My shopko moment

[PrincessFiona]

I was checking out at shopko today and out of the blue the checkout lady started telling me that Bush was the best candidate and I needed to vote for him... Boy was she sorry! Actually, I was really polite and I told her that that was what made america great...we could disagree with each other...and she practically bit my head off!

Wow...I thought I was bad!

kris

That's pretty bad! Boy, if I were there, I probably would have complained to her supervisor. I just can't wait for this election to be over! The opinion section of my local paper has become unbearable to read.

[BonBon]

Sheesh! The checkout line is hardly the time or place! I hate when strangers get in your face like that.

There's this twit at a nice restaurant that DH and I go to. She *still* is calling the french fries "freedom fries". Never mind that it's asinine to begin with. But still? gimme a break.

[Auspicious]

She *still* is calling the french fries "freedom fries". Never mind that it's asinine to begin with. But still? gimme a break.

I've found that that whole stupid "freedom fries" thing has actually inadvertently soured me on the word "freedom" and even made me annoyed that the skyscraper they're building on the old WTC site is the "Freedom Tower." I feel like "oh, please call it something else" even though "Freedom Tower" is a perfectly benign, boring thing to call a structure. Bleh.

[PrincessFiona]

I don't mind debating people I know....actually, I really enjoy debating/talking about issues with people who I disagree with if we realize that we disagree and aren't going to take things personally.

That's probably why I was also shocked when things kind of blew up around here behind the scenes when we started talking politics and why I'm surprised that people tread so lightly about the topic within the debate forum....

But strangers in shopko? I thought the woman's head was going to explode when she said "Bush is the best thing for this country" and I told her that I disagreed but added "thank god we live in america where we can all have different opinions"...truly, I thought she was going to yell at me.

I guess I'm just getting a taste of my own political medicine, eh?

kris

How weird!
Next time you go to Shopko, you need to wear a Kerry/Edwards shirt, with a Kerry/Edwards button pinned on it, and put your groceries in an environmentally-friendly Kerry/Edwards canvas bag. :>

[PrincessFiona]

Keep in mind that I live in a battleground state...I'd be afraid to even put a kerry/edwards sign in my yard at this point.

I'll be so glad when these elections are over.

Don't forget to vote guys...and of course, remember that the dems are voting on Nov 2nd and the repubs on Nov 3rd.

kris

Already voted! So, since I already voted, can we please have no more headlines, newstories, etc, etc about the election.

At one point, I think that Oregon was a battleground state but apparently that has fizzled out. Or, it's battleground by region. I think I have seen one Bush/Cheney lawn sign in my general neighborhood. Take a drive around here and you would think that Kerry should win by a landslide.

I'm soooo sick of the vote this way/that way signs all over. Today I saw one that said "Yes on 37 To Restore Fairness". Hey, I think I'm voting no because I really like unfairness! And that's all it says -- who cares what the initiative is about, but let's "restore fairness"! Which initiative do I vote on to increase suffering?

I hate initiatives. Isn't that what we elect state legislators for? :banned:

[SueC]

That's insane!
Wow, if I could be a fly on the wall in the admins board (I'm so nosey but you've got me intrigued Kris)!
I'd kind of like to put a Kerry sticker on my car but I'm terrified that I'm going to get hounded by somebody from the opposite side of the fence (not that I think all Republicans are like that, but they're out there from either political camp). I live in a hugely Democratic neighborhood, so there'd be no point in putting a sign in my yard.

[PrincessFiona]

Ha, Sue..you'd be sorely disappointed....we pretty much stick to problems that users are having getting registered, questions asked through the contact us feature of the website and maybe a personal grumble for the day!

Last time we talked politics there was just a private messaging/emailing hoo-ha of hurt feelings. :! I guess I'm hardened because I didn't realize it had 'gotten bad' until people were emailing me to complain.

[SueC]

I guess it's hard to not get carried away with the whole political stuff this time around--it feels like there is so much at stake this time! I used to feel like at the end of the day, nothing really was going to be accomplished anyway and that it didn't matter who the president was, pessimist that I was...

