Totally nailed a repuke at the barber shop re: "Being American"

[CT_Progressive]

So, my buddy and I were in the local barber shop. I knew it was going to be rough when we walked in and Rush "Drug Addict" Limpballs was playing on the radio.

My friend sits down for his haircut (I have a shaved head, I was just there with him) and I sit down on a regular chair nearby. Rush is spewing his normal crap, but the volume on the radio is fairly low, so I try to ignore it. The hairdresser (the republican) comes over and she starts talking to my friend about innocuous things - the weather, etc. My friend is there because he is getting married, so they talk about weddings and such. No big deal. Then the conversation starts talking about Christmas.

"OK", I think to myself, "here we go."

She starts talking about how its not "Merry Christmas" anymore, its "Happy Holidays" and how that's a shame, bla bla bla. Well, I don't want to get my friend kicked out before he gets his haircut for his wedding, so I just stayed quiet during this part. I have no problem speaking out against this stuff, but I had to consider my friend's wife-to-be and getting this haircut done.

Then, she brings up the story about the girl who didn't say the Pledge of Alliegence. She says "I mean really, how can you not say the Pledge of Alliegence, thats so un-American."

That was it. I had it.

I said, "How can the First Amendment of the Constitution be un-American?"

She said, "Yeah, exactly..." and then blinked, because she realized she totally misunderstood what I said. I didn't wait for her to catch up.

I said, "Our forefathers died for our Right to free speech, and that girl has every right to say or not say the Pledge of Alliegence if she wants to. There is nothing more American than exercising our First Amendment Rights. We don't have to agree with it, but I'll be damned if I'll allow anyone to tell that girl that she can't express herself the way she chooses to."

The hairdresser went silent. Luckily, the haircut was virtually completed at that point.

As the kids on the street say, "pwned."

[BOSSHOG]

1. Sex at the barbershop??

Politics is the last thing I want to hear about while sitting in a barber chair. Fortunately my barber and I chat gardening and plants and stuff. I don't know his politics and thats fine. Makes for a very nice experience. Retailers (and a barber is a retailer) shouldn't chat politics with paying customers.

[CT_Progressive]

3. I live in a podunk little CT town, domniated by Republicans.

This is "their" barber shop. They also "have" a bar. They are unabashed about their political stance.

I view myself as the thorn in their sides. :)

[BOSSHOG]

5. Yeah, I can relate

I live down the highway from a podunk town in Mississippi. 95+ percent of our socializing occurs down the road IN LOUISIANA.

[Enrique]

14. do they ever tell you "go back to Louisiana, pinko!"

[BOSSHOG]

16. Thats funny

I don't aggravate too many people but my wife and I don't have much desire to "party" here. The French Quarter is just 60 miles away and there's a nice town across the border with lots of socializing places. We used to live there before the siren song of cheap real estate from Mississippi enticed me to move here. And most of Mississippi is Yankees, per the folks down here if you live north of I-10 you are a Yankee.

[BeFree]

9. Well, Boss

I like to know that the people I do bizz with are like minded. If not, they lose my bizz. Too many of us like to keep a line drawn and imo that's why we are getting fucked.... $ and government go hand in hand. That's capitalism, ya know?

[BOSSHOG]

12. Point taken

but I go to the barbershop to get my haircut as quickly as possible. I'm in I'm out I'm on my way. No muss, no fuss, no heartburn. And I believe a successful retailer would not chat politics in his/her place of business.

[Arugula Latte]

2. That's a great tactic -- turn the "Un-American" phrase back on them.

THEY should be on the defensive for spouting simplistic, jingoistic crap.

Good job! :applause:

[beltanefauve]

11. I've done the same thing

with "values". People who support an illegal war, would give up all their rights out of fear, impose their religious beliefs on others, would limit our civil liberties, etc., etc., don't share my "values".

[HughMoran]

4. If I hear "Rush" at the haircutter, I turn around and walk out

No human being worthy of my association or business would have the gaul to listen to that hateful monster in my presence.

[fencesitter]

13. I once went to an optomatrist (sp?)

Who took an awfully long time to come out of his office to give me an exam. I found out he was back there absorbed in Rush's show and in the course of the exam espoused his fan fawning for him. I couldn't get out of there fast enough and never went back.

[unpossibles]

19. I can't imagine getting my eyes checked by someone

who was so blinded to reality as to be able to listen to Rush and enjoy it.

[bdamomma]

6. boy that term Un American is being overly used isn't it?

what speaking out about something is being "un American" I think some people should think before they open their mouths.

[magellan]

10. It's not overly used if used correctly. n/t

[bdamomma]

15. true

but that term "un-American" we never heard that term before these thugs took over huh? But there have been a number of slogans that these thugs keep on saying over and over again.

[magellan]

18. We've heard it before, during McCarthyism

Same Repug crap, different day. I like it when their labels are thrown back at them and stick. :)

[LynzM]

7. Good for you, dude :)

People think CT is soooo blue. Some parts, yeah, but plenty of what you describe, too :(

[Cerridwen]

8. "I didn't wait for her to catch up."

That says so much right there; that she even had to "catch up" is sad. Mouth in gear, brain, not so much.

It reminds me of having to explain the punch-line of a joke; the joke's no fun after that. *sigh*

:evilgrin:

[Xenotime]

17. She'll think twice before talking again...