Festival Wingnuts

[A R S]

I was at a festival last Saturday (long story), watching a blacksmith create things from iron. A guy who looks like a teabagger walks up to the blacksmith and strikes up a conversation, which quickly turns into politics. Among the things I had heard were how the constitution guarantees the people of the US can overthrow a "corrupt government", or how Glenn Beck's 9/12 protest turned out, and bits about an "oligarchy" (or 'oligarhy', as Beck would say). I stayed longer than I should have, taking it all in.

I soon came to realize that almost everyone at that festival hated Obama. A LOT.

[Mz Pip]

1. Probably not almost everyone

The ones you heard - probably. Unless everyone was talking about how much they hated Obama and you heard all of them.

[A R S]

4. Political Discussions were everywhere.

All you had to do was stay near someone for more than two minutes, and something about Obama would come up.

[Kerrytravelers]

7. So, all anyone could talk about was Obama?

What kind of festivals do you attend, anyway? :shrug:

[Avalux]

2. So how many people did you talk to or overhear to make that assessment?

Just curious. "Almost everyone at the festival" - how many at the festival and how many did you talk to?

[A R S]

6. There were at least three stalls selling "Nobama" and "Obamanation" things.

They were extremely crowded.

[Avalux]

8. Interesting. And what part of the country was this festival?

I can guess it's somewhere in the south, but go ahead and surprise me. :D

[A R S]

12. Finleyville, PA

Not really much of a redneck place, but without visiting it, you would think so.
It's really a nice town if you look at it right.

[scheming daemons]

17. I live 5 miles from Finleyville. Drive through it every day. I think you're a little full of shit...

...there's a lot of Democratic (and Obama) support there.

Yeah... There's a little bit of Quinn-and-Rose-fan whack jobs... but not nearly the unanimity you indicate in your OP.

[A R S]

20. Hmm.

Where do you live? Near Bethel Park?

[scheming daemons]

23. McMurray

[A R S]

26. I see. I live just north of the city.

I guess only a few miles south is "the country" for me, a city boy.

[scheming daemons]

28. I have no doubt about your story and this teabagger....

...I'm questioning your characterization that all of Finleyville hates Obama.


Obama got 47% of the vote in Washington County. And Finleyville is more Democratic than the average in WashCo.

[A R S]

30. That's not what I'm saying.

Not everyone from Finleyville was there, so I'm not saying that all the citizens of Finleyville hate Obama.
(I'm sure people came from neighboring counties, towns, etc)

What I am saying is that the people there kinda sorta really didn't like Obama.

[Avalux]

19. Right outside of Pittsburgh.

I grew up in PA, my brother lives in Indiana (PA). Sad but I can imagine the festival and those there who don't like Obama.

[A R S]

22. Pittsburgh is extremely liberal.

Not so much in the suburbs though.

[Avalux]

25. Correct. And not so much in the rural area where I grew up.

In fact, Ted Nugent is going there to whip everyone up into a frenzy. Disgusting.

[A R S]

27. I can only imagine.

Ugh.

[madeline_con]

21. AND way the hell up north!

:rofl:

Welcome to DU :hi:

[A R S]

24. Haha

Thanks. :)

[madeline_con]

15. No dumbass Obama haters anywhere except the south.

Edited to add sarcasm tag for the smartass-commently challenged.

People in other parts of the country are all intelligent, progressive types. :sarcasm:

[Kerrytravelers]

10. Was this some kind of political festival you were at?

Why do I feel like I'm playing a round of Twenty Questions? :shrug: Is it bigger than a bread basket? :rofl:

[A R S]

14. Like I said

It was a "covered bridge festival". Think a craft show.

[Barack_America]

3. Another excuse to avoid those godforsaken things.

As if being called a "wench" weren't enough.

[Kerrytravelers]

5. I seriously doubt that everyone at the festival hated Obama, unless you were at the wingnut "values"

festival over the weekend. Is that the "long story" part that was left out of the story? And how does someone "look like a teabagger?"

Just curious.

[A R S]

9. In response...

I was not at the "values" festival. I was visiting relatives in the country, and went to something called a "covered bridge festival".

The man looked a bit like someone you would see at a teabagger protest.

[Alcibiades]

16. That's the selection effect at work

I'd guess this sort of festival draws folks who fit the demographic Glenn Beck and the teabaggers are going after: older, white, rural, culturally conservative people.

[A R S]

18. Exactly.

[Mz Pip]

11. teabags for earrings is a dead givaway

That and the "Obama is a Kenyan Muslim Anti-Christ who wants to kill your Grandma" T shirt. That would do it for me. Must have been a lot of them at this festival.

[A R S]

13. Trust me.

You just had to look at the guy. Middle-aged, grey hair, beer belly, tucked in polo, khakis... a bit prejudiced, but still.

[A R S]

29. I would've said something to them.

But I was afraid someone might yell, "YOU LIE!"
:rofl:

[KT2000]

31. Angry people ar everywhere

they absorb the latest hate points from their media and then they have to unload it on someone else because it is poison to their system.
The are not captured by the reason or logic, they are captured by the adrenalin they get from their anger. I do believe that people are becoming addicted to that adrenalin and look forward to getting more the next day and getting a boost when they are able to share their hate with like minded folks.

RW media uses the hooks of fear and selfishness and then feeds them the adrenaline. They are changing the way people behave in public. If you listened to the conversations I bet all you would really hear is a litany of fears and Obama being the cause of them all.
We are in the middle of a huge brainwashing exercise.

Next time - just interrupt the people and tell them their anger is out of place and they should just enjoy the beautiful day, practice kindness and make this a nicer world. OR - ask the blacksmith questions about his craft.

[Brother Buzz]

32. I was at a festival last Saturday and the blacksmith was....

turning old horseshoes into hearts with Obama stamped into them. He was doing a brisk business selling "I heart Obama" hearts.

On a whim, he welded a diagonal bar on one of the hearts creating an 'I don't heart Obama' heart and tossed the searing hot piece onto the ground just behind the rope separating the work area from the public. A man with a scowl on his face who had been watching the blacksmith for some time, and offering unsolicited advice, suddenly beamed and quickly reached under the rope to pick it up only to drop it as fast as he picked it up.

The knowing blacksmith looked concerned asked if him if he burned himself. The man responded loudly, and with authority, "No, it just doesn't take long to look at an 'I don't heart Obama' heart".