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addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2014-11-25, 13:45

So I've posted, in the wrong forum, about my mom's passing and my subsequent depression and general feelings of fecklessness. And I've gotten some really nice replies, in thread and by PM, and I really really appreciate it. You guys and gals might be entirely fictional, AFAIK, but I've been talking (and talking and talking) to you for quite a few years now and I geunuinely feel like a part of a community of smart, interesting people that I genuinely like, so it means a lot to me. Thank you.

So anywho, I'm feeling a tad better and starting to move off my frozen place of transfixed horror (it's a depression thing-- you know that inaction is only making things worse, but doing something about it seems impossible). And I remembered a little moment of hilarity I'd though I'd share:

When my mom was pretty close to dying they sent over a social worker to briefly check things out. That didn't happen when my brother died a few years ago, so we weren't sure what it was about. I guess the state of Alabama has some interest in making sure that its meth addled, trailer park living citizens don't use the death of a loved one as an occasion for some kind of resentment fueled shoot-out or fall to squabbling about debts unpaid and go on a rampage or just generally lose it completely and forget not to burn the house down, or whatever. At any rate, the questions seemed suspiciously leaning in that direction-- any history of mental illness in the household, any financial entanglements that might arise, any hard feelings among the surviving family members, stuff like that. And we're all like "Nope, we love our mom and we'd like to get back to being with her and that's pretty much the deal we got going on over here, thanks for dropping by" (I should mention that the hospice people that came over were angels incarnate, just astoundingly present and kind and supportive. Honestly don't know how they do it, over and over again).

So that was a slightly discordant note in an otherwise very loving scene. But then when they were leaving (there was a main lady and her assistant in training), main lady stops, puts down her clipboard, and shares the following:

"I thought ya'll would appreciate this. I was working with another family, their momma was on death's door but there was some hard feelings so I was mediating and all, talking to them with momma in a coma in the next room. When all of a sudden momma rose up from her death bed and called out: 'COME IN HERE!' And we all went into the other room, and momma said 'I DONE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN AND SAW JESUS. NOW YA'LL FETCH TOMMY AND BOBBY AND TELL THEM TO COME RIGHT NOW!' And so Tommy and Bobby lived right down the street so we fetched them up and the came into the room and momma said: 'YA'LL NEED TO MAKE YOUR PEACE WITH JESUS RIGHT NOW!' And ole' Tommy and Bobby were all 'Yes ma'am, I surely would love to but how do we find him?' And momma looks at them and points to the middle of the room in mid-air. And then she died. Well I tell you what, I just got chills all over my body when I saw that, and I thought ya'll would appreciated hearing about that, so you might keep a look out for that kind of thing, just signs or whatever. Well, ya'll take care and God bless."

Now my brother and I, pagans though we may be, were raised up to be pleasant if nothing else, so we listened to this (by our lights fucking bizarre) anecdote with fixed smiles and sympathetic little nods, and as we ushered her out we were going "Wow, that's a cool story, food for thought, heh, thanks, bye." And the second we closed the door we bugged our eyes out at each other and laughed and wondered if she had discerned our souls to be in extreme and particular danger and in needing of life-mending tales of GHOST JESUS. Honestly, we kind of got a kick out it, and it was only later that I got a little pissed off. I mean, this woman works for the state of Alabama and is charged with doing her thing for anyone in need. That includes, presumably, atheists, Hindus, Jews, etc., etc., and here she was perfectly willing to proselytize for her religion, and do it with people she knew nothing about at a time of extreme emotional vulnerability.

I mean, it is Alabama so probably her message of hope would be welcome most of the time, but I had to wonder about those instances (and there have to be some) where she was met with "Meh, fuck that noise, take your Jesus and fuck right off." Because if you're in the process of losing a loved one you might be feeling a little less inclined to humor bright eyed zealots. Does she issue dark warnings of hellfire? Demure and skedaddle? Attempt an ad hoc exorcism? Agent of the State, remember, so I would hope upon being challenged she would at least stand down and not start a wrestlin' with Satan for ownership of your soul? I sort of got the impression she might.

At times, as the cost of living in the Bay Area continues to move right past ludicrous into the surreal, I've contemplated what it would be like to move back to Alabama. I love the land and the crickets and the fireflies and thunderstorms, and I imagine I would do pretty well with housing costs that are literally a tenth of what's going on out here. But man, I dunno.... that tendency for "monoculture" to assume everyone is on the same page, that "Southerners" (at least white Southeners) are pretty much of one mind when it comes to God and Guns and Jebus..... not sure if I could hang. Might have to though, if this Google planet shit keeps on going. The Bay Area is going to end up one big gated community where nothing costs less or looks any different than what a 23 old making $200k year wants or can afford.

