Today, I was out running errands in the 2002 Prius NHW11 and gathering local produce for dinner (I’m the cook, housecleaner, handy-man, and lawn-guy – my wife gets home beat from her job at the university and I want any time she spends away from the library to be her “me time”), when I pulled into the gas station in need of a fill up.
He was across the way at the adjacent pump slightly behind me, and I pretty quickly noticed that he was looking over at my car. Middle aged, White, saved head, with an older-ish GMC pickup.
He evidently saw my Obama sticker on my rear bumper.
“You voted for that socialist?” He called over to me.
Excuse me, I called back, slightly stunned at what I’d just heard.
“That socialist – Obama – who’s ruining this county” he responded.
I thought a minute; it seemed much longer, then I calmly responded.
“Go watch your fucking Glen Beck, you goddamn Republican. And oh, by the way