Sanity draining conversations

[LittleClarkie]

I've talked about this Conservative courier before. He stops here every day, and sometimes we talk while we're waiting for his boxes to be done.

Sometimes he'll tell me about something on Conservative radio he's heard, usually Hannity. He knows I have a butt load of Dem bumperstickers on my car, so he knows where I stand, but he'll still expect me to think something's funny or want to tell me how "you liberals" believe one thing or another as if he has to tell me what I believe or what I am. "You liberals..." Like a fish describing a mammal.

Today he started talking about how someone asked Hillary a question this weekend and she laughed. He said her laugh gave him chills and sounded like the Wicked Witch of the West. Why didn't she just answer the question, he asked. (I happen to know, because of you all, who asked the question and what the question was. Chris Wallace and "Why is your campaign so partisan." And I know why she laughed, and why she didn't answer. Because it was a fucking stupid question, that's why.

For some reason I sort of went off on him. I asked what was up with all the hate. We so often here the question "Why do you hate the president" or that we're motivated on this side of the aisle by hate for the president to the point that we want everything he touches to fail just because we hate him. So how is that different from the Clinton hate. Why focus on something as stupid as a laugh. Why does every nit picky little thing about either Bill or Hillary bug these people.

He commented that she says one thing and then months later says another. I replied that if you paid that much attention to any politician you would find that almost all of them do that. Why spend so much time staring at Hillary in particular like she's the worst thing in the world.

I ranted for a bit on that, and then he accused me of becoming a Hillary supporter. Oh, hell no. As if I must be a Hillary supporter if I'm a Democrat. Oh sure gang, aren't we all Hillary supporters over here in Liberal Land?

He continued with something about how "you liberals" just talk about things but that we don't have any ideas and we're not going anywhere. "What about the Republicans and Iraq? All I hear is 'We can't cut and run.' but then when I ask what we are supposed to do instead, I get 'I don't know. But we can't cut and run." I accused him of coming in here and spouting the latest crap from Hannity without actually thinking about what he was saying like some little parrot. "The Hillary laugh wasn't from Hannity" he kept repeating. He started to bring up the Iranian president's visit but we didn't get into that. I can only imagine what was coming on that front.

He couldn't understand why I freaked. He said he just brought it up as conversation and said I was reading too much into it. Why would he think I'd share a giggle with him about Hillary having a laugh he considered creepy. "I just won't talk politics with you anymore if you're going to get so upset." he said.

I don't like being this way. I ended up feeling bad. I don't like conflict. I don't like having someone go away from me feeling like they can't talk to me. I pride myself on being able to talk to most Conservatives I know. But alot of them are borderline Libertarians. But this guy just spouts talking points. Even so, I don't like hurting people's feelings, esp. someone I have to look at every day. I sort of apologized for being a bitch. Which, to be honest, I was.

Thing is, I'm not sure why I went nuts either. I've been dealing with this guy for months without going bananas. And I don't even LIKE Hillary. WTF. And I'm sitting here near tears again. I haven't gone off on someone because of politics in months. Since we won big in November 2006, to be exact. Even if they're not doing the best of jobs, there's just something about having a Democratic majority that's made me feel better about life.

So why now?

Thanks for letting me ramble. Again.

[LittleClarkie]

1. (crickets)

Le sigh.

[jbm]

2. I don't have the answer..

but your post caught my eye because yesterday I had a similiar experience.

There's a guy I have to deal with (as part of my job) once a week. He's a Rush/Fox fan, and at least once a month he'll show up wearing a t-shirt that has a glamour pic (if there can be such a thing) of Anne Coulter with a caption that says "our women" and on the other side of his shirt there is a really bad pic of Hillary with a caption that says "their women".


Usually I can lightheatedly tease with him, and forget all about him as soon as he's out of my sight. Yesterday he came in mouthing that he wished he could force me to "just spend three hours listening to Rush sometime."

Even though I tried really hard to not let it show,I was much more annoyed by him than I normally am. I could tell he knew it too, because he tried to make ammends by saying that as long as I wasn't a Reid/Pelosi democrat he could tolerate my politics. I told him I made Reid/Pelosi look like conservatives, and he gave me a disgusted look and left.

That exchange has bothered me ever since. Maybe your experience and mine are just coincidence, or maybe because of the world becoming increasingly more screwed up, and the elections drawing ever nearer, things are just getting more intense.

I hate conflict too, but maybe it's OK that we're reacting the way we are. Maybe it's time to send a clearer message to conservative idiots that we're going to start holding them accountable for their willful ignorance. Maybe it's the first step in shoving them back under the rocks from which they came.

[LittleClarkie]

3. Thanks for the reply. I was starting to think I posted something incoherent.

I agree, I think it's partly that the elections are nearing. And I still have old battle scars from that one. This same idiot used to bounce in front of me chanting "flip flop flip flop". Is it any wonder I finally snapped. I even brought that up to him tonight in the middle of my rant. He just plugged his ears and said, "I'm not talking to you anymore about this stuff."

Thanks for the affirmation. It's nice to not be alone in feeling this way.

There are Conservatives that I can talk to, and that makes me feel good. Perhaps it's precisely because we hate conflict that this divisive crap is getting on our nerves. Did you notice we both brought up broadcast media. Alot of this stuff that ends up driving us nuts starts there. It's toxic.

[Richard Steele]

5. No, it was perfectly coherent.

I just don't know what to tell you.

It's pointless to try "discussing" anything with people like that,
because there's no actual THINKING happening with them- it's just
a very complex system of 'stimulus & response'. Really.

There is no "there" there.

[Perseid]

4. So someone laughed

tie me up and spank me with a weasel.

Laughing is now officially wrong?

[Booster]

6. Next time just tell the asshole that you're not a Hillary supporter,

tell him who you do support, then talk non-stop and enthusiastically about all the really good things about your candidate. They're using Hillary to get your goat, because it works. Talk to him about your candidate til he gets bored and moves on. Don't let them bait you into rage. Hang in there; there's a lot of us that aren't crazy about Hillary.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. I hate to point to the history of civil wars

but what you are describing is the slow escalation towards something far more seriious than the cold civil war we've been living in

I'll be honest, I admire you.

Me, I can't talk to conservatives any more

Why? those who defend these policies are the twenty percenters... those for whom it does not matter how bad things are... they will support their side no matter what

[Blashyrkh]

8. I've gotten to the point where I play with these people.

Next time you see him, mention a new found respect for Dick Cheney before walking off. It'll confuse him no end. Deny saying it if he mentions it next time.

Or discuss a radical new Republican plan to have everyone who fails the "America Test" castrated. The crazier the better, but keep it plausible. You want this guy to mention it to his friends.

[WildEyedLiberal]

9. Don't feel bad for hurting this rude asshole's feelings

HE brings up politics to YOU knowing FULL WELL he's needling, insulting, and provoking you - now he's all shocked that you actually fired back? Typical piece of shit coward dirtbag conservative ASSHOLE. If he ever brings up politics again you should give him the exact same treatment - these people are stupid bullies who are far too used to being unquestioned and getting their way.

[Skittles]

10. he sounds like the typical repuke supporter

just parrots shit he hears on repuke talk shows but when you ask for an explanation he's got nothing