Many years ago Stoker and I were walking down Michigan Avenue in Chicago at Christmas time. It was a cold but sunny day and the famous Windy City was enjoying calm conditions. The street was filled with festive shoppers and the stores were all decked out in holiday finery. Not a homeless person in sight either; this was back when there was a Daley in the mayor’s office and the city functioned, even if a few dead people might vote occasionally.
Not everyone was celebrating the holiday spirit. Outside of a high end department store (Nieman Marcus maybe?) there was a group of petulant PETA people protesting. Say that 3 times fast to improve your diction. I think they were opposed to fur coats, but it could have been meat or testing cosmetics on animals. Whatever it was they were worked up about it, chanting slogans and waving signs.
We stopped to watch for a second, and I guess I was looking askance at one of the women, so she glared directly at me and snarled “Do you find me frightening?” I responded “No Ms., I find you amusing!” That really got her mad and as we walked off she was spewing obscenities. Nothing makes a social justice warrior angrier than being laughed at.
I’m no longer laughing, at least not in the presence of someone convinced they are fighting against fascists like me. Back around 2000 such behavior would get you upbraided verbally, today it might get you beaten up or shot. Or at the very least, “keyed”.
Even by an elected public official:
A Rhode Island state senator who was caught keying a man’s car last month was sentenced to pay restitution after admitting to the charges of vandalism and obstruction of a police officer.
Miller, 69, was arrested in June after he vandalized a car with a “Biden Sucks” bumper sticker and later lied to police. He initially denied keying the car and later claimed the victim was “daring” him to once police confronted him with video evidence.
This is how an elected State Senator behaves when he sees someone who doesn’t think the current occupant of the White House is doing a good job and chooses to express his opinion with a semi vulgar message on his automobile. He keys the car and lies to police about it, then tries to blame the victim. About what you would expect from a politician.
What ever happened to the ‘sticks and stones’ mentality? Nowadays words can get you doxed, or cancelled, or keyed, or beaten up, or shot.
I have thought about displaying a flag for a politician outside our home on Brumby Road, but I have demurred. This Blue State ain’t gonna agree with me on anything political in my lifetime. Besides, the only people who would see it work for Amazon or UPS. They are younger and likely to be a lot more woke up than I am, and I don’t want to incite violence. All they would have to do is go into the orchard and kick a few sprinklers to really mess up my day. And strike a blow for justice against the fascist farmer.
So these days I restrain my laughter and hold my tongue. I can’t remember the last time I got into a political argument with anyone, and I’m going to keep it that way. I’ve never convinced anyone of anything anyhow. If I keep my head down maybe state senators will keep their keys in their pockets.
Rich Freggiaro Cycling Blog 