My encounter with a batshit right-wing nut at the bar this evening [View all]

[titaniumsalute]

I'm traveling to Myrtle Beach for a few days for business. There's a small craft beer/food joint that I like to frequent while in town. It is usually fairly quiet, nice local folks drinking solid beer and eating great wings.

Tonight there was what seemed to be a friendly 50 something couple sitting behind me. The place was fairly quiet so at some point we struck up a light-hearted conversation. They asked what I do for a living and we talked about that for awhile. Then some other light-hearted stuff came up. No big deal.

I somehow mentioned that my previous career was in research as I have a degree in statistics. The guy looked at me and said something like "Well we all know statistics lie." I asked, "What are you talking about???" He said, "Well you know statistics lie. Just look at the polls that come out all the time." So I explained that statistics is just math. Period. It doesn't have anything specifically to do with polling, politics, agendas, etc. It's just math. There are thousands of people who study stats that never do anything with polling. However, I told him I used to do statistical analysis for a living including specialized audience polling and measurement.

He then started saying that "You know, some polls are designed to steer the message or result." I told him that maybe in politics there is some polling done that might try to steer a message, but that the vast majority of statistical polling is simply done to learn more about certain areas for companies or groups to make better decisions. The guy got kind of mad and said loudly "YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!! Politicians use polls to steer voters. And liberals do it all the time!! They make up numbers and call them polls." I told him that I'm sure some politicians might highlight certain aspects of polls in the media to create a message. THEY ALL DO IT!" Of course he said...no way. The Demo-rats (yes he said Demo-rats) do it all the time. Conservatives do not. I started laughing and said "Are you insane? Every politician spins polls and information to their own benefit. THEY ARE POLITICIANS!! That's what they do."

I had an AH-HA moment. I had a quick decision to make. Do a serious verbal complete throw-down on this miserable fuckwad or take the high road and let this guy metaphorically hang himself. I decided a good metaphor lynching was in play. I simply said "I have no idea what you are talking about...my degree in statistics has nothing to do with politics...why are we discussing this?" He started ranting about MSNBC and Rachal Maddow...the communist. I told him that I didn't care who Rachael Maddow is (to deflect the argument) but I have seen that pretty much every cable news network is for quick ratings and entertainment. They will say whatever they need to say to make ratings to sell ads. I specifically mentioned Fox news when I said this. He was starting to foam at the mouth and his wife said "Bob, that's enough. You're acting like an ass again." I started cracking up. He was PISSED. I then said..."I don't waste my time watching cable news crap...I prefer to be a good American dad and read books, play with my kids in the evening, and spend time with my wife". This guy hollered "How do you learn about what the hell is going on in our country?" I told him I trust the President to make those decisions. I thought his head would explode. At that time his wife said "WE NEED to LEAVE BOB." I smiled, shook his hand, and said "It's been a pleasure. Maybe next time we can discuss sports or something more interesting. He pivoted and hauled ass out the front door.

I have learned as I've aged that I'd rather get a right winger to try to say really stupid things rather than go sparing with them. This guy was being belligerent...even his wife thought so. He sounded like an ass. After they left the bar owner came to apologize about three times and bought me a beer. She said he's there about every other night doing this shit.

Oh well...take a village. And a village idiot.

The guy didn't appear drunk. He was just hell bent on spewing his right wing talking points. When I didn't play ball he got very upset. This is an epidemic in our society now.