Day 2: Yarrrgghhh! Bigmouth right-wing wacko contractor!

[MorningGlow]

Let me just start out with this: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Okay. Now that I've got that out of my system...

Yesterday I posted about my first encounter with Bigmouth Right-Wing Wacko (henceforth to be referred to as BRWW) yesterday (http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x6057068). Thanks to everyone for all your inspired comments and suggestions.

Alas, I am a bleeding heart liberal and so decided to give the guy another chance--I decided not to speak to the boss yet. Plus, BRWW was doing such a nice job on the carpentry, I didn't want to mess with the situation.

Soooo today BRWW, who yesterday was spouting his uber-fundie nonsense to his coworkers (who, to their credit, shut him down by responding "Mmmm..." until he petered out), decided to test the waters with me! GAAAAAHHH. And before I'd had my second cup of coffee! O the humanity!

I let him ramble (he really is a mild-mannered, helpful, friendly guy, despite being completely brainwashed and tetched in the head--plus someone who swears by Focus on the Family). I wanted to see what his angle was. And you know what? I learned a lot. Not FACTS, mind, but I learned how fundies think.

I learned that a fundie's mind is a really, REALLY frightening place!

In a nutshell, I learned that our founding fathers were born-again Christians (there were Southern Baptists in the 1700s?) but since then all references to Jesus and the bible have been removed from official documents. He also confuses the Pilgrims with the founding fathers, believing that the Pilgrims created the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the United States of America as an entity. Apparently the 1500s and the 1700s occurred at the same time.

I dared to correct him and tell him that our founding fathers were Deists, and specifically created a country with no state religion, and he replied, "They weren't ALLOWED to say it was a Christian nation!" Er...prevented by whom?

My comment must have bothered him, though, because apparently he thought about it a long time. Hours later he brought it up again, and asked me where I learned it. I said it was common knowledge if you knew your US history. He said, "Ah! That's what they taught you in SCHOOL, isn't it?" Oh yes, that bastion of wild-eyed liberalism, changing history again. :eyes:

I made sure my conversations with him were nonconfrontational and brief--honestly, he was spouting so many incorrect "facts" that I didn't know where to start to refute them!--and he thinks I'm his buddy.

So. My question is this: When do I tell him I'm a Democrat, a far-left liberal, AND a practicing witch? :evilgrin: Caveat: I don't want to have to clean exploded-fundie-brain matter off my walls.

[Hepburn]

1. Wear your pentacle tomorrow...that should shut him up!

Blessed be...:hug:

[MorningGlow]

9. Hey you

:hug:

But what part of "I don't want to have to clean exploded-fundie-brain matter off my walls" didn't you understand?
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

J/K Blessed be back atcha! :hi:

[Ignis]

24. LOL, she said she DIDN'T want to clean up brain parts!

And I think that would do it. *pop*

[timeforpeace]

2. Did your thread yesterday make it to the greatest page?

[MorningGlow]

10. Nah, it only got 3 recs

Three nice recs, but only three all the same. :hi:

[izquierdista]

3. Send him to Smedley Butler

Find some materials about Butler, tell him that this guy was hidden away because he was a Marine. Get him curious enough to want to learn more about him. If they aren't the computer literate type (sounds like it), print off some info to get him started. All they have to do is wake up and start asking the right questions.

[Egnever]

4. Well if you have moved from being offended.. to

Being amused then i wouldn't bother telling him till the last day of the job and at that point i might even have a list of all the stupid crap i overheard with rebuttals to all of it. Maybe take him aside and say hey you know i have been listening to you all week and i was a little concerned about the things you believe. Maybe you should have a look at some of this info and hand him the destruction of his world view.


Or just laugh in his face as you boot him out the door...

:shrug:

[mitchum]

27. But it will take a long time to write out that information in picture symbols

I seriously doubt that fool is very literate

[redqueen]

5. I say don't tell him until after you're done trying to sneak some actual factual knowledge

into his fool head.

