I need to tell you all something

[Trocadero]

I was driving around yesterday and I saw a local business - a white van - with an anti-Obama sticker on the back.

So I called the number on the van and said that I found that sign offensive and how did they expect to get business by alienating people who support Obama.

I am a woman, and this man on the phone immediately then SHOUTED at me OBAMA IS A COCKSUCKER and unleashed a whole stream of profanities. He was enraged. It was very scary even though I was just on the phone.

I just want you to know that if you think that dangerous demagogues on TV and Radio don't have an effect, you are wrong. Don't underestimate the hatred and raw anger on the other side. This is no bona fide difference of opinion. These people are scary scary scary. I'm scared of what they may do.

[flamin lib]

1. Need to know the name of that business . . .nt

[tblue]

38. Heck, give us the number!

[DURHAM D]

2. So he thinks Obama is gay? nt

[ClassWarrior]

3. Interesting to note that someone has unrecced this already.

Your tale demonstrates that some are scary and dangerous. But remember that not all of them are. Many just lack information.

NGU.

[NJmaverick]

9. It's safe to assume there are freepers with DU accounts

unreccing anti-Republica and pro-Obama/Dem stories while reccing the anti-Obama/Dem and anything else that would help their right wingnut causes.

[ClassWarrior]

15. "Their??"

:rofl:

NGU.

[NJmaverick]

17. your?

:shrug:

[MNDemNY]

53. That seems very paranoid, to me..

maybe one as paranoid as that ought climb into a "man sized safe" or something.

[proud2BlibKansan]

60. They talk about it on other sites

It's a badge of honor for them to unrec a thread here.

[Zywiec]

40. Maybe because they don't believe the OP?

No company name or number provided after many requests.

Like most of these "stories", it doesn't add up.

[Quantess]

55. I also take the story with a grain of salt, so to speak.

The OP won't even say the name of the company. Too many DU stories seem fabricated, to put it politely.

[patrice]

67. I agree.

search DU for posts with the word "nun" or "Catholic" in them and count the proportion of, shall we say, oddly extreme incidents.

[sharp_stick]

4. What company was it?

I'd be making sure everyone knows about them.

[Lint Head]

5. This is a crime. Profanity on the phone can be considered

assault. This has been proven and prosecuted successfully. I would report it.

[pipi_k]

19. Just wondering...

Not that I'm sticking up for the guy who used profanity on the telephone, but when and where was using profanity on the telephone proven and successfully prosecuted?


And I'm talking about only profanity here...not threats.

[canadianbeaver]

31. My dads buddy was arrested for using profanity ....

mind you that was some years ago(many)....and it made the border guard laugh as to what he was arrested for, when he tried to go down south.

He swore to an old lady, she called the cops, he got arrested. her word against his.

[pipi_k]

34. But that's a little different...

He was actually in the lady's presence, I assume...

And who knows what she told the cops...maybe she said he "came at" her, or "threatened" her or something.


After he was arrested, was he prosecuted, though?

[JoeyT]

64. IIRC it's covered

by FCC regulations.
That said, I'll be damned if I can think of anyone being prosecuted for it.
I've heard of people having their phone service removed for being verbally abusive on the phone, but I can't find any actual cases of it. It might have just been the phone company's reaction.

[FiveGoodMen]

23. What you say may be true, but it certainly SHOULDN'T be!

Stick and stones (and stupid laws)...

[inna]

6. what state? just curious.

[slackmaster]

7. Please post the name of the company

I don't believe that would violate any of the posting rules.

[Trocadero]

11. I'm not going to do that. This has me freaked out.

But I am telling everyone for you own benefit - don't think you are going to have a rational discussion.

[emilyg]

12. What's their phone number?

[Maru Kitteh]

20. Did you call them from your own phone number?

[donheld]

56. It doesn't benefit anyone if we don't know what company you are talking about

Give us the Name and Number.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

8. Post the number.

[cbdo2007]

10. You should file a complaint with the BBB....

though I am a little skeptical of your story since you didn't go ahead and name the company.

[Trocadero]

16. well, believe what you like I'm just telling people to be aware

don't put yourself in a position where your personal safety could be compromised. it's not worth making a point with someone on a street corner, if they are going to turn around and explode at you. just be careful.

I'm only writing this because it is freaking me out and I'm upset about it.

[cbdo2007]

25. You didn't put your personal safety at risk...you called them on the phone to pick a fight.

You seem a little too wound up about this for it to be real. I've been called names and had stuff thrown at me for having anti-bush stickers on my car. That just happens. It's no surprise in politics or even on DU.