But the main thing is GHOST JESUS DEMANDS AN ANSWER, NOW. Stay away from dying people, is what I'm saying, they're creepy as hell.

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
  quote
Kickaha
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2014-11-25, 16:23

*applause* Glad to hear you're doing better, and yeah, that's a fabulous tale. Thanks for sharing it.

One nit though...

Quote:
I mean, this woman works for the state of Alabama and is charged with doing her thing for anyone in need. That includes, presumably, atheists, Hindus, Jews, etc., etc.,
What in God's green acres makes y'all think Alabama has those, whatchacallit, atheists, Hindus, and Jews? It's a God-fearing Christian state, founded on Christian principles. Just like the nation. Amen.

(Seriously, glad things are better...)
  quote
addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2014-11-25, 17:06

Yes, it's true: Hindus and Jews probably kind of thin on the ground, thereabouts (although it is Huntsville with a burgeoning population of Yankee ne'er-do-wells, so....).

But I wouldn't be surprised if her travels don't put her in proximity of the occasional lapsed redneck who is no fucking mood for her nonsense. You know, "Jesus never did shit for me lady" types. I wonder how that goes down? If she ever has to hie her ass on out the door because the shotguns come out?

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
  quote
drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2014-11-25, 17:28

Now there WAS this time these three fellers from London, Engaland, came to Alabama.

That went over real good.




...
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-11-25, 19:03

Mississippi makes Alabama look like Malibu. The only time in my my life I've ever felt genuine concern of the "y'all ain't from around here, is ye?" variety was the time my wife and I were driving back from California to Virginia. She had a cool bleached pixie cut and I had big rockabilly sideburns and my hair close-cropped sides/back with a bit of a pomp/cascade up front. Our car had California plates, of course.

We pull off the freeway and stop at a Krystal and it was like every cowboy movie you've ever seen where the stranger walks in and everyone - everyone - stops what they're doing and you could hear a pin drop. I'm sure thoughts of "WTF is this faggoty-looking fag and his dyke-looking sister-in-law stopping in our town for?" crossed everyone's mind...the employees, every customer, etc.

We ordered our food and got the hell out of there before we got beaten and hung on a fence or something.

Mind you, she and I were both born and raised in the South for 20+ years. We simply didn't have the standard small-town Mississippi look (bloated, starchy, pasty, sunken-eyed, snaggletoothed, muffin-top, etc.), so we were automatically uppity aliens from another solar system to these folks. And the hatred/disdain directed our way was palpable.

"You one of them there MTV queers and got your dope-smoking groupie, ain't ya?"

I truly believe if either of us had been alone, we would've taken a beating before getting back to our car.

This was over 15 years ago, and I still hate Mississippi. I've been to/through it about three times since, and I've never really encountered a pleasant, agreeable person. It deserves to be last in all the Rankings That Matter.
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-11-25, 19:12

Apologies to anyone from/living there. But, seriously...move.
  quote
addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2014-11-25, 20:03

For real man, God made Mississippi to give other southerners something to look down on....

I've actually had that "well, lookee what we got here" moment in some tiny town in Mississippi. And you look at those faces, and it's not like "Oh, hey, listen, I'm a southerner myself ya'll, stand down" because you're looking at those pig eyed, bone stupid, spoiling for a fight little scrunched up faces that would just as soon punch a random stranger because what the fuck has the world outside their immediate location ever done for them?

I'm always telling people who don't know the south that their stereotypical notions are mostly nonsense and that if they act friendly and nice most folk will reciprocate in kind (as opposed to carrying on like some kind of jackass anthropologist amazed at the local yahoos, which, guess what? The yahoos can tell you're being a dick), but sometimes, some places, it's just the full on Deliverance and you'd best move on.

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
  quote
drewprops
Space Pirate
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Atlanta
 
2014-11-25, 20:23

Stupid Brad's AppleNova settings won't let me give Scates any more uppity up up thumbs.

Somebody else do something clever now.



...
  quote
Dorian Gray
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Paris, France
 
2014-11-26, 15:57

Cheer up with David Mitchell.
  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2014-11-28, 15:17

I'm calling "Force-Ghost Jesus" as my band name.




