Conversation with a Stranger by Jean Carnahan

[proud2BlibKansan]

Now I don’t normally visit with Republicans for any length of time, especially the Tea Party type. But travel is both broadening and confining, as I learned this week. I was seated next to the window on a recent flight, when a weathered, old cowboy boarded the plane, took the seat on the aisle, and plopped his ten gallon hat on the seat between us. The flight attendant immediately told him he would have to put the hat under the seat, but it didn’t fit. She finally allowed the hat to occupy the middle seat since no passenger seemed to want the space next to the chatty guy with the ostrich skin boots.

Harry, as he soon introduced himself, was from—you guessed it—Texas, and he had boarded the plane with the clear intention of talking to anyone in range of his voice. I finally put my Kindle aside and decided I would treat the occasion as an opportunity to get a Texan’s perspective on the 2012 presidential campaign.

As my new seat mate rambled on during the next two hours, I discovered that he was scared. Scared life wasn’t going to be good for his kids—not that it had been all that great for him, as it turned out. Harry was also afraid of “them people,” code for anyone whose complexion was darker or opinion differed than his. He was especially fearful of liberals and despised Lyndon Johnson for what he gave away to “them people.”

Harry described himself as a borderline Tea Partier, about to jump into the pot. He was for Rick Perry, mainly because he was a Texan—though he had been unwilling to cut LBJ that slack. Even so, Harry seemed intrigued by my deviant political views.

more . . . http://www.firedupmissouri.com/editorials/conversation-stranger

[treestar]

1. Yep, public works and socialism are OK if he benefits

Not for other people. This is so typical of right wingers and in fact average Americans.

We know they expect society to help when they have any type of problem. But while things go well for them, other people should not be helped.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. Interesting article, especially for those of us who would not have survived.

A two hour forced conversation with a teabagger would cause me to either jump of go insane. I am glad that she was able to do this on a purely intellectual level. And, as always, find the hypocrisy.

[SheilaT]

3. As always, someone who is adamantly opposed

to any spending that would benefit someone else, but boy, once HE needs help just send him the money!

I sincerely hope some young person close to him gets disabled. Then watch him oppose disability. The ignorance and the hypocrisy are both breathtaking.

And was that really former Missouri Governor Carnahan who sat next to this guy?

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. hmm, will just kick

worth the read... damn socialist! He wants WATER!