[Rapunzel]

There's something about cashiers and baggers in check-out lines. I've had the most bizarre and often the rudest comments from those persons (not to mention the people standing in line). I don't know what it is about that particular social situation that compels people to dispense unwanted advice or unwelcome personal commentary. I've had less of the political problem in that situation and more of the personal judgement on my family (ie my number of children, homeschooling, even how much food I am purchasing!). The latest fiasco occured when I took the kids to the grocery store a few weeks ago. My kids were quite well behaved - but the two year old was singing - loudly - and would not agree to temporarily stop until we got out of the store. The woman behind me made some comment about how she was so glad her children were back in school for the year because she couldn't stand to be around them (with some kind of implication about my own children in the comment and this "knowing look" like I would agree with her ). I told her that I homeschooled and I enjoyed being around my children. She got this surprised look on her face and kind of sputtered. Seriously, why do all the whackos have to come out at the check-out line?

Jennifer

[PrincessFiona]

I don't think that the woman in the line meant the comments in a condescending way or that she meant to belittle her own children. I think she was probably trying to relate to you having a little one not stop singing...I know that I get annoyed sometimes if one of my kids won't settle down so I can just pay. When we checked out once at the grocery store, Aidan started (and then would not stop) crying. The lady behind us commented that she was glad to have left her kids at home with her husband and kind of chuckled at Thomas and I trying to pack the groceries, settle Aidan and watch our other three (who were being pretty good). The truth is, we enjoy our family shopping experience...but there are some people who rather just get their shopping done without the crying....or the singing.

Along those lines, I was at Target the other night (alone with no kids) and the woman in front of me had her two cherubs 8) with her. Her 4 year old was screeching, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs about not getting a toy she wanted. The woman looked mortified but was staying firm. I finally interjected and said "Oh, I know how you feel..good for you for sticking to your guns. It's so hard". I'm glad I left my kids at home tonight".

I didn't mean the comment to suggest that I didn't like my children or she shouldn't have brought hers...I was just sort of empathizing with her pain in my own akward way.....

kris

[Rapunzel]

I don't think that the woman in the line meant the comments in a condescending way or that she meant to belittle her own children. I think she was probably trying to relate to you having a little one not stop singing...I know that I get annoyed sometimes if one of my kids won't settle down so I can just pay. When we checked out once at the grocery store, Aidan started (and then would not stop) crying. The lady behind us commented that she was glad to have left her kids at home with her husband and kind of chuckled at Thomas and I trying to pack the groceries, settle Aidan and watch our other three (who were being pretty good). The truth is, we enjoy our family shopping experience...but there are some people who rather just get their shopping done without the crying....or the singing.

Along those lines, I was at Target the other night (alone with no kids) and the woman in front of me had her two cherubs 8) with her. Her 4 year old was screeching, screaming and crying at the top of her lungs about not getting a toy she wanted. The woman looked mortified but was staying firm. I finally interjected and said "Oh, I know how you feel..good for you for sticking to your guns. It's so hard". I'm glad I left my kids at home tonight".

I didn't mean the comment to suggest that I didn't like my children or she shouldn't have brought hers...I was just sort of empathizing with her pain in my own akward way.....

kris

Oh, no - this woman referred to her children as "monsters". It seems that in our popular culture it is encouraged that parents look forward to not having their children around. I can't tell you how many times I have heard parents tell me IN FRONT OF THEIR OWN CHILDREN how they can't wait until their kids start school because they are tired of having them at home. In my area especially it is the vogue for parents to immediately pack their children off to summer camps for the entire summer the week after school ends.

Look at it this way: When you are a child your parents are the largest figures in your life - they are your examples, they are your mentors, and they are the people who know you better than just about anyone else in the world. For those same people to turn around and say they would be glad if you weren't around is just really devestating. The woman in the grocery store did not have her children present when she expressed her views to a perfect stranger in the store. However, my own children WERE present and she was expecting some sort of agreement from me - in front of my own children she was expecting me to say that I would wish my children were in school because I didn't want them around me everyday. All I could say was, simply, "We homeschool and I enjoy being around my children everyday." Now, I don't know if her shock was genuine or culturally trained. That is up for debate....

This woman and the others I have encountered weren't saying they were glad they were alone for a night - that's understandable. Everyone needs their "alone" time. What I'm talking about are the parents (primarily mothers in my encounters) who have expressed sincere distaste in having their children around them everyday (such as in the summer) and expect me to agree with this sentiment. I DO consider people like that whackos and I think I should start encouraging them to attend counseling to examine their negative attitudes towards their children. After all, if they expect me to emotionally destroy my children's egos in public then perhaps I should point out their destructive behavior towards the human beings in their own family.

Jennifer