WWJJD?

(What Would Jedi-Jesus Do?)
  quote
addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2014-11-28, 15:40

Abrams is on the case:

  quote
709
¡Damned!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
 
2014-11-28, 15:47

Posting the above reminded me that the trailer dropped today, and I played it literally 2 minutes after posting. I couldn't believe it.
  quote
Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2014-11-29, 14:37

You know the weirdest thing about Mississippi... I've run into a couple folks from there over the years, and for some reason they always go out of their way to tell people what a friendly, not-like-the-60s community Jackson Mississippi is. At least I think it was Jackson they always rave about. It's sort of disconcerting because you can see these are normal human beings but there's just no good response to that.

"Sure, I bet it's great; I'm going to visit my next road trip down south!" No good.
"Lady are you for real? Jackson Mississippi? Are you under-medicated or over-medicated at the moment? Can I call someone?" No good.
"Uh huh. I see." No good.

In the end all you can do is muster a little smile and nod and hope they stop talking about Mississippi.

Personally I think they ought to combine east Texas, most of Louisiana, all of Mississippi, parts of Alabama, and parts of north Florida into one big state and call it Fuckedupistan. I say we let them secede too. Sure the shape of the state will be a bit gerrymanderish, but I think everyone will be happier this way.

I mean I've driven through some seriously inbred portions of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky... but it's not... quite the same as these other places I'm talking about. Maybe I'm just splitting mullets though.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2014-11-29, 14:47

Absolutely. It's like "NoHopeVille", as in "yeah, we're dirt poor, ill-educated, and we live on shitty scrub land. We know just enough to figure all the fancy people with store bought haircuts and indoor plumbing look down on us. So fuck it. Fuck all ya'll. We're just gonna dig in and do this shit. Trailer park, meth, random liquor freak outs with guns, childhood obesity, unexplained house fires, the whole enchilada. You wanna come visit, fine. But once you're in our house, all bets are off, motherfucker. What are those, Levis? Walmart house brand not good enough for you? Well la-de-da, your highness, time to squeal like a pig."

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-11-29, 14:59

They could make Honey Boo-Boo queen of this new territory.

"Y'all has to do what I say...now somebody bring me a fried baloney sandwich - with extra bread - and a butter donut!"
  quote
addabox
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
 
2014-11-29, 15:05

Oh dear God that's so plausible. She and her family have exactly that quality of dumb-fuck cunning-- you know, they think they're players, but they're complete idiots. That's what makes those people so dangerous.

They should make a Game of Thrones type saga that takes place in the Honey Boo Boo Empire. Every scheme and palace intrigue would wind up with everybody getting drunk or shot or forgetting what they were doing, and then a close up of Honey Boo Boo slurring "Don't nobody fuck with the queen" just before she passes out.

That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated
  quote
Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2014-11-29, 16:03

Quote:
Originally Posted by pscates2.0 View Post
They could make Honey Boo-Boo queen of this new territory.

"Y'all has to do what I say...now somebody bring me a fried baloney sandwich - with extra bread - and a butter donut!"
LMAO. I was going to curse you for bringing back into conscious memory that little piece of human filth and her mother, but the fried baloney samich and butter doughtnut sold it good.

...into the light of a dark black night.
  quote
murbot
Hoonigan
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canada
 
2014-11-29, 17:24

Quote:
Originally Posted by 709 View Post
Posting the above reminded me that the trailer dropped today, and I played it literally 2 minutes after posting. I couldn't believe it.
That is awesome.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-11-30, 16:52

I've been meaning to make a post about the weird things I've noticed since moving to the Midwest, as a "coastal liberal elitist" person.

One of the things I've noticed the most is that people seem, in general, to be less used to dealing with lines in an efficient way. I've probably tweeted about this more than once, but it happens to me every time I get fast food: I get in line behind someone at the soda (sorry, pop) fountain, and they examine all the available options, and then pour a little bit of one, and then sample it, and then they dump it and try a different one, and then they fill their cup, and then they reach over and grab the lid and put it on their cup while they're still blocking the entire fountain, and then they grab a straw and then unwrap it and then put it in their drink, and then they suddenly become aware and they turn around and they're always, always, surprised to see that there is someone in line behind them.

Heaven help you if the restaurant has a Coke Freestyle machine.

