My Adventures In Wearing a KERRY/EDWARDS T-Shirt In Cincinnati

[Paragon]

I finally got it in the mail yesterday, and happily wore it to the local Meijer supermarket today. Just before I enter the store, a young guy talking on his cellphone stops his conversation and says, "Hey, where did you get that?"

"The internet," I said back.

"JohnKerry.com?"

"Yup!"

"Awesome! I didn't know they made ones with 'Edwards' on 'em yet. Thanks!" He gave me a thumbs up and I continued into the store.

I walked around a LOT, hitting almost every aisle - more to be a Kerry billboard than to make sure I hadn't forgotten to pick up anything. Once I got to frozen foods, some truck-driver-lookin' dude nudges his wife (or mother, I honestly couldn't tell) to look up at me, and he gave me a look I can only describe as "I wanna keeel you, boy, and then skullfuck your dead corpse".

I was delighted - not in the corpse-fucking part, of course - but that I managed to piss off a knuckle-draggin' freeper by just walking by.

I also saw two new Kerry lawn signs driving home that I hadn't seen before -- encouraging, but I live IN the city limits. It's all the people who fled to the suburbs that are the morans voting Republican.

Still, a pretty fun afternoon -- just from wearing a shirt.

[VolcanoJen]

1. You're a brave soul, Paragon.

I once had a Taco Bell worker glare at me simply because of the John Edwards primary campaign literature that littered my back seat.

Or, maybe it was because I asked for extra mild sauce. I'm unsure.

:-)

Let's both don our Kerry/Edwards shirts and go to Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, shall we? :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Paragon]

6. I dunno...around a bunch of drunk Bushies?

We might literally be risking our lives in that situation.

However, milady - long as I havest not drinketh too much mead, I shall protect thee from the King's evildoers.

:silly:

[VolcanoJen]

14. OK, here's the deal. You wear your Kerry/Edwards shirt...

... and I'm wearing this one (thanks, http://www.cafeshops.com/du_store.10712666?zoom=yes#zoom">DU Store!):



You buy the Warsteiner, and I'll sip fast and run like hell.

Sounds like a plan, eh? :+ And thank you, dear 'Nati friend, for slaying dragons for me. :loveya:

[Paragon]

16. Yowza

Pics! That post is worthless without pics! ;-)

[VolcanoJen]

18. I imagine the DU Gallery will be updated soon!

:D

[Bandit]

19. I must admit I like yours way better than his

What does it say on it anyway? :silly:

[VolcanoJen]

21. LOL!!!

Well, here's a, ummm, politically-correct way of looking at the writing on the shirt:



Buy yours, many styles, here:

The DU Store

[Bake]

43. You look at it your way, I'll look at it mine!! LOVE IT!!

Sure would like to see one of those down here in Mis'sippi!

Bake

[proud patriot]

39. I love that shirt

I got one too :hi:

[NewYorkerfromMass]

8. Definitely. I'll by you a beer Paragon

next time you're in NYC. Definitely let me know. You rule.

[Paragon]

9. Thanks.

Went to New York on vacation once when I was a kid -- only time in my life I can remember feeling claustrophobic...and that was when I was outside.

I was probably 8 inches shorter then, so my memories are probably skewed -- but it was crowded. Everywhere.

And this from a guy who lived in Chicago for 7 years.

[bobbyboucher]

2. Try this shirt next

http://www.8643.biz/

You might not get as much attention unless it finally dawns on them that you want to throw out their beloved savior.


(shameless plug for a buddy)

[thecrow]

11. Love it!

Got one for me, one for son!

[bobbyboucher]

46. Sweet.

A thank you from my buddy who runs that site and sells the shirts. Show it off.

[Brian Morans]

3. You are veritably a paragon of bravery!

[ronnykmarshall]

4. Me and my Kerry car flag

have been getting some looks the freeway.

[apnu]

5. Story of my road trip this weekend.

This weekend I had a road trip to New York and drove the length of I-90 from Chicago. I had my Liberty and Justice DU shirt on (http://www.cafeshops.com/du_store/9794 - Buy one! They're Great!) and made sure to let people get a long look at it when I stopped.

In Indiana I got some confused stares and the occasional evil eye. And spotted zero political ads for the course of my trip.

In Ohio, I had several people applauded the shirt and they all nodded vigorously when I asked them if they were registered to vote. I also saw a larger number of Kerry/Edwards or pro-Liberal bumper stickers than I saw Bush pro-neocon stickers. (I wasn't counting jingoism flags...) And I saw a few Kerry/Edwards roadside signs in the middle of no where rural Ohio. somewhere between Toledo and Cleveland.

