Yes, I know many here are totally non-violent, totally against guns and totally convinced

[Atticus]

that dialogue is the solution to all disagreements.

You are much better people than I will ever be and I suspect that I am not alone when I say that some teabagger is going to be in for the surprise of his life if he assumes that I will abide being pushed, shoved, threatened and spit upon.

There is no swagger intended here. I don't WANT to get into an altercation with anyone. But, I will not avoid places or events or people simply because "there might be trouble". I will not forfeit my right to wear my political t-shirts and caps and to stroll wherever I choose whenever I choose without regard to who may not approve.

I may get my butt kicked. It wouldn't be the first time. But, I believe it is more likely that these loud-mouthed jackasses are like most bullies: they are cowards.

I was in DC last September when the place was wall to wall wingnuts, wearing a T-shirt with W's photo and the message "Worst President Ever" plus an Obama Cap with a sticker demanding a Public Option. I was confronted several times by small groups who counted on my being intimidated. Someone in a group of four called Obama a "God damn Mongrel" as I walked past. When I turned around and said "That's my President. I thought this was America. Which one of you said such a despicable thing?"---crickets, then "No one said nothin'". I walked away and made it about 50 feet before one of the group called out "Coward!"

Guess what? When I returned and asked who had said that, they denied it again. After looking them over without comment for 10 seconds or so, I shook my head and walked away again.

It felt pretty good.

I'm aware some will say I am lowering myself to their level. I disagree. I am not initiating the confrontation. I am simply not retreating when they expect me to. They had better be able to deal with it. I can.

[Dappleganger]

1. As I've said before...

Stand your ground, be prepared and be cool.

Don't act like a victim, either.

BTW, I'm really looking forward to our trip to DC/Philly next week. :)

[arcadian]

2. K&R

You are about to be attacked by the status quo practitioners for your views though.

[Atticus]

5. They won't be getting a virgin. Thanks. nt

[fascisthunter]

3. no... we must stand up to adversity... doing so, is not wrong

even if the other side takes it as an invitation. What's wrong is backing away out of fear, or pretending to ignore these folks... when doing so, it fuels cowards into believing they are intimidating you and others. Soon, that fear to stand up to them, turns ugly, and that's because not enough was done in the beginning to stand up to it.

[peacebird]

8. true. We must stand up and call out the bullies. Normally bullies are cowards.

They expect us to cower, and when we don't - they do.

[fascisthunter]

22. exactly!

[Double T]

4. Sometimes you have got to fight fire with with an inferno.

An eye (and a nose) for an eye and whole set of teeth for a tooth. Never back down and continue the advance. Good job!

[Birthmark]

6. What you did...

...is the ONLY way that those types can be dealt with, ime. Lunatics simply can't be reasoned with. Cowards can at least be, um, cowed.

[Demit]

7. Sounds like you used dialog & not a gun in your confrontation.

[Atticus]

14. Yes. I do own guns and would not hesitate to use one to defend my home or my family, but

I don't carry one, concealed or otherwise and don't think anyone should use one or threaten to use one simply because they disagree with someone.

[EFerrari]

9. I have zero problem confronting these @ssholes.

Good for you, Atticus.

[Fuzz]

10. I'm liberal, but not a pacifist.

[Warpy]

11. No, you asked them to own their rotten behavior

and they were cowards who failed to. You walked away with honor, they were left with none and my guess is that it felt pretty rotten.

Good job.

[951-Riverside]

12. Resorting to guns is like the government resorting to nuclear weapons to resolve disagreements.

Lots of innocent people will die and things will never be the same.

[Fire1]

21. Have things ever really changed? After what's gone on in

this country since President Obama was elected, I think not. This deep seated contempt has been lying dormant just under the surface. As Frank so aptly stated tonight, many of these people never left the 60's and were quite comfortable with minorities not having any rights. The HCR passage is just the excuse they need to start some shit and I'll be right here ready to accomodate them. Maybe it would be better if things were never the same.

[LWolf]

13. If you can explain to me what a confrontation, verbal or otherwise,

accomplishes, I'd better understand. Not that your responses in the above incident were confrontational.

Is it a schoolyard bully thing?

I am non-violent and anti-gun.

But that's because I know myself. I'd sooner knock someone upside the head than dialogue with them; I don't give a fuck who disagrees with me and I never have. If I allowed my impulses to reign, I'd be fighting all the time. If I carried a gun, I'd use it. I don't get the "show of strength" or "threat" or whatever that male animals do to establish a hierarchy. I'm female. I'll ignore you until I can't, and then eviscerate you without a backward glance.

Which is why I am, hopefully, an evolving pacifist who will avoid confrontation when possible, and won't carry a weapon that can do any real damage.

[EFerrari]

18. Imho it's a matter of defending boundaries.

I don't like it when some guy plunks down his case of beer on the counter when I'm completing a purchase and I don't suffer bullies, either. It's not healthy, and esp not for women who are asked to be invisible, still, so much of the time. But, I'm a cranky youknowwhat these days.

lol

[LWolf]

25. That's a good point.

It intrigues me, because I PREFER to be invisible. I have for most of my adult life. I think it comes from discovering, as a teen, that when I attracted attention it had nothing to do with ME, and everything to do with my "assets." It was dehumanizing. So I prefer to be invisible.

Then again, I'm one of those people who obsessively guards her privacy. I don't open up to most people that I like, let alone strangers. If I want their opinions or thoughts, I'll ask. I rarely do, lol.

[EFerrari]

26. When I was an older teen, I had a section of my closet devoted to

my "invisibility" clothes. Using the skill one has to deflect boundary violations is just flipping the aggressor's advantage on him as far as I'm concerned. But that's going to be my choice, not someone else's. Maybe that's the point. :)

[Atticus]

23. "I'll ignore you until I can't, and then eviscerate you without a backward glance."

If that is nonviolent, then I guess I am, too.

I guess it turns on just how much one is willing to ignore.

My problem with ignoring these affronts is that, the more you ignore, the more you have to ignore. Individually and collectively, these punks are emboldened each time they are successful in intimidating us.

If you take off your Obama cap or your public option shirt to "avoid a confrontation", they win.
If you remain silent while they insult or ridicule a minority to which you don't happen to belong, you aid and abet their bigotry.

Sometimes, walking away is the only intelligent option.
But, sometimes walking away only temporarily avoids a problem that will grow larger because it feeds on our silence and tolerance.

I understand that some cannot confront these bullies and some choose not to.

I cannot help myself. I must stand toe to toe and make them deal with someone who isn't trying to get away. More often than not, they are flummoxed as soon as they see you aren't running. Face to face isn't in their script.

[LWolf]

24. It's not non-violent, lol.

That's why I deliberately choose to be more pacifist. I know myself too well.

I also understand your point, and respect it.

I don't make public statements. It's partly because of my profession; I'm a teacher, and I have to remain apolitical publicly. It's also, though, because I value my privacy. I tend to be pretty discriminating about where and when I choose to express myself.

[struggle4progress]

15. Nonviolence is a really good idea for many reasons and should be the preferred option in many cases.

That, of course, doesn't mean it is preferred in every case

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

16. I'm not sure I understand your comment.

What does, "I thought this was America." mean?

[Atticus]

17. Their "mongrel" comment was clearly racially motivated. No one in my America

is disqualified for any office because of their race or skin color.

These "patriots" had southern accents and clearly thought that no black man ought to be respected or elected.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

19. It is their right to hold that opinion and to voice it. As it was your right to confront them.

[Fire1]

20. You have my full support, Atticus. I feel the same way. n/t