The slower laid-back pace of life is what people say they always like about small towns, but there's a place for that and it's not in the line in front of the soda fountain. We aren't having some charming little personable small-town moment there, they're just being slow. Nobody in a big city is stunned to find people in line behind them, so you do what you need to do and move on. You unwrap your straws at the table.

Another thing that I've noticed is that, if you are a white guy like I am, people just assume that you're both Christian and Conservative. Random people, like customers in your check-out lane, will just start talking to you about about politics, and they'll say some fairly extreme things fully expecting you to agree with them and not even considering the possibility that you wouldn't. It's happened to me multiple times but it still feels a little surreal. In Vegas and Oregon people didn't just assume I was anything, Democrat or Republican, I guess because there's more diversity in larger cities. But there seems to be this weird assumption here that if you're white you're on "our side," and that liberalism is just something for brown people. The differences in political opinions between Oregon and the Midwest was something I knew about, of course, but I was still taken aback by how direct it all was. Like, there is literally no doubt in peoples' minds that I'll disagree with whatever they have to say, no matter how incendiary. It actually really bothered me for a while, like I was worried I was somehow giving off racisty vibes, but I eventually realized it was just election season in the Midwest. (My favorite was the lady who loudly declared that she was so incensed by socialized medicine, it almost made her want to move to Canada! And I was like, ohmigod, these people actually exist.)

In a similar vein, it's common to walk into a Taco Bell or Burger King and then notice that they're playing Christian praise & worship music (Sirius XM The Message is a particular favorite). And it's not like I turn into Atheist Hulk or melt like a witch or anything, but it just feels like something that would be unusual elsewhere that nobody bats an eye at here. It's not that everyone with an Burger King franchise in Oregon is a heathen or something, there's just more of an awareness of diversity and being neutral that isn't present here. Here everyone just assumes that you're Christian, unless you "look like a Muslim," and questions like "What church do you go to?" are common, because of course everyone goes to church. And customers in Nevada or Oregon never got offended when I wished them "happy holidays," but here people straight-up correct you. "NO. Merry CHRISTmas." It's just odd, like wishing everybody their own happy holiday is somehow biased, you have to specifically reaffirm the chosen faith of the majority to be "fair." (That it's rather impolite to tell others the "proper" way to wish you well never seems to occur to people; I always think "actually, now I don't hope you have a happy holiday, so I guess you've succeeded?")

Hmm, I didn't mean for this to be so political (and I didn't even get to the gay stuff!). Oh well. Merry Fucking Christmas, everyone.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
  quote
Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2014-11-30, 17:06

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robo View Post
I've been meaning to make a post about the weird things I've noticed since moving to the Midwest, as a "coastal liberal elitist" person.

One of the things I've noticed the most is that people seem, in general, to be less used to dealing with lines in an efficient way. I've probably tweeted about this more than once, but it happens to me every time I get fast food: I get in line behind someone at the soda (sorry, pop) fountain, and they examine all the available options, and then pour a little bit of one, and then sample it, and then they dump it and try a different one
I have empircal evidence this is not limited to the midwest in any meaningful way. It's called people everywhere being inconsiderate d-bags and it happens a lot all across teh country. But yes, highly annoying.


Quote:
Another thing that I've noticed is that, if you are a white guy like I am, people just assume that you're both Christian and Conservative. Random people, like customers in your check-out lane, will just start talking to you about about politics, and they'll say some fairly extreme things fully expecting you to agree with them and not even considering the possibility that you wouldn't.
Are you sure you're in the midwest and not maybe... southern Missouri or something like that? Have you been abducted from MinneSOHTA, yah know?

I have never seen this anywhere in Illinois (although the southern reaches of Illinois are much more "southern" in culture than midwestern). Nor have I seen it southern Wisconsin (very rural, white, and Christian), eastern Iowa, Michigan or Minnesota (mostly was in the Ely area and boundary waters, which are plenty white, rural and conservative... maybe because there's more outsiders in those areas the local fast food joints don't play up their favorites as much?) The only place I wouldn't doubt what you're describing is most of Indiana (south of South Bend and West Lafayette essentially), maybe parts of Ohio.

Quote:
In a similar vein, it's common to walk into a Taco Bell or Burger King and then notice that they're playing Christian praise & worship music (Sirius XM The Message is a particular favorite).
I repeat, are you sure you're still in the midwest? What is the nearest major interstate sign where you are? Can you turn on your cell phone so we can triangulate your position and make sure you have not been abducted by aliens and moved overnight?