PA is a brief 40 mile bit on that part of I-90 but more of the same experience in OH only minus the road signs. At a truck stop for cheap gas and cigarettes I was shunned by the "truckers" but once again applauded by the tourists. (I'm a big person so truckers and other bullies don't often like to pick on me)

In NY, there were no political ads like Indiana. But the shirt's reaction was one of indifference. Typical of NY...


(on edit for tense errors)

[Logansquare]

20. "Kerry/Edwards roadside signs..."

"in the middle of no where rural Ohio."

That was my family!
And everyone they talk to to, I hope.
:-)

[apnu]

42. excellent!

Keep it up! I'm in IL so putting up Kerry signs is gonna be redundant. But I'm gonna do it, right next to my Obama signs.

[TNOE]

7. LOL

Wonderful. I've noticed in our Downtown Cincinnati parking garage that there are at least 10 bumperstickers for Kerry/Edwards and ZERO new ones for Bush/Cheney. That in itself is amazing for Cincinnati!

[HippieCowgirl]

10. Brave bumper stickers

I saw one Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker in a parking garage in downtown Fort Worth. That's cowtown, folks. The car looked un-molested. I have hope.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

22. Girl, I drive all over Dallas Ft. Worth

with my Kerried up Kerry-mobile. Otherwise known as my minivan with stickers such as "Texas Democrat!" and "Regime change begins at home", etc.

Nary an evil eye or a scratch on the car. I do get notes under my windshield wipers saying "GREAT STICKERS!"

Rock on.

[Hoping4Change]

26. Hey hippie girl

Welcome to DU. Glad you're here!:hi:

[csw77]

12. Amazing!

I live in very conservative Warren County. I am certain that if I wore that shirt up here I would get the dirtiest looks possible. :puke:

[Paragon]

13. The dirty look was the best part

Like I said, pissing off a mouth-breather without saying a word.

I only wish I could read lips so I could know what lame freeper epithet he was using.

[hlthe2b]

15. please carry pepper spray with you, just in case....

We don't want to lose you!

[Paragon]

17. These hands are lethal weapons.

/ralphfurley

;-)

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

23. To everyone on this thread

and anyone who may happen by.

Dirty looks never killed anyone. I wear anti-bush and pro-Kerry shirts and buttons here all the time. My van has stickers on the back that are pro-Dem, anti-bush.

"Here" is Dallas. Nothing's happened to me. And dirty looks hurt me not a bit. I just smile!

[VolcanoJen]

24. Oh, that's such a beautiful point, Moonbeam_Starlight!

Dirty looks never killed anyone.

Damn straight!

In traffic, sporting my Kerry bumpersticker, I get the occasional honk, accompanied with an angry face sportin' the middle finger. I just smile, and I usually start to blow kisses, which only makes them angrier, and me happier. :D

Thanks for the advice, Moonbeam. Please reiterate it freely, throughout the election season! I'm so encouraged by Kerry and anti-Bush gear, as I'm sure the more silent among us are. :D

[fofer]

25. Good for everybody wearing their Kerry gear, but. . .

. . .what's with all the truck driver bashing???

Sorry to be touchy, I know the stereotype, but I must stick up for my dad, who's both a truck driver AND an articulate, passionate, rabid, lifelong Democrat. :-)

[Paragon]

29. No offense meant

But this particular guy was shooting daggers with his eyes, no mistake about it.

I'm sure your Dad would've given me a hug! :silly:

[fofer]

36. Absolutely!

He definitely would have. :-) No real offense taken, I'm sure you were justified. I'm just ultrasensitive to trucker comments, for obvious reasons. Good for you for proudly showcasing your Kerry gear! I'm anxiously awaiting mine in the mail so I can do the same. . .any day now, I hope!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

45. My husband drives a pickup

with a Kerry sticker and a vet sticker on the back!!!

Yee-ha! He's a died in the wool Democrat!!

[fofer]

47. COOL!

:-)

[DancingBear]

27. And now, some Dayton news

Mrs. DB and I were in Dayton (actually, Centerville) for the weekend - drove the car with the "Re-elect Bush? You're joking, right?" bumper sticker out there.

We encountered a few stares, but nothing out of the ordinary. On Saturday, we went to a "home-o-rama" (MIL was doing Hospice work at one of the booths out there) and toured 7 new homes. In one of the tents there was an Ohio GOP booth - I was REALLY hoping they would ask me if I was registered to vote, but they didn't. Saw several Bush/Cheney stickers on cars, but no Kerry.

