Wingnut "loses it" in public

[Cyrano]

So I was picking up a prescription today and there were a lot of people on line. Some guy near me shook his head and said, "Jeez, if we have to wait much longer, Bush might just grow a brain."

Hearing his remark, an elderly, wingnut woman went berserk and screamed at him: "That's our president you're talking about. How dare you! How dare you speak about our president that way?"

The entire place went very silent and everyone looked at her like she was insane. (But then anyone who still backs Bush might very well be bordering on insanity.)

She looked around at everyone who was looking at her. "What's wrong with you people?" she said. "What ever happened to respect?" She then shut up and stared straight ahead with what I read as a look of pride at having set us all in our place.

The irony came about a minute later when another woman at the counter was told that her prescription was $312. She looked shocked and said, "Is that right? I can't afford that."

The pharmacist said that he'd double checked it and it was correct. She asked if she could pay it off, but the pharmacist sadly shook his head. She left without her prescription.

A few people turned to look at the wingnut, but she seemed to have missed the irony.

[LisaM]

1. Wow, ironic......and sad, too

that's the kind of thing where I'd want to step in and offer to pay. But what good would it really do?

[Skittles]

2. she wouldn't have missed the irony if I had been there

I would have put her back in her place even before that by answering her question HOW DARE I with the response FREEDOM OF SPEECH

[VP505]

12. Freedom of speech

followed by asking her how dare she demand respect for a war criminal, liar and mass murderer!

[Skittles]

45. aw I give 'em hell

here in Texas I constantly hear idiots saying, "Obama doesn't have enough experience" - yet when I ask them what GWB's qualifications were I get a blank, uncomfortable silence from them (I shoot down the Texas governor stuff quickly if that is offered because TX governors are notoriously light-weight). These wingnuts are easy to press against the wall because to think like they do requires them being fed a steady diet of absolute rightwing nonsense. Question what they believe and they have a very, very hard time backing it up. I call it tormenting conservatives and after 30+ years in Texas it almost bores me.

[greenbriar]

21. I so would have pointed out the prescription cost

and whose fault it was

[malaise]

3. There is no way I would have missed the chance to tell

the wingnut that respect for a war criminal wouldn't pay for that other lady's prescription. That would have been my time o respond to her rant.

[NJmaverick]

4. You missed a perfect opportunity to call out the wing nut for sticking us with that asshole

I would have called her out, and not let her rant about respect. It's clear the asshole in the White House doesn't respect us, so why should we respect him. She should be the one that is ashamed, for having put him in the White House and causing the ruin of our nation.

[skooooo]

9. I'd advise being respectful of old people...

...just saying they have a right to express themselves, and no one looks favorably in getting up in their faces and having a stand off with them.

[NJmaverick]

17. Old people, like presidents, have to EARN respect

it's not given to ANYONE automatically (with the possible exception for family).

[skooooo]

26. Ok, let me know when you're going to get up in an 80 year old's face..

..and chew them out, cause I want to see how people respond to you.

[NJmaverick]

34. If you are a skilled verbal warrior you don't have to "get up" in someone's face

it doesn't require a rant. Rather one needs to calmly, but with reasonable force, defend what one believes in. At least if you feel it's worth defending and not just whispered about in the dark recesses of liberal message boards.

[skooooo]

35. Then you are being respectful..

...and the point is moot.

[Cyrano]

18. Yep. I suppose that's why I kept my mouth shut.

[yardwork]

23. I would have done the same. There's no point in verbally assaulting a wingnut in public.

No percentage in it at all. I think your reaction was best. Mute contempt.

[NJmaverick]

32. No that reaction is the one right wingnuts count on

It allows them to rant at will and intimidate others, while liberals remain silent and leave their causes undefended.

[Gormy Cuss]

33. She may not even have been a wingnut.

Many in that generation believe that one should never publicly criticize the president in such disrespectful terms. Saying "I don't agree with the president" is one thing. Calling him brainless is another.

[lonestarnot]

49. Did you forget that fuckwad is not a legitimate office holder, but rather a cheating appointee,

never to be legitimized by lonestarnot! :evilgrin:

[Gormy Cuss]

52. Non sequitur,

unless of course lonestarnot is the elder referenced in the OP.

:+

[Fox Mulder]

15. I agree.

[Fuzz]

5. "Late picking up our meds are we?", would have been a good response.

In my humble opinion.

[tridim]

6. This must mean she's hearing lots of Bush bashing lately.

So I guess that's the silver lining.

[Indenturedebtor]

7. I would have told her the same thing I told my ex-boss

Respect is earned by the person not the title.

