Thursday, April 16, 2009

I Enjoyed my Tea Yesterday

OK; While I enjoyed a cup of tea yesterday, I didn't enjoy listening to Republican radio. I try to listen as little as possible, but sometimes you just get that urge to listen to people squawk. While traveling a few miles down the road to bring home some Chinese food, I had an unfortunate encounter with a scum-bag.

On Route 3 in Coventry, a driver started beeping his horn as he moved to pass me. His windows were down and he had WPRO Republican radio blasting. As he pulled along side, he started yelling at me through the window, informing me that Obama is a communist. You see, I do have a single Obama sticker on my car. I listened to his rant as we approached the red light and then had to decide how to respond. I'm always in for a good political fight, so I gave it right back to him as we waited for the green light. You must know; I did ask myself, does this nut have a gun? I didn't care; for once in my life I'm in the political majority and he needed to know that. We exchanged fingers and parted ways as he turned left off of Route 3.

Funny thing about the middle finger; does anyone know where and when the middle finger was born as a statement of feelings towards your fellow man? The Dan York show on WPRO was covering the Tea Party in Providence and was allowing the hatred filled comments to spew forth over the air waves. My new friend had been incited by the classy discussion on the radio and decided he was going to do something about it. That something was to verbally assault a person he did not know because I had expressed my belief in a political candidate on the bumper of my car.

Now I believe in the right of all of those folks to protest in Providence. Heck, in my younger days I attended many protests a lot larger than that. If you've done it, you're in no position to complain about it. What I have never done is step on somebody Else's right to display their belief, or express their belief in a civilized way. I enjoy political discourse with reasoned people that think differently than I do. I like people that think differently than I do. The verbal assault that occurred was the action of a scum-bag. I could give out the guys license plate now but I guess I'll just hold onto it.

So what was accomplished in the protests of yesterday? I guess it empowered one right wing extremist to show why he is an uneducated moron. My scum-bag friend does not have a constitutinonal right to verbally assault anyone. As for the good folks in Providence that were enjoying their constitutional rights, I'm not sure they all agreed on the message of the day. On today's radio broadcast, Dan York couldn't figure out what it was all about yesterday; and he knows everything.

tomtoak

2 comments:

  1. He was probably just irritated after being tea bagged all day! The people involved in this protest - referring to President Obama as a communist - strike me as a little dim witted. (trying to be nice) Where were they during the reign of King George? I have to say, it doesn't get me too riled up, knowing that - thankfully - we are in power and good things are happening, regardless of how the Republicans think!

    Isn't it sad that the first thing that comes to mind in a situation like that is "does this person have a gun?". Those are typically my first thoughts as well. I think it speaks volumes to the state of our society.

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  2. I find it amazing how so many who had 8 years to try to better our country (and those that supported them!) still have a sense on entitlement and are also overwhelmingly negative toward a fresh and more open point of view! They would rather snub world leaders than shake their hands and try to establish a dialogue. We do all have to live in this "global village" together and Bush, Cheney,etc and their gang's tactics did not make us safer!!! I also don't think public espousal of hate and incitement to violence should be allowed on radio,tv,etc.

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