chasing you..of which he had no right to do.

Plus it needs to be mentioned to the police that he confiscated literature that was left at someone elses property. Makes me wonder if he goes through their mail boxes too.

Sorry you had that experience..there are lots of nuts in this world. Don't be deterred..that's what those type count on.

:hug:

[undeterred]

53. Thanks, I am going to go back

and deliver the lit, also get his address.

I don't know if I want to report it, but I'll think on it. Maybe I'll write him a letter.

Edit: I think I should send him an autographed pic of Hilary Clinton. }(

[Swamp Rat]

56. I wonder if his neighbors would like to know that he rummages through

their mail. ;)

[lonestarnot]

66. and perverts!

;-)

[roamer65]

58. I get "lawn mower guy" when the "lights go out".

:evilgrin:

[mmonk]

62. They are pretty sick and militant these days. Hate radio

plays a big part and I think, an increasingly dangerous part. I remember seeing Clinton give a speech recently (the 9/11 speech) and the camera panned through the audience on occasion. It was a group of women. There were always some of them with a real vile and disgusted look on their face and they would shake their heads and never clap though the speech was non partisan in nature. People have been taught to hate us on face value alone (Democrats).

[lonestarnot]

65. Geeze, I'm having a hard time standing this post.