So I was in the neighborhood hardware store the other day, to get some keys made. The staff are mostly medium white guys, and Fox News is nearly always on.
This time, though, it was CNN, showing President Obama presenting the Medal of Honor to an Afghanistan veteran. And there were two old white guys, obviously friends of everyone there, looking over a paper, sounded like the results of a contest.
These guys evidently correctly placed me as older, noted that I was white, and decided I must believe what they believe. Though I had given several clues – like commenting on ‘Fox again?’, and then noting that CNN was a nice change. They then started what was undoubtedly normal conversation to them, very offensive to me, about the President, taxes and etc.
I looked at them and said – ‘I am a liberal, you know.’ They were astonished that someone who looked like their class would say such a thing, decided I was kidding, and started to talk about taxes. My statement that ‘I am happy to pay taxes to take care of the city and the country that I love’ could not be ignored. Their incredulous question was ‘Did you vote for him?’ My answer – ‘Twice, and volunteered and gave him money.’
At that point they escalated, raising their voices and starting to re-educate me. But my keys were finished, so I walked out the door, shouting goodbye to Kevin and his guys over the tumult.