How would you respond to this?

[SillyGoose]

I received this in my email this afternoon. This week I have received emails bashing liberals, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, and Cindy Sheehan. I usually find them listed as urban legends on Snopes so always send back a response with the snopes link if it exists. This one isn't listed. I'm getting tired of all these swipes (sometimes I think they originate out of RNC headquarters :tinfoilhat:). Anyway the person who sends me this stuff is elderly and generally uniformed so I usually write a brief note. I'm not sure how to respond to this one and would really appreciate any suggestions you might have.

My first thought was to ask how the anti-war protestor was bad mouthing the country, but it seems inadequate.

:shrug:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here's a quote from a government employee who witnessed a recent interaction
between an elderly woman and an antiwar protester in a Metro station in DC:

"There were protesters on the train platform handing out pamphlets on the
evils of America. I politely declined to take one.

"An elderly woman was behind me getting off the escalator and a young
(20ish) female protester offered her a pamphlet, which she politely
declined.

"The young protester put her hand on the old woman's shoulder as a gesture
of friendship and in a very soft voice said, 'Lady, don't you care about
the children of Iraq?'

"The old woman looked up at her and said, ' Honey, my father died in France
during World War II, I lost my husband in Korea and a son in Vietnam. All
three died so you could have the right to stand here and bad mouth our
country. If you touch me again. I'll stick this umbrella up your ass
.......... and open it. ' "

~God Bless America~
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Gelliebeans]

1. Someone who used

to be in my address book sent me that one too. Couldn't find origination either.

[politicaholic]

2. Here's a good response...

"Send me any more propaganda laden republican 'humor' (if that's what you want to call it) and I'll take your computer, shove it up YOUR ass, and plug it in. Now please kindly fuck off."

[zbdent]

3. How's this?

"Gee, another unnamed, untraceable urban myth . . . " and then make shit up about his/her sibling and barnyard animals . . . and say that you heard that on the internet, too . . . or maybe his/her kids, yeah . . .

[gilpo]

4. It is at Snopes now...

http://www.snopes.com/politics/war/oldlady.asp

Claim: Old lady offered an anti-war pamphlet offers to shove her umbrella up an anti-war protester's ass.

Status: Undetermined.

Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2003

[SillyGoose]

12. Thanks for that link...I'll be sure include it in my response. nt

[hopeisaplace]

5. lol, or how about...since we are all being wiretapped and we

could all have a government file, I'm sure there's a record of your sending me this hate email.

:evilgrin:

[Gelliebeans]

10. oo ...oo... ooo I like that one n/t

[hopeisaplace]

14. :), nothing like personalizing an issue

:hippie:

[SillyGoose]

11. Heh heh heh...good one! nt

[FormerDittoHead]

6. Now who says they're not creative or lack a sense of humor?

...they create a lot of this crap just for shits and giggles...

Point is that over and over and over and over and over again we've seen just this stuff pop up to ALWAYS be proven a LIE (probably a joke some talk radio host told) and NOT ONCE have I seen such an email be TRUE.

Occam's razor.

[SillyGoose]

9. This is what drives me nuts about this stuff. Its always false.

It amazes me that someone somewhere actually sits down at a keyboard and dreams up this crap. And what really gets me is all the ones I've seen bash liberals. I've yet to receive one bashing republicans. Not one. That's why I put my tin hat on and say it comes out of RNC headquarters. Of course, it could also just illustrate how dumb their base really is.

[BushOut06]

7. Even if that were true - what would it prove?

So you have a disagreement between an elderly person and an anti-war protester. That's hardly shocking, I'm sure it happens quite frequently. And vice versa.

Big deal. Even if it's true, it proves nothing, and doesn't do anything to advance their position. I wouldn't even waste the time trying to debunk it.

[seriousstan]

8. Am I better than Snopes....I found a 1991 reference....here.....

The Last Boy Scout (1991)

Daymon Waynes:"So what's your daughter like maybe I can take her out some time."
Bruce Willis:"She's like thirteen and if you even look at her funny I'll stick an umbrella up your ass and open it."