...into the light of a dark black night.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-11-30, 17:18

The soda fountain is just an example of people being shocked that other people might be waiting on them. I'm sure it happens everywhere, but it struck me by happening here so often. I've also noticed that people here very commonly do things like suddenly stop in a narrow aisle, blocking the whole thing with their cart, and then seem shocked when someone might be behind them or trying to get through. These people seem to be otherwise considerate—they always apologize—but they just seem less used to crowds. Even businesses here seem less adept at managing lines.

Maybe Rochester is a little pocket of Missouri, I don't know. I'm just reporting what I've seen and heard. I'm in a BK right now, and they're playing Sirius XM The Message (and, of course, Fox News).

Rochester shouldn't be like some tiny bumfuck town—the city I lived in for much of my time in Oregon has roughly the same population—and if anything I'd assume that the more educated doctor population and influx of diverse visitors that Mayo Clinics brings here would make it less Missouri-y. But idk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-11-30, 17:23

The soda thing was dead on. People actually do that...I run into it at Subway and Taco Bell (or wherever places have a self-serve fountain). Some folks just monopolize the thing and make a huge production out of getting their drink. And, yes...then they turn around, see you there with a "really?" expression and then become all aware and apologetic.



Here's the rule:

1) Get some ice (if that's how you roll)
2) Get some beverage
3) Scoot out of the way to do your lid/straw business, and free up access to the actual dispensers. There are a gazillion other places for you to screw around with your lid, straw unwrapping, etc.

This goes for convenience stores as well. Fill your cup, then move out of the way and do your other stuff elsewhere (it can be right beside me, I don't care...just don't do it all there, blocking the machine). Especially when it's during the big lunch or dinner crunch times and there are five or more others behind you.

This kind of thing is small, but it adds up. And it's the same sort of mentality behind those who don't pull their checkbooks out, have their ID ready and pre-fill everything they can at the grocery store, so all they have to do is just fill in the amount. My entire life, up to and including the day before yesterday, I get behind these people who buy half the store, then just stand there and look around or watch the cashier scan stuff, etc. for 3-5 minutes, and do nothing else. Only after the cashier gives the final cost, do they finally open their purse, look for a pen, find their checkbook, remember some coupons, then write everything out from scratch, etc.

I never understand this.

Some people make a production out of everything: ordering something at a counter, buying lottery tickets, etc. I can always tell, within seconds, the kind of person I'm behind and if the process or transaction is going to go smoothly and in a timely manner. I'm never wrong...I can look at the person in front of me - regardless of age, gender, race, etc. - and immediately know "time-waster" or "or-the-ball". It's all in how they move, stand, carry themselves, etc.

I can spot a drag-ass time-waster from 50 yards...

  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-11-30, 17:38

Exactly.

Another small thing: in Vegas and Salem, you boarded the bus through the front doors and then, assuming you didn't need the wheelchair ramp or something, you exited the bus through the back doors, so that other people could board. Here, everybody tries to both enter and exit the bus through the front doors, so there's always this big production of people trying to squeeze by each other, and the bus driver putting his hand up to try to let people de-board and the boarders ignoring him and trying to climb on anyway, &c. Less than half as many people ride the bus here, but each stop seems to take twice as long. It just seems so weird to me, the bus has this second set of doors, and nobody uses them.

Recently I was waiting in a long line at a theater that seemed to be unusually busy. When I finally got to the front of the line, I was told that I wouldn't be able to buy a ticket, the entire multiplex had been rented out by the Mayo radiology department and only Mayo employees and their families could see movies that day. And I thought, didn't it occur to anyone to put a sign up at the beginning of the line with this rather significant information? But I'm sure it didn't. And why would it? That theater had never had such long lines before.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
  quote
psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2014-11-30, 17:44

Those are the emergency escape doors, only to be used when the bus is on fire (or under alien attack or whatever).