Yeah I didn't work there long. But for the record I quit they didn't fire me ;)

[skooooo]

8. I see that more as just being the way old people think...

...that the office deserves respect. I wouldn't assume she was a "wingnut." Although it's possible.

[TygrBright]

25. Scuse me.... Speaking as a 'old people,' I sure as shootin' do NOT...

...think that anything other than good manners, accomplishments, and/or admirable personal qualities merit respect.

Your office, your title, letters after your name, your car, you address or any other superficial detail don't cut it.

crotchetily,
Bright

[skooooo]

38. Ok..

...you don't feel that way, but some older people do. I know some.

[TygrBright]

40. So do some younger people. I don't think it's related to number of birthdays.

I think it's related to sloppy, uncritical thinking.

Which is, if I may indulge in a little counter-generalization, becoming increasingly common among younger people as our school systems continue to deteriorate and get taken over by Corporate Sponsorships.

contrarily,
Bright

[papapi]

47. Ahem. I'm not THAT old but I only respect those who respect me. That doesn't apply in *'s case.

[lpbk2713]

10. Respect isn't automatic, it's earned AFAIC. And Shit-for-Brains isn't even in the running.

I wonder if it occurred to her how polite and considerate her audience really was?

I'm thankful Kool-Aid drinkers are slowly becoming a vanishing breed. :eyes:

[skooooo]

11. I think when it comes to elderly, it's automatic.

[yardwork]

24. I know a number of elderly people and their opinion of the chimp is worse than mine.

Living through the Depression and World War II has a way of making people especially sensitive to fascism. They know it when they see it, and they don't hesitate to point it out.

I think it is reasonable to assume that this one was a wingnut. I notice that she could afford her meds, too.

[mvd]

13. The pResident has not respected the office, so why give Bush respect?

I would have said that.

[Island Blue]

14. Interesting that she just ASSUMED

the person telling the joke was talking about George W. For all she knew, he was talking about someone else. Of course that means she knows "our predident" is brainless.

[Truth4Justice]

16. Respect is earned. * doesnt respect us or even life.

4100 dead in Iraq, didn't care about NO flood, cuts VA benefits.........to hell with *.

[JuniperLea]

19. I have an aunt just like that...

I love my aunt... scary that she is swilling the Kool Aid... she also says we should all only watch FOX News... "because they are the only ones telling the truth!"

That poor woman who will go without her prescription... I would have said, "Thank you President Bush!"

[nradisic]

20. Moron...

The wingnuts all have something genetically wrong with their brains....they just don't see the irony in it all. They still don't get it!

[summer borealis]

27. That's because of one word, really ...

jesus.

[lonestarnot]

50. Jesus has nothing to do with being an idiot. LOL

[yardwork]

22. Wow. Our country in one vignette. It sums it all up so well.

[Cyrano]

44. It didn't occur to me when I posted it, but you're so right, yardwork

What I related in my original post may take place a million times a day in our country. While it's impossible to read minds, I "sensed" that most who were present thought that this woman was either senile, stupid, or actually defending a criminal regime. And there were probably others who don't even think in political terms, who thought she was just a loud-mouthed nut.

Most of those present were paying far more for prescriptions than they have ever paid in their lives. People need someone to blame for this. And although they cannot spout terms like Big Pharma, and some of them might not even know who Karl Rove is, they know that something has gone terribly wrong.

My fervent hope is that all of this will start to change on January 20th, 2009.

[ismnotwasm]

28. Poor thing

Was she a true "wingnut" as in mentally ill? Or in the special wingnut bush supporter category. Not much difference between the two these days IMO, but I have a certain respect and sympathy for the old and/or mentally ill because it's a goddam hard world to make to old when you're nuts. Or at all.

I have no respect for a cognitively intact bush supporter. I don't insult the elderly by automatically discounting them or thinking they don't know what they're saying. I do give them leeway for a certain conservatism, but not for war, and not for hate. No more than I give any other human being.

[Cronus Protagonist]

29. That's not irony

Good story, though. I would have asked her if we should show the chimperor as much respect as she was showing the other customers. I sometimes do wonder why most Americans cannot seem to understand what is ironic and what is not.

[trof]

30. "bordering on insanity"? Nope.

Totally bugedyfuckdash crazy.
Loopy.
And that's my opinion as a recognized internet psychotherapist.
AND, I did spend the night in a Holiday Inn.
;-)

[HCE SuiGeneris]

36. But, was it a

Holiday Inn Express?

Inquiring minds and such...