Cause after he knows, his ears are going to slam shut like the steel door to a solitary confinement cell in a maximum security prison.

Good luck and kudos for trying. I know exactly what you mean by him spouting so much nonsense you don't know where to start. Welcome to my world.

[csziggy]

6. Oh My, I think this guy is hopeless

And if you keep telling him things that contradict his world view, he could have a meltdown! I'm not sure I'd tell him about being a witch - he might sic his church member on you and that could get dangerous!

He sounds scary stupid - the worst kind.

[MorningGlow]

12. He's got that happy-glazed look of a cult member in his eyes

That's the most frightening thing of all, IMO. :scared:

[csziggy]

21. I think I would drop back to the "Sorry, I'm working, please keep it down." excuse

To shut him up then later talk to the business owner about how this bothered you, like I suggested on the other thread.

A confrontation is not going to achieve anything with an uninformed fanatic like this.

[L0oniX]

7. Next time ask if the contractor is a Dem and if he ain't then don't hire him.

I charge more per hour to repukes for my services ....especially fundies ...fuck them!

[MorningGlow]

13. The owner is a great guy

Too bad he's got this crazy dude in his employ. :(

[Warpy]

8. Unfortunately, these people are not going to wake the hell up

until and unless a brick wall lands on them. You're not the brick wall.

My advice is to let him rant and rave. If you really need to say something, wait until the job is done to your satisfaction, money has changed hands, and he's on the way out. Then you can inform him that everything he thinks he knows is a bunch of bullshit from people who are using it to rip him off every day of his life, have a nice day.

Then let him leave.

[immoderate]

16. What you said.

Don't jeopardize the job.

--imm

[Hansel]

11. If he was working at my house he would have known already

My daughter puts her Obama sign up in the window when contractors come.

I have had contractors at my house for the past several years working on various projects. Prior to Obama's run, I have short circuited the right wing political talk by letting them know right up front that I am a Liberal and proud of it as soon as one political statement comes out of their mouths.

I'm the general contractor on the jobs so it makes it easier to make my point. They aren't going to argue with the boss.

I was actually surprised a couple of years back by one sub-contractor from Michelle Bachman's district. He said that he had always voted Republican, but that he hated Bush. He was particularly upset because the military had claimed that they could not have windmills on their farms in his town because they interfere with national security. He said that was bogus and that what is really going on is that the oil guys in the White House didn't want the competition. He was also concerned about Bush's lack of concern about the poor.

Another guy delivering materials saw my Obama lawn sign and said they he was a life-long Republican but he couldn't stand what Bush did to the country and that he really likes that Obama guy.

They are not all idiots.

Recommendation: Put up an Obama sign. Works wonders.

[MorningGlow]

15. That's nice to hear

They're not all lost causes. :)

I have a "World Citizen" bumper sticker on my Jeep that may have given him pause. It drives my fundie-Catholic, Bush-worshippin', Rush-lovin', Hannity-listenin' aunt up the wall (and I enjoy that thorougly).

[county worker]

14. "They weren't ALLOWED to say it was a Christian nation!" WTF?

They were writing the rules! There was no one to tell them what they were not allowed to do! If there was it is news to me.

[county worker]

17. Can't you make a circle and bring him in to it for learning purposes?

[madmax]

18. Thanks so much for both your posts

I've been housebound pretty much for months and I'm finally on the mend.

You had me roaring with laughter! :hug: Thank you!!

[MorningGlow]

22. Laughter is the best medicine

You can have my funny stories pro bono--as long as they help!
:rofl:

Sorry you've been feeling poorly, Madmax. And glad you're getting better! :hug:

[BR_Parkway]

19. May want to point out that Jesus was a liberal first

[lunatica]

20. Wait until he finishes his job ion your house

[sakabatou]

23. This sounds like a twofer for FSTDT and CTSTDT.

http://www.fstdt.net

[MorningGlow]

26. GASP! Amazing time sucks!

I could get lost on those sites for days! Thanks for the links! :hi:

[sakabatou]

28. No prob.

The site is awesome and scary.

