Wherein trof meets an actual birther...

[trof]

We stopped by the library the other day and while I was looking for 2 or 3 books I wanted to read, Miz t. went to scope out the audio books for a future road trip.

I found what I wanted, checked out my books, and went in search of Miz t.
I found her talking to two elderly white-haired women.
One had a look of real concern and worry on her face.
The other one just looked...PISSED!
Forehead wrinkled, brows together, and a scowl on her face.
As I came within earshot I heard Miz t. say "Well, my husband knows something about it. Ask him."

Me: "About what?"
Miz t. "About the healthcare Bill."
Oh boy...
Worried Lady: "Are they gonna tell us what doctor we can go to? Are they gonna tell us if we can get a hip replacement?"
Pissed Lady: Just scowled at me.
Me: "No, m'am. Not the way I understand it. If you like the doctor you have, you get to keep him. And nobody's gonna tell you what medical procedures you can or can't have."
PL: "YES THEY WILL! YES THEY WILL!"
Me: "No, m'am. I'm sorry that just not true. Where are you getting your information?"
During this whole exchange Worried Lady is speechless, just looking back and forth from me to PL.
PL: "YES IT IS TRUE! I GOT IT OFF THE INTERNET! THEY'RE GONNA EUTHANIZE US! IT'S SOCIALIZED MEDICINE!"
Oh lord...she's read the email that's making the rounds with all the wildass, scary misinformation in it. And she's been scaring the shit out of the poor Worried Lady with all that crap.
Me: "M'am, I don't believe anything on the internet. At least not anonymous stuff that shows up in my inbox with no attribution or link to original material. You can make up anything you want to and put it on the net."
PL: "WELL, IT IS SO TRUE! NOT ONLY THAT, THIS IS A CHRISTIAN NATION! WE DON'T NEED TO BE PAYING FOR HEALTHCARE FOR A BUNCHA IMMIGRANTS! NOT ONLY THAT, HE'S NOT EVEN A CITIZEN! I DIDN'T VOTE FOR HIM!"
OK, this is just more 'stupid' than I can or will deal with.
Me: "Lady, this conversation just ended. Come on, Hon."

We walked outside and Miz t. said "Holy Moley. That was scary. How can anybody be that stupid?"
I guess you have to work at it.
:-(

[gratuitous]

1. Too bad you were in the library

A calm, rational discussion sounds totally out of the question with PL. I probably would have ended by turning to WL and saying that you can't believe everything you read/hear on the internet, and evaluating the source was the best way to make up your own mind.

Then . . . skedaddle!

[Bruno A. lives]

2. Trof meets a birther

I ran into one at the checkout line on Friday. A middle-age man ranting at the nice cashier about socialism, Obama, healthcare and dammed liberals. Everyone looked uncomfortable and the cashier (a sweet religious lady) seemed embarassed. One man was shaking his head and looked about to say something then stopped. I wanted to speak out but the man was so angry, red faced and sweating, and who knows if he was armed so I kept my mouth shut, as I am a very small lady. At least you put in your opinion and that woman may have second thoughts about her propaganda.

[jimshoes]

3. Here we have what I'm going to call a

circle of points, the talking points you will hear daily on wingnut radio and the faux newz shows. There aren't that many of them so they're easy to remember. The birth certicficate, he's a socialist, they want to kill granny, illegal immigrants, he's a Muslim. There are a few more but they just keep repeating them like an old 8 track tape player.

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. Do these people not realize that their insurance corps DO EXACTLY what they fear the government

will do regarding health care? The insurance corps DO dictate what treatment is covered, which medical procedures are approved or not approved and provide a list of approved health care providers. AND they DO it all for PROFIT! Which makes their motives for opposing any health care reform all the more suspect. That is what these pissed off and frightened people aren't getting.


What the hell is wrong with these people? Can't they think for themselves? Do they like being lied to? Like being frightened about what should be a basic right for EVERYONE? They are going to screw it up for the rest of us, simply because they aren't capable of thinking for themselves. Morans!

[Warren Stupidity]

7. if they only had some brains

these people long ago lost any capacity for thinking. The false noise garbage goes in and is vomited back out.

On the other hand, what we have brewing here is a classic middle class reactionary movement, a proto-fascist movement, well organized, well funded, enabled by cooperative media outlets, fueled by racism, religiousity, homophobia, economic angst, and the dim awareness that a mythical white america is in demographic decline. They are testing the waters with their town hall goonery. We will see where this all goes soon enough.

[Ian David]

5. The good news is, they're being tormented by their own bigotries and prejudices. n/t

[surrealAmerican]

6. That's NOT good news.

As much as I would hate to see these people happy, the more misery they experience (even of their own doing), the more misery they cause for others.