[NMDemDist2]

13. my response: the elderly lady certainly has her right to free speech

too bad she wasn't as polite as the "protester"

sad how rudeness has replaced discussion and debate in our beloved nation, isn't it?

[SillyGoose]

15. Awesome - I love it! That's what I'm going to send. Thank you

for the perfect response!

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Well I personally would say

my greatuncles didn't die in WWII fighting Nazi's so they could limit my free speech. So now telling the truth about Iraq and what's going on over there is "badmouthing America"? What a fucking joke.

[SillyGoose]

19. That is terrific. I incorporated it in my response. Thank you!! nt

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. You could ask her why she hates the world

then tell her to just shut up.

[SillyGoose]

18. Thank you all for the great suggestions! This is my response:

So now telling the truth about the Iraq war is "bad mouthing" America? The soldiers who died fighting Nazis in WWII didn't die to limit our free speech.

The elderly lady in this story certainly has a right to free speech. Too bad she wasn't as polite as the protester, though. Sad how rudeness has replaced discussion and debate in our beloved nation, isn't it?

By the way, did you know the government probably has a record of this email? I find that much more disturbing than a polite, young protestor handing out an anti-war pamphlet in the subway.

[NMDemDist2]

23. perfect! n/t

[Orsino]

20. Made up...and irrelevant, besides.

Typical right-wing fantasy about being johnny-on-the-spot with just the right pithy comment to silence that nasty liberal spewing uncomfortable views. And notice how the heroine holds up someone else's sacrifice in order to score a point, while missing the point entirely? And how the story ends right there, ensuring that the last word is theirs? Cut the mike.

Republican wet dream.

[abluelady]

21. Besides Snopes

Send them this link from another DU post:

http://nobravery.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

If that doesn't shut up those people, nothing will. Block them from your email.

[SillyGoose]

24. Wow..that was incredible. You should post that as its own thread so

more DUers can see it. Thank you.

[abluelady]

30. It was Posted

I get so much from DU, which I appreciate and share. But that surely has to be an eye opener for any and everyone.

[Kansas Wyatt]

22. So Republicans are saying that the Iraq war was never about....

The children of Iraq and the future democracy for the children in Iraq?

[SillyGoose]

26. Its sad but so many of them don't care what's happening to Iraqi children

I sent photos of Iraqi children who had been injured and killed in the war to a family member who was wigging out about abortion. We didn't speak for months after that and to this day this person will not discuss anything political with me, including the war. They just refuse to acknowledge the horrors that are committed in war. I guess it makes it that much easier to blindly support it. Its very sad.

[Kansas Wyatt]

27. Wasn't Bush's latest claim, that we were spreading freedom & democracy

In Iraq for the Iraqi people?

Well, when you read this Republican or RNC e-mail, the protester only mentions the Iraqi children to the old woman.

The Republican or RNC response for the scenario completely debunks Bush's claim about democracy and freedom for the Iraqi people, because it mocks and completely disregards the children who are Iraq's future to carry on the democracy and freedom in Iraq that Bush brags about.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

25. Respond Like This

"What a sad story that the woman reacted with republican type rage when confronted with peace. God bless her anyway though, since as a liberal I'm willing to reach out to anybody with a kind hand"

[SillyGoose]

28. That was a great response - Thank you!

I sent your response in a separate email. If they can clog up my inbox with RW propaganda, I figured why not send a second response.

}(

[Heewack]

29. Why is there a need to respond?

You have no way of knowing if it is truth or fib. Either way, what does it matter?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

31. For The Same Reasons You Felt The Need To Respond To This.

Sometimes ya just feel the need.

[hunter]

32. Yes, Yes, God Bless America with an Umbrella up her ass!

We're Number One! We're Number One! God Bless the U.S.A! Naked Cheerleaders!



:sarcasm:

[immoderate]

33. I might say...

With all your years of experience, you should be able to tell a made up story when you hear one.

Alternative: This lady's father, son, and husband weren't very good at finding cover, were they? Maybe they should have paid attention during basic training. She sure attracts losers. No wonder she's pissed.

--IMM

[CAG]

34. Wait... all govt employees are "lazy bureaucrats" according to repubs

, so how come they all of a sudden start passing along what a "lazy bureaucrat" says??