[mitchum]

25. On the bright side, you should be able to pay him with crumpled tinfoil and green construction paper

[MadMaddie]

29. If he hasn't figured out that you are not one of his peeps than

why waste your breath....

Apparantly books are evil, the population is getting dumbed down by even dumber people.

That would have ruined a perfectly good cup of coffee....sigh..

[Solomon]

30. Yeah I thought I'd never see this day come, but there

is simply no reasoning with someone who denies facts. You can't prove anything to someone who has an excuse not to believe a fact.

I say enjoy the idiot. Probe him out, see how far he's willing to go, and then chalk it up to an interesting learning experience. I wouldn't tell him at all.

I would pretend to consider some stupid position of his and then say something lik, "yeah, you might be right, but the only problem I have with that is when I think that..." That will get him going trying to show you how his stupid positions fit. Play a game. See how many facts you can get him to say aren't true, or whatever. You can have a field day with the guy. LOL

[crim son]

31. Exactly right.

What you've described is the only way to deal with people like the contractor, and the only hope you have of potentially informing them of the truth. They're only going to believe it if they hear it in church, of faux snooze, or else think they came up with the idea themselves. Plant the seeds of rational thought and who knows what might grow?

[Canuckistanian]

32. You could walk around the house "sky-clad"

That might clue him in.

[MorningGlow]

33. Oh dear I wouldn't subject anyone to that!

That's cruel and unusual punishment, even for bigmouth right-wing wackos!
:rofl:

(Besides, I never did cotton to that skyclad stuff. Fine for Gardnerians, but I am not one.)

[Ignis]

38. Oh, Gardner, you randy old goat!

Can't blame the guy for trying, though. ;)

[Solomon]

34. You know you have to give us another report, right?

[MorningGlow]

37. LOL you mean I have to make myself available to him again?

NoooooOOOOOooo!
:rofl:

But alas, yes, you're right--I have an obligation. Might not be today, however, as I've locked myself in my son's bedroom to do phone interviews for work. Not to avoid him! It's the only slightly quiet room right now, what with air compressors for nail guns and power saws and such (although the bad classic rock coming from the radio of the guy who's painting the exterior of the house is quite invasive here too).

[struggle4progress]

35. Who cares, as long as he does good work? If I were in your situation, and felt the urge to interact

on politics, I'd confine myself to asking questions

Not The Constitution doesn't say we're a Christian nation -- but Where does the Constitution say we're a Christian nation?

Not Nobody replaced the Constitution with a fake copy -- but Who replaced the Constitution with a fake copy? And when?

I'd act super-pleasant and interested. Elicit contradictions, bullshit, and nonsense but don't point that out when it happens

[Javaman]

36. I would play him along...

even though the guy sounds like a complete moron, he is obviously curious. Brainwashing only goes so far and usually crumbles in the face of facts.

So I would suggest you might want to string him along.

He's the slow thinker type. Drop some insightful facts. Not to many, his brain won't be able to process it all, just a few that directly refute his charges.

Then be prepared with books or links to support your facts that he can check himself.

I honestly do believe there is a section of the fundie base that want to know the truth but are so influenced by the people they hang around with, grew up with, parental influence, that it's hard for them to break the cycle of ignorance.

Cheers and good luck.

[LibertyLover]

39. Well, in order to keep the cleaning down to a minimum

I would suggest that you just mention that you are a Democrat. He'll equate that in his mind with far-left liberal and you won't have to say anything. As for being a practicing witch, well, I'm not sure I'd say anything about that right now. Wait until the job is done and he is leaving for the last time - then while standing just inside your door say something like "thank you for a good job (only if true of course) and may the Goddess bless you." Immediately close and lock door.