This sounds kind of like reverse "B" obama girl. You know that girl who carved the B into her face to get attention with some outlandish story about someone freaking out about Obama, but it really never happened at all.

[Zywiec]

37. +1

So there I was when this freeper said blah, blah, blah

Then I said....

:eyes:

[Mojorabbit]

54. Well my BIL jumped

down my throat verbally on NY eve. I have never heard such venom so I can believe the OP. I can't believe how much he has changed and I think listening to FOX and Rush as done him great damage. I have known him over 30 years and It freaked me out.

[pipi_k]

26. But you weren't ON a street corner...

you were on the phone.

The person who yelled at you wouldn't know you from a hole in the floor if you met on the street.

What's there to be freaked out about?

I used to hear profanity all the time in my last job, and all I did to deserve it was be the person answering the telephone. These people KNEW where I worked. Often I was the only one in the office all day.

There are nuts all over.

I'd be more freaked out about crazy friends or relatives, who are much more likely to inflict injuries on us than perfect strangers on the telephone are.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

58. I'm not afraid of these people. They're cowards.

If you're going to post a story like this, post the name of the company.
They have no problem advertising their hate on the side of a van, I have
no problem calling them and giving them something to think about.

[H2O Man]

13. number, please

[Warpy]

14. A complaint to the Better Business Bureau in your area is appropriate

That was verbal assault and it needs to be documented. Businesses hate it when complaints show up. It can be done online.

If the guy is a flunky, you can bet he'll be an unemployed flunky. If he's the owner, you can bet he'll modify his behavior if he wants to stay in business.

Fight back.

[Maru Kitteh]

22. +1

What Warpy said.

Fight back, hit them where it hurts.

[Maru Kitteh]

18. The ferocity of their rage combined w/ the typical (R) traits of entitlement, affinity for violence

stupidity and just plain cruelty and meanness makes them very dangerous indeed. They're like injured, lobotomized animals.

[grace0418]

21. Would you at least consider PM-ing the name/location of the company?

If you're too freaked out to do it, I'd be happy to file a complaint with the BBB.

[Goldstein1984]

24. Similar stuff in Alaska...

A common bumper sticker:

O - One
B - Big
A - Ass
M - Mistake
A - America

In Fairbanks and Wasilla, I've seen these bumper stickers on business vehicles. In those communities it probably gets them new customers.

On another note related to a post in this thread, there is a distinction, apparently too subtle for some, between being critical of President Obama and being anti-Obama. I've recently seen a few things done by the President that I like to think of as being in response to the many emails (5 or more per week) that I and many more like me submit to the White House.

[NYC_SKP]

46. I saw that the other day in Northern California. n/t

[Goldstein1984]

50. It's ugly. The funny thing is, you never see it on a Prius

Only on full-sized pick-ups, and always next to a McCain/Palin bumper sticker.

[Mira]

27. Recommended and seriously supported. They are armed and dangerous..N/T

[Gman2]

28. Give us all the number, and they will learn that it will cost them.

If 100 people called and complained, they would change.

[begin_within]

29. So that was you.

Kidding!

[freddie mertz]

30. Doesn't sound like it is a very well-run business. nt.

[caitxrawks]

32. what?! what a DICK!

I want to call him so I can call him a cocksucker. UGH!

[Uben]

33. Just blow it off.

If there's one thing I've learned, it's to not try to talk politics with a republican. They are ignorant of the facts, refuse to accept truth, and generally are rude, obnoxious, and omni-present. He has just as much of a right to display that bumper sticker as we do to display anti-republican stickers, so you should not have called, just refused to ever do business at his company.

That's what the "rational me" would have done. Why waste your time on this asshole?

[pipi_k]

39. I wouldn't have complained either...

because, as you pointed out, "they" have the same rights to display whatever bumper stickers they want to as we do.

In fact, I would guess that anyone who thinks it's not OK for them to display anti Obama/Democrat stuff would probably be just as pissed off to have someone complain about their PRO Obama/Democrat bumper stickers:

"WTF???? Who the HELL does he think he is, complaining about MY bumper sticker??? I have the right to display....blah blah blah blah, etc."


Why do people only want rights applied to themselves?

:shrug:

[AngryOldDem]

35. Must be nice that they can afford to turn down business in these times...

...spread the news far and wide so people know to avoid this company. In addition to the BBB, notify Angie's List, too.

[HughMoran]

36. Worse than what one can read here?

:shrug:

[zalinda]

41. Are you sure it was a repub?

There are many people who was an Obama supporter who are getting quite angry about the bank bailouts and such. He may be in very big financial trouble and he thought Obama was going to make it better, and it hasn't worked out that way.

