There's a window store in my neighborhood that displays some rather strong right wing sentiments, and I've wanted to write a diary about them for a while now. The signs in the window change periodically. There's usually a big color photo of George and Laura Bush. Sometimes that photo is prominently featured on the front door, other times, like now, it's more hidden behind the front door, but still visible when you look inside. There's often a sign saying something about supporting the troops. Sometimes there's a message about supporting the war in Iraq, or something about fighting terrorism. It seems the signs change with whatever is happening politically at the time. I usually walk by and take note of how their messages are developing. I noticed that for a while before the midterms, during that long (and continuing) stretch when Bush was woefully unpopular, the signs seemed to take a less divisive tone, and focused more on supporting the troops, and less on supporting Bush.
But when the Democrats won the recent election, a new sign went up on the door, unlike anything before it, and I thought it was worth sharing.
Now, if I were a journalist, I might call this guy up and ask him a few obvious questions:
"In addition to the numerous Egyptian, Japanese, Polish, German, Italian, Croatian, and Korean populations in Astoria, the neighborhood is said to hold the largest population of Greeks outside of Greece. In fact, the Greek flags in Astoria probably outnumber American flags ten to one. Why don't you want their business?"
"Considering this neighborhood's strong support for Congresswoman Maloney, and the strong support for Senator Kerry in the 2004 election, how on earth do you manage to stay in business? Who exactly are your customers?"
"Despite your strong opposition to foreigners, you seem to lack a basic understanding of English grammar and punctuation. Why haven't you bothered to learn English?"
But I'm not a journalist, so I have not asked this fellow any of those questions. If anyone cares to give him a call though -- not for the sake of harassing him, or begging him to consider the irrationality and contradictions of his blatantly anti-American sentiments, but for the opportunity to find out exactly how it is he does manage to stay in business, that's a question I'd be interested in having answered. The number is on the above photo, and the area code is 718.
I have at times walked past and wanted to post some kind of protest of my own. Maybe tape a photo of a killed Iraqi child on the window -- but then, that could be perceived as a threat, and that's certainly not my intention. Maybe some kind of a note containing references to the CIA and Pentagon reports indicating the war in Iraq is worsening the war on terror, but then of course appeals to logic and reason are obviously pointless.
The displays on his windows seem to beg a response. I often see people walk by, do a double-take, walk a few steps forwards, stop, think about what to do, and then continue on with the same inevitable realization that dawns on me. There's simply nothing to do. There's nothing can be done with someone who is so willfully hateful and ignorant. You just have to ignore him, and hope that he's sterile.