I confronted a republican today

[Joey Liberal]

I confronted a rightwinger at (of all places) my Lions Club meeting this morning. The guest speaker was from a charitable foundation here in my town. It's an organization that provides grants to worthwhile charities. This guy caught my attention when he started complaining about taxes. He went too far when he said that "we are now in a climate where considerable tax increases are coming." I asked him to clarify that and he used the term "silly" to describe the current political debate. I asked him straight up if he thinks healthcare and helping the poor is "silly". He replied by talking about how President Carter ruined the military and was a weak President. I jumped all over him for that one. I said "It's ludicrous for you to be bringing up Jimmy Carter in 2009". Then he says, "We'll, I don't mean to bring up politics". I then told him that he came to the wrong place if he wants to talk politics. The club President ended it there. Pretty wild, eh?
JL
"Fiesty Liberal"

[YOY]

1. "We'll, I don't mean to bring up politics".

Then fucking don't if you can't defend what you are going to say.

Parroting assholes.

[Joey Liberal]

3. I dogged him good.

Fucking jerk thought he could get away with that? Not on my watch!

[Cosmocat]

16. I am in both Kiwanis and Rotary ...

and they are both very right leaning clubs ...

I am probably one of the three or four youngest people in Kiwanis, which has a lot of older members. I cut my teeth in service groups there, and these folks are GENUINELY my friends.

I have to grit my teeth A LOT when they talk national politics. But, the funny thing is, they know my politics, and support my political efforts, they back my candidacies and genuinely help me ...

They are VERY good people, have done A LOT for the community and again are true friends to me.

NOW, to an experience more like yours ...

A guy at the gym I have been talking to off and on for a couple of years. Nice guy, his wife comes in and he has young kids like mine. But, a complete and total Rush person. I mean, he swallows it hook, line and sinker. I have always taken a tact of just saying that I think there are false dichotomies set up and let him go about it. but, for the last six months or so I have swallowed a lot - he has been a teabagger, been to DC with them a few times. I do actually respect that he is involved and is doing what he believes in as opposed to just moaning about crape ...

Anyway, he started up with me last week and I let loose on him, raised my voice, hands flying, just shot down every last piece of nonsense he was saying ... As I got it off my back a bit I started to wind down, and apologized for losing it on him. He actually took it fairly well, and as we were getting ready to leave came over for a handshake and said we should go out for beers sometime to "piss each other off ..."

I guess for me ... It is SO hard to hear the total BS, but what is really surreal is that really good people truely believe it. It isn't everyone's way, but I have hopes to be able to make an impact, and part of that is developing relationships, accepting people for who they are and trying to not let people's political views cloud who I see then for as people in total ...

[Joey Liberal]

24. Hey Cosmocat, luckily, my Lions Club is left leaning

There are some rightwingers in the club, but they, like your Kiwanis and Roatary club pals, are very good people despite their twisted politics. I think this guy really meant to pick on President Obama, but thought better of it when he saw the large number of people of color in my club. So, he brings up Jimmy Carter. I had to jump on him for that. I really let him have it.

Keep after em, Cosmocat!

[YOY]

26. I have a HS buddy that every time I see him starts talking that shit.

I school him and he pulls that line.

Amazing...this guy gets his career and money from his daddy and expects everyone else to follow suite.

[havocmom]

8. That phrase or 'Hey, where's your sense of humor? It was a joke'

When they use either of those, you know you have them by the short hairs. They picked a fight, thinking everyone agrees with them, or that liberals are wimps and never confront. When you face them down with facts, they do what bullies everywhere do: try to turn tail and save face all at the same time. Quite predictable and very pathetic.

[ddeclue]

2. Actually Carter did quite a lot to strengthen the military your RW friend is full of crap.

He re-instituted draft registration.

He was responsible for a lot of new weapons programs including B2, F117, F14, F15, F16, A10, M1 tank, new subs, etc.