Everybody knows this. What's wrong with you?
  quote
Ryan
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
 
2014-11-30, 19:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robo View Post
Another thing that I've noticed is that, if you are a white guy like I am, people just assume that you're both Christian and Conservative. Random people, like customers in your check-out lane, will just start talking to you about about politics, and they'll say some fairly extreme things fully expecting you to agree with them and not even considering the possibility that you wouldn't. It's happened to me multiple times but it still feels a little surreal. In Vegas and Oregon people didn't just assume I was anything, Democrat or Republican, I guess because there's more diversity in larger cities. But there seems to be this weird assumption here that if you're white you're on "our side," and that liberalism is just something for brown people. The differences in political opinions between Oregon and the Midwest was something I knew about, of course, but I was still taken aback by how direct it all was. Like, there is literally no doubt in peoples' minds that I'll disagree with whatever they have to say, no matter how incendiary. It actually really bothered me for a while, like I was worried I was somehow giving off racisty vibes, but I eventually realized it was just election season in the Midwest. (My favorite was the lady who loudly declared that she was so incensed by socialized medicine, it almost made her want to move to Canada! And I was like, ohmigod, these people actually exist.)

In a similar vein, it's common to walk into a Taco Bell or Burger King and then notice that they're playing Christian praise & worship music (Sirius XM The Message is a particular favorite). And it's not like I turn into Atheist Hulk or melt like a witch or anything, but it just feels like something that would be unusual elsewhere that nobody bats an eye at here. It's not that everyone with an Burger King franchise in Oregon is a heathen or something, there's just more of an awareness of diversity and being neutral that isn't present here. Here everyone just assumes that you're Christian, unless you "look like a Muslim," and questions like "What church do you go to?" are common, because of course everyone goes to church. And customers in Nevada or Oregon never got offended when I wished them "happy holidays," but here people straight-up correct you. "NO. Merry CHRISTmas." It's just odd, like wishing everybody their own happy holiday is somehow biased, you have to specifically reaffirm the chosen faith of the majority to be "fair." (That it's rather impolite to tell others the "proper" way to wish you well never seems to occur to people; I always think "actually, now I don't hope you have a happy holiday, so I guess you've succeeded?")

Hmm, I didn't mean for this to be so political (and I didn't even get to the gay stuff!). Oh well. Merry Fucking Christmas, everyone.
I have to agree with Moogs on this. Hell, I spent eight years in Texas and I never saw this. Even during election season, I never once had someone bring up politics like that.

I think you're just surrounded by asshats.
  quote
Robo
Formerly Roboman, still
awesome
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
 
2014-11-30, 20:28

Maybe. I hope it's just some bizarre occurrence that I've been repeatedly confronted with.

Recently, on Election Day, I was discussing politics with a friend at work during a rare bit of downtime, and a customer valued guest walking by literally does a head-whip and giddily says, "ARE WE TALKING POLITICS?" and then launches into an explanation/rant of his political views, and how he considers himself a centrist even though all the views he describes are extremely right-wing, and my friend and I are just sort of taken aback by this guy, and we're trying to be polite but he can't seem to take the hint that we aren't really interested in why he thinks children of "illegals" should get to go to school, and he just keeps going and going and we keep uncomfortably "uh-huh"ing until eventually he's satisfied whatever impulse he had and he says "anyway, good to talk politics with you fellas!" and walks away, all smiles. And my friend and I just look at each other, like "did that just happen?"

It's usually not that long-winded or overt. Most of the time it's just some passing comment about Obama or "those liberals" that I'm obviously expected to agree whole-heartedly with, for some reason.

and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong
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Ryan
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Promise Land of Trustafarians
 
2014-11-30, 21:02

Quote:
Originally Posted by Robo View Post
Maybe. I hope it's just some bizarre occurrence that I've been repeatedly confronted with.

Recently, on Election Day, I was discussing politics with a friend at work during a rare bit of downtime, and a customer valued guest walking by literally does a head-whip and giddily says, "ARE WE TALKING POLITICS?" and then launches into an explanation/rant of his political views, and how he considers himself a centrist even though all the views he describes are extremely right-wing, and my friend and I are just sort of taken aback by this guy, and we're trying to be polite but he can't seem to take the hint that we aren't really interested in why he thinks children of "illegals" should get to go to school, and he just keeps going and going and we keep uncomfortably "uh-huh"ing until eventually he's satisfied whatever impulse he had and he says "anyway, good to talk politics with you fellas!" and walks away, all smiles. And my friend and I just look at each other, like "did that just happen?"

It's usually not that long-winded or overt. Most of the time it's just some passing comment about Obama or "those liberals" that I'm obviously expected to agree whole-heartedly with, for some reason.
Well, I've seen that in California, just with the politics flipped.

Hell, I see it in Boulder too. My coworkers assume I'm as left-wing as they are because I don't say anything to contradict it.
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