Overheard in a grocery store

[Mythsaje]

I went to buy groceries yesterday and, as I was grabbing a shopping cart, I caught the edge of a conversation between two fellow customers. I didn't hear a LOT of it, though I did hear the guy, some slightly redneck-looking fellow about my age or a few years older (I look between five or ten years younger than I actually am, so sometimes it's hard for me to judge) talking about how badly we're fucked in Iraq. Not quite in so many words, but the gist was that he thought we would never be able to pacify the country because they hate US more than they hate each other.

I gave him a grin and a nod and he continued his conversation with the woman shopper with which he was speaking. He wasn't being quiet about it. I'm sure PLENTY of shoppers caught at least part of their conversation. I never heard anything the woman said, but it was plain that this guy was annoyed and not willing to hide it.

I live in Tacoma, WA, a fair-sized city that isn't particularly liberal and where people don't seem to be overtly obvious about their political affiliation. I live in an area that's predominately African American, which suggests to me that, of my neighbors who actually bother to vote, most of them will vote Democratic.

I don't know about elsewhere, but I'm getting the feeling that people aren't buying into the GOP nonsense anymore. I think it's interesting that the recent television ads for local candidates aren't revealing their party affiliation. No, their OPPONENT'S ads, or the DCCC Ads that often follow, can take care of that side of it.

Strikes me as weird, actually.

I don't like the fact that the uneducated voter might not necessarily know that Dave Reichert and Mike McGavick are Republicrums.

[Ian David]

1. Then again, seeing this on my car makes some people want to start a fight...

http://carryabigsticker.com/bush_lied.htm

Had another "close-call" today.

I told the guy to back-off, enlist and save it for the insurgents.

[Mythsaje]

2. Pretty good response...

Someone used a knife or something to slash apart my DU sticker. Only sticker on my car they touched. Weird.

I haven't ever had anyone confront me directly though. None of my bumber stickers are QUITE so blatant, but I think they get the point across.

I think my response would probably have been something like "I WILL file assault charges, you realize. Whether I kick your ass or not."

[Ian David]

3. When faced with violence, my lower back spasms and renders me immobile

I'd make a very sympathetic victim on the witness stand.

I'd probably lose, and lose big enough to get someone in serious trouble.

[Mythsaje]

4. I'm not a small guy and look like I can handle myself...

That tends to dissuade all but the biggest jerks. Actually, since I haven't even been threatened with a physical confrontation in more years than I can calculate, I suppose it might even dissuade the biggest jerks too.

Most people who try to use physical violence to get their point across can't fight their way out of a wet paper bag.