I generally don't like the 'I had something happened today' posts because so many are just BS.

[GulfCoast66]

But today I did. I hope I have enough cred here to be believed.

Last night I cooked a very French meal so tonight wanted to cook something totally different and went to the Lotte Market in Orlando. Highway 50 and John Young Parkway if you live nearby. It’s a great Asian supermarket it you have one near you need to go.

I was in line to pay and a gentleman behind me started talking about how bad a state we are in. They can’t get construction supplies where he works. Then moved on explaining the largest threats to the world; Muslims, China and Russia. I just stared into his eyes. Then he added democrats! At that point I moved 3 feet towards him, stared in his eyes, and told him I am a Democrat. He was obviously nonplussed. Realize I’m a decent sized white guy wearing fishing themed clothes. Floridians will know what I mean. Long shorts, a Columbia Shirt and a cap. Admittedly, I looked like a republican, which I always do. Dude started stammering about how he is a registered democrat but voted for trump. Told him I would not vote for that SOB if the last man on earth. Then he told me trump would be back. I told him trump will be in prison.

Then I struck. I told him you need to study more. Every thing Congress has done to help the working man has been done by democrats.

And I’ve yet to mention he was an immigrant. Because we were wearing masks can’t say if he was Asian or Hispanic. But had a thick accent.

I guess he felt threatened because he left our line. The shortest line in the store because I only had around 8 items. Guess he felt uncomfortable.

Where I’m going here is it’s important to challenge these folks personally. I don’t doubt he gets all his info online. And has never had a good sized white guy he naturally assumed was on his side challenge his Bullshit.

There was more said but this OP is already too long.

[Joinfortmill]

1. 👍

[NJCher]

3. Disagree

I don’t think they are lies.

I like the “slice of life” aspect of the stories.

If a poster does get a little far out, one can tell.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Well, you've got enough cred for me, my dear GulfCoast66! And then some.

It's a great story and I'm glad you told it.

Keep on keepin' on!

[sprinkleeninow]

4. 'I' had something happen to me today.

🙃

[GulfCoast66]

5. Yeah. The reaction I feared. Can't believe anything on the internet.

And I actually agree.

But hell, the exception proves the rule.

It made an impact on me. Take it for what you want.

I will tell you because of experience, when you are a white guy in the south, wear fishing clothes in hot weather, jeans and boots in winter, caps to hide your thinning and grey hair, own a boat and drive a truck, people make assumptions and say things to you they would not to others. I hear it all the time in breweries.

If I posted every time a white dude assumed I was in their camp and said something deplorable it would be monthly. This was unusual because it was not a ‘white guy’. And was troublesome.

[sprinkleeninow]

6. I was just bein' silly. 🙂

Should've added more to my comment.

I hear ya. Understand where you're coming from by your account.

Today people don't know how to take one another. They presume to 'see' based on outward appearance such as clothing.

I'm continuing to wear a mask everywhere out. I dreamed up potential responses if somebody made a remark. The best one I decided I'd use is simply a laugh. Like Fran's on "The Nanny". I do that well. Ha!

Nice thing about masking is you can mutter under your breath with no blowback.

P.S. Izzit a bass boat? 😁

[sprinkleeninow]

7. Me again. You cooked a tres French meal? Ooh la la. I'll be right down.

[GulfCoast66]

12. Fresh caught Sea Trout Meuniere, pommels vapeur with parsley and steamed green beans.

It did not suck.

[sprinkleeninow]

13. Tres yummy! Dude into Franch cookin' with self caught fish! 👍

Safety and health be to you and yours.

[Tanuki]

8. I had to look up "Columbia shirts." Apparently I need to get out more!

🐟 🛶 🎣

[appalachiablue]

9. For his sake & yours I hope the guy learns

from the experience, there are many like that around, and longtime in the comfort zone.

For people on the right and some on the left, I don't think they spend much time and effort at real reading, even online. Sure, they follow videos, FB, short tweets and brief postings online but not in- depth reading of news and issues. People are busy and there's mega entertainment to be distracted by in lieu of news.

What many consume is convenient, quick, easy to digest, filled with additives and low quality- Junk News & Info. 'Real news' is hard, more time consuming, kind of like 'real cooking,' and far healthier of course.

- .."IS OUR CHILDREN LEARNING?"


'Info.' taken in by word of mouth, and from following audio/visual media - radio, TV, videos is what many folks of diverse backgrounds absorb even if they don't want to admit it. And that's the way so much news and information is packaged and presented nowdays.

Oral/verbal communication by listening to others and absorbing audio-visual material is far more personal, emotional, digestible and easy to understand for many folks than serious print reading, a very different intellectual process. Note the success of Hate Radio. And in Fla., some rw propaganda online & directed to hispanics is piped in from So. America mainly on social media.

=========
*See 'America the Iliterate,' by Chris Hedges. A tough read but a lot of truth.

- Chris Hedges and Literacy, WYSU, 2010 -
https://wysu.org/content/commentary/chris-hedges-and-literacy

.. Hedges, a recipient of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on global terrorism, takes a sober look at literacy in America. His book is fundamentally a literacy report card and he gives America an F. Consider these facts which Hedges cites:

- 7 million Americans are illiterate and the number grows by 2 million a year
- 30 million Americans cannot read a sentence
- Among those who read, 50 million read at the 4th to 5th grade level

- In 2007, 80% of U.S. families did not buy or read a book
- One-third of those Americans who graduate from high school never read a single book after high school for the rest of their lives, and 42% of those who graduate from college never read a single book after college for the rest of their lives.

These jarring facts lead Hedges to indict our schools and colleges for training students to be compliant, money-driven careerists instead of critical thinkers who value autonomy and curiosity and who see the need to challenge the idols of the tribe. If Americans care little today about the pursuit of knowledge through books, magazines, and newspapers, what do we care about? Hedges claims that most of us care about entertainment in order to escape from reality...
=========

For many people in America, reading habits and reading levels have sadly declined significantly in the last 40+ years. We know how and why. It's serious and dangerous.

[byronius]

10. Been there, done that.

I get taken for a fellow nazi all the time. Still mildly enjoy the shock of their revelation.

[smirkymonkey]

11. Good for you!

What amazes me about so many of these stories (not just here at DU) is how many of these people are immigrants and how easily they get sucked in by the right-wing lies.

[Atticus]

14. You have plenty of cred with me. I have respected you since you verbally kicked my

butt a few years ago in a very firm but civil manner and than graciously accepted my apology for my ignorance.

I may not always agree with you, but I do always know you are "callin' 'em the way you see 'em".

Thank you for going toe to toe with that ignoramus. I wish more of us would.

[GoodRaisin]

15. They tend to run when you challenge them. How many times have we seen on TV segments

where when asked to elaborate on their views, they say "I don't want to talk to you". That's because their views are nonsense even they themselves can't explain of defend.

[RegularJam]

16. I'm a Floridian and often dress similar to what you describe.

Also have buzzed hair. It’s messed up how many people in Fl think that’s a green light that I’m comfortable with racism.