Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Where is that damn EJECT button?

I actively avoid talking about politics with clients. Some things I learn. Sometimes, despite all my frantic steering, the conversation ends with a wreck like this:

Dude: Barack Obama is not the man.
Me: O RLY?
Dude: And it's not that....I mean, I'd vote for Colin Powell.
Me: Um. OK.
Dude: Plus, have people already forgotten 9/11?
Me: What do you mean?
Dude: Well, he was mostly raised in the Middle East.
Me: Actually, no, he wasn't.
Dude: Either way, he's still a Muslim.
Me: So you think we'll get rain today?

I feel guilty about it, but sometimes I'm just too tired to go on.

Look, I'm not trying to feel superior to this guy, or even mock his political affiliations. Believe what you want to believe, but if you can't be bothered to get INFORMED, then shut up. Is it too much to ask that you UNDERSTAND why you believe something? It's like, I'm not gonna suddenly start talking about football. Like that.

9 comments:

Frontier Psychiatrist said...

This almost sounds like my brother. Except 1. he probably wouldn't vote for Colin Powell and 2. he wouldn't have conceded that "either way."

I hate politics.

Beau RN said...

This came up when I was back in Ohio for my high school reunion. There were several who were all on board with the Obama is a Muslim idea and no amount of "go look it up" kind of truth would put them off.

Sometimes you kinda hate that everyone has a vote in this republic, right?

Moominmama said...

We need to make a distinction between beliefs and FACTS. People can believe what they want to believe, but that is different from just being WRONG.

*sigh*

I really hate idiots.

Michael said...

FP, my brother is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, but at least he GETS it. He thinks about it. He laughs about stuff like this. Then he still doesn't care about women, minorities or the poor.

Beau, for better or (much) worse, they're our people. I take it upon myself to subtly suggest they're SO busy and stressed that it's OK if they don't have time to vote.

CB, agreed, of course. Hold your beliefs, but have some basis for them. Or keep your pious hole shut.

sam said...

You're dealing with a set of people who hold their ignorance sacred. You are superior and have every right to mock.

The Other Andrew said...

I can't believe he totally glossed over that eats babies and puppies. Wow, oversight!

Michael said...

Sam, and I even glossed over some of the nastier things he said. Exhausting.

Andrew, heh, but he's not racist!

The Other Andrew said...

Don't love conversations that start "I'm not racist/homophobic BUT..."

But what? You just act like one?

The Other Andrew said...

It seems to be my day for leaving words out of comments. As you were.