On the way home to VA, saw several Kerry and/or anti-Bush ones, including one that said "Truth for a change - vote for Kerry" being driven by a Vietnam vet (had Vietnam vet frame around his license plate). Got stuck in traffic, and the car next to me (from Alabama) had a Bush/Cheney sticker on it - he wouldn't look our way, though. Every time I saw a Kerry bumper sticker I'd pass the car, then open my window and give them the "thumbs up" - hope they realized what it was! :)

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

28. Dayton/Centerville, too..saw three Bush/Cheney bumper stickers. today

...on the freeway.

Most folks around here dont bumper-sticker too much (except for those flag ones or "Power of Pride" ones)....but there are quite a few Bush stickers around.

[DancingBear]

30. Is the area that Repug?

We don't get to that part of Ohio too often (even though Mrs. DB was raised in Kettering) - we mostly go to Columbus. I did notice that in the Sunday Columbus Dispatch there were TWO articles detrimental to the GOP- one concerning the scandals in the Ohio statehouse, and the other talking about an influx of Dem voters into certain Franklin County districts.

[Philostopher]

33. It is pretty right-wing.

Kettering isn't quite as bad, I don't think -- I've mentioned here before, I see more Kerry than Bush* stickers, though not too many of either. My neighbors directly back have the only Bush* yard sign in the whole neighborhood, but I haven't seen any Kerry ones yet. I've seen bumper stickers in the parking lot at Meijer, Kroger and (not too surprising) Trader Joe's, in Kettering, though. And the trip down I-75 to Cincinnati last weekend was a real revelation -- lots of Ohio plates with pro-Kerry, anti-Republican and anti-Bush* stickers (many more than Bush stickers).

[fudge stripe cookays]

49. Wright Pat AFB is there....

My ex boyfriend's dad was stationed there when he was born. That can affect the attitudes in an area.

[LimeCoke]

35. Fairborn/Beavercreek reporting

I've seen few Bush stickers up here. I've seen some of the older Kerry stickers, but no Kerry/Edwards stickers yet (still waiting on those myself). Those Power of Pride (and the older 'Vote Freedom First' of the same design) or Flag/God Bless America stickers are everywhere, though.

I did see quite a few Bush '04 and 'Remember 9/11' shirts at the Dayton Air Show last weekend. Unfortunatley I was working...had to bite my tounge a few times. :)

Edited for grammar.

[PassingFair]

44. Just for fun...

When I see those "Power of Pride" stickers, I take my tiny black sharpie and insert "Gay" in front of "Pride".
You really can't see it, but it makes ME feel better. Did this to my favorite freeper, and she took her sticker off...I don't think she suspects me.

[doni_georgia]

31. I get asked "Where'd you get that?" Every time I wear mine

edited for typo

[sherrem]

32. I wore my Kerry shirt

here in Wisconsin twice now (I don't get out much). Once grocery shopping, and the other to F911. I got nary a look...not even a dirty one :(

[a kennedy]

40. Hey sherrem,

Where in Wisconsin R U??? and welcome to the best d*mn website around!!

[mmonk]

34. I started seeing Kerry/Edwards yard signs today

in my suburban neighborhood. But I live in Raleigh NC, current home (other than Washington) of John Edwards. I guess the good news is that my precinct area of Raleigh has voted predominately repub in recent national elections.

[Citizen Daryl]

37. I've Been Driving Around Nashville With This On My Car:

Haven't gotten run off the road, flipped off, shouted at, or vandalized ... yet!

Of course, I drive a piece of shit 1990 Mitubishi Mirage with faded paint and hail damage. If they whacked my car, I wouldn't know about it from looking at it.

[heidiho]

38. I Got a Hug from an older lady yesterday for wearing my Kerry pin

She just came up to me and hugged me and said "I love your button".

I was so stunned I couldn't do anything but laugh as she went on her merry way.

[fudge stripe cookays]

50. That's GREAT!!

I have not gotten any hugs yet, but lots of thumbs ups, attagirls, and folks wanting to know where I got stuff.

I'm not far from Moonbeam, and I'm with her.

I THRIVE on the dirty looks. The dirtier, the better! I LOVE *ucking with the fundies out here where I live. I buy shirts with the specific intention of pissing off people in the grocery store.

And once again, no problems with the bumper stickers.

FSC

[SunDrop23]

41. What a great shirt!

[WLKjr]

48. I didn't know they had them yet either

Just bought one along with a yard sign and 2 new bumperstickers. Can't wait to get them!