[Raster]

31. Hmmmm, a tad touchy, eh? I'm seeing a bit of that in my neck of the woods also.

I think it's because it is glaringly obvious to ANYONE with a modicum of intelligence what an abysmal failure bush*/cheney* have been for this country. And we know just how most people, especially wingnut types, hate having their bad choices rubbed in their faces. Especially those bad choices that they rubbed in everyone elses face to begin with.

I believe in respect for the Office of the President, however, I think george dumbya bush* has truly sullied and defamed the noble office. I have absolutely NO RESPECT WHATSOEVER for bush* and cheney*. Both were never legally and lawfully elected. Both seized power in a right-win coup. And I would have absolutely no problem correcting ANYONE OF ANY AGE that tried to shove that crap in my face. The old girl deserved to be dressed down in the most polite condescending fashion possible, but dressed down nonetheless.

The rethuglican high command understands the power of false meme and revisionist history. The only way to combat their assault upon history and reality is to deal with it whenever it rears its ugly head.

[Pacifist Patriot]

39. Hmmm, I've been giving this a lot of thought and I don't believe in respect for the office.

I believe the office entitles you to a specific code of etiquette. I will address a sitting president appropriately, I will stand in his or her presence, and willingly submit to standard protocol. But my respect has to be earned. I've become way too jaded I'm afraid.

[Pacifist Patriot]

37. Last time a stranger said, "whatever happened to respect?" around me, I responded...

"You don't get respect as a gift, you earn it. I have yet to see that man do anything for which he deserves anyone's respect."

But I was in a position where I could do that. There is a time and a place for everything and I think discretion was probably the better part of valor in a pharmacy line. No sense in setting that dingbat off any more than she already was.

[ColbertWatcher]

41. How sad.

I wonder who she kicked when she went home and who she blamed for not getting the medicines she needs.

Fucking stupid GOP sheep.

[alarimer]

42. Interesting how they never granted Clinton that same respect.

Nor, I suppose, any other Democratic President, past or future.

[Liberal In Texas]

43. Could be she's not a wingnut or insane.

Like my mother, she probably gets her news from TV (maybe not even cable) and some from her local newspaper. Computers and the internet are far out of her sphere of understanding. Reading consists of something like Dr. Phil's latest book.

A lot of these elderly people are simply not informed. They think they are because they watch NBC Nightly News and the local newscast. Yelling at them isn't going to do anything by antagonize them. A reasonable conversation explaining what we know to be true (like no WMD's in Iraq, Downing Street Memo, etc.) is a better approach. Hard to do in a drugstore, I know.

[lonestarnot]

51. What a patient soul you must be.

O8)

[prolesunited]

46. My perfect ending (if I had the money)

Would be to pay for her prescription to show her what compassion looks like.

[lonestarnot]

48. Shit! I always miss all the good stuff. Thanks for sharing though.

[dysfunctional press]

53. someone should have said that the wingnut should get to go to the front of the line...

because she's definitely in dire need of some serious medication.

[symbolman]

54. I would have said

"Wait til you see how much your prescription's going to cost, Lady.. All brought to you by the Bush family who have been in the pockets of and OWN massive Stock in Pharma companies.. Oh, and by the way HE is certainly NOT the pResident.."

I'm very respectful to elderly people, until they get in my face, then the gloves come off..

I don't cause internal injuries :)

A little nutty huh? You could have gone for the humor and said, "Hey, come over by the window, I'll hold you up to it and you can get a free X-Ray.." :)

On a more serious note Go to COSTCO for prescriptions, they sell drugs at half price a lot of times, compared to Long's/Walmart - tho if the scripts are on a certain list (ask yer Doc), Walmart has a $5 a month program for some Meds.. Shop around, call different Pharms up, its like the Stock Market, up one day down the next.. I call Everywhere for my meds, might save on gas too..

[galledgoblin]

55. she sounds crazy

I would have been tempted to argue... but with senile elderly citizens, it's not only not worth the energy, it'd also make you the bad guy.

but if she was clearly capable of arguing, I would have torn into her.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

56. Tell them about the politicians that are in the pockets of the insurance lobbyists.

And the giant hospital corporations too.

The rest of the world doesn't pay anywhere near what we pay for medications. Why? Because other countries don't have pharmaceutical lobbyists buying off Congresscritters. Congresscritters let them charge whatever they want to, and 47 million Americans have NO insurance at all.

[galledgoblin]

57. ...mrr?

sorry, I don't follow why you replied that to my post.

I agree though, the medical and insurance lobbyists have made this nations' healthcare one of the most expensive and most poor.

[Hamlette]

58. yes, like the respect they showed/show Bill Clinton? Harumph n/t