I'm sorry, but he does have a right to his opinion without someone calling him and complaining, especially if it isn't one of his customers. I don't see what good you thought you were doing by calling him. I wouldn't have called someone who had a support Bush sticker on his vehicle, doesn't make sense. It would just stir up trouble and both of us would end up having a bad day, unless I liked to make people angry.

zalinda

[pipi_k]

44. Exactly, and something else....

All of this "Call the BBB, report on Angies List", etc...

There are all sorts of scenarios

could have been a family member just covering the phone for a day, and he's a Repub but the owner isn't.

Maybe it WAS the owner, and he's just found out a family member is deathly ill, and he can't afford health insurance, and he's reached the end of his rope.

Maybe he's losing his home or business.


Even if he's a Repub, there could be lots of reasons/explanations for what happened, and people calling for his head on a pike aren't being fair...not even thinking about possibilities.

[StarfarerBill]

42. I'm sorry that happened to you. A call or e-mail to the BBB would be the best thing to do.

[4_TN_TITANS]

43. Give us a number...

I want to call in my 'gay voice' and ask to speak to the fabulous Mr. Obama. (not to offend anyone, just to weird out a wingnut).

[Joanne98]

45. That's why we need to declare them terrorists and put them in FEMA death camps!

And we need to do this as soon as possible.

Before November!

[MrsCorleone]

47. Although anecdotal, I have seen how well the MSM & RW radio

have created mass hysteria. As an attendee of a healthcare townhall meeting last summer, it was clear that the loons of the Right had gone off the deep end. It was a disturbing thing to witness, so I understand how shaken you might be, especially if this was your first encounter with this level of rage.

[RedCappedBandit]

48. No need to fear a coward who yells at women over the telephone. nt

[grahamhgreen]

49. Obama and the DLC crap regressive policies are dooming us to Palin in 2012.

[whathehell]

51. Yep...It's why I stopped putting political bumper stickers on my car.

People are just too nuts.

[Sapphocrat]

52. I certainly understand.

"...he started asking me, repeatedly, if I was going to come to his house in the middle of the night and 'write something' on his front door..."

"And Then There Was That Cross Carved Into Our Eucalyptus Tree..."

[proud2BlibKansan]

57. I had a guy honk and come up beside me and roll down his window and yell

FUCK OBAMA AND FUCK YOU TOO!

I guess my Obama sticker offended him.

He had a Ron Paul sticker and an anti Obama sticker on his bumper.

I called 911.

Post this man's number and I'll call him too. We need to confront this hatred. It's repulsive.

[discocrisco01]

59. Resentment

I pray that I do not get one of things wingnuts as sponsee in my 12-step program. Because, we will have fun fourth step. Trying to

[dysfunctional press]

63. you called 911?

why?

what was the emergency?

do you call them when mcdonald's screws up your chicken mcnuggets order too...?

[proud2BlibKansan]

65. He pulled up next to me on an on ramp designed for one car and swerved in my direction

Before that he had followed me for a couple blocks honking and waving. When I called, the dispatcher said I was the second person to call on him. The cops pulled him over and took him into custody.

And no I don't eat at McDonald's. I also don't randomly call 911. Nice try.

[troubledamerican]

61. "...They want blood ..."

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2010/01/they-want-blood.html

[saracat]

62. I don't understand why you called him. Did you call folks with pro Bush stickers too?

I would have left such a person alone. It seems you were spoiling for a fight. If he wants to jeopardize his business, it is his right.Just don't patronize him.You aren't going to change his mind and he has a right to his opinion.A lot of Dems wouldn't be nice to folks who called and complained about pro Obama stickers on their business vehicles!

[LWolf]

66. Of course, calling a stranger to confront him about Obama

might be seen, in some lights, as inviting a tirade.

Free speech. I support it.

I generally don't offer up my political or religious opinions in public. I was raised to consider those topics to be off-limits.

But when someone wants to call me to tell me they disagree with me, all bets are off.

I have, in the past, had political bumper stickers on my vehicle. And I park in the school parking lot, and my students generally know what I drive. It's a small community.

I don't bring my politics into my school building, though, and if a parent called me to complain about my bumper stickers, I'd have no problem telling them where to stick their concern.

I wouldn't have to scream or use profanity to do so.

[PerpetuallyDazed]

68. He sounds more scared than you are...

...in addition to being latently homosexual, perhaps?

[Gregorian]

69. I think you're right about that.

People behave that way when they're frightened.

I'm beginning to think that one many on our so-called news stations are doing violates the First Amendment. I've been wanting to reconcile free speech with what is happening. I suppose I'm wrong about this. But what if it is shouting fire in a crowded theater.