Ask him when the US Navy will be launching the U.S.S. Nixon next time you see him.

Nixon did a lot to trash the military by continuing the Vietnam War on for so long after Tet.

[Joey Liberal]

4. Oh, he's not my friend:)..........

I had never met the guy until today.

[madmax]

5. And he belongs to a charitable foundation? n/t

[Joey Liberal]

6. Yes, but this is Oklahoma after all............ nt

[mkultra]

10. im an okie and i agree

conservatism is like a disease here. You would think that years of conservative politics coupled with poor education and economy would make some of them open their eyes.

[pretzel4gore]

15. we was the Conservatives!

the reactionary rightwing has been active since Moby Dick was a minnow-and they are effective precisely because they're stupid. Following WW2, the pig noticed the veterans had seen public policy at work, and, here in the west, liked what they saw, and...well the reactionaries have been slowly undermining the truth ever since by constantly linking bad stuff (ie Soviet fear of western economic might, hence their desperate repression of popular sentiments) with liberal ideas that proved so effective winning the 2nd world war, and rebuilding the economies of Europe Japan etc. Slowly, the rightwing has taken over newsmedia, and quietly substituted their bullshite history in order to control the population, or its understandings, using fraud and murder and more fraud until the public almost became a bystander in 'news'. Thus, the reactionary right never were 'conservatives' in any meanigful sense. They were rightwing radical terrorists, reacting everytime the popular will was expressed. They murdered JFK, they staged 911. Etcetera

[Joey Liberal]

18. Yes, it's pretty bad here in Okie Land

These people are a trip...........

[geckosfeet]

7. Jimmy Carter. Served in the USN.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

22. Nuclear Engineer, too. Brilliant Man.

[Joey Liberal]

23. Yes, they forget that, don't they?

[mkultra]

9. KICK HIS ASS TBASS

[HughMoran]

11. Nice - don't let them get away with that bullshit

What is it with Republicans and their "1980s" obsession? I nearly fell out of my seat when some guy up the street started talking about welfare state etc - crap I haven't heard since Reagone. Is this all these trolls got?

[Joey Liberal]

19. Its what they hear from Limbaugh and Beck. nt

[K8-EEE]

12. I'm so sick of Republicans racking up the bills and whining about paying them

Obama inherited massive debt and if they don't like that they can just PAY IT OFF. But they sure don't wanna do that.

[Andronex]

13. That will teach him...

I just love paying more taxes for endless wars and corporate profit, hopefully the 70 billion of additional business the poor insurance industry will get with this "health bill" will be enough, if not lets all start a collection...

[sellitman]

14. Give'm heck!

Good job.

[Joey Liberal]

20. Thanks!

[patrice]

17. Thank You, Joey, for not taking any guff off of these idiots!!

:applause:

[Joey Liberal]

21. I'll never back down to the Tea Bagging fools!

[arbusto_baboso]

25. Funny I talked to one recently who said Clinton destroyed the military.

"You can't deny that Bill Clinton destroyed the miltary that he hated so much. That's a fact."

I replied, "Really? It's a fact because you say it is? Lemme see: You are an asshole, a coward and a moron. That's a fact." By this time he was sputtering. "See, it doesn't work like that. If you say that Clinton destroyed the military, you damn well better provide some data, otherwise you're just blowing smoke out your ass."

"Well, he cut the size of all the forces."

"That finished under his watch. The draw-downs started under Bush, Sr. Part of the 'peace dividend' Reagan supposedly gave us for winning the Cold War all by his lonesome with both hands tied behind his back. Know your facts, or you just look like an idiot. By the way, knowing something louder and believing it harder doesn't make you right. It just makes you obnoxiously pig-headed and still wrong."

[Joey Liberal]

29. Yes, I hear that one a lot too from the Tea Bagging crowd. nt

[gleaner]

27. Pretty darned good!

If more people did what you did they might finally shut up. What a day that would be.

[Joey Liberal]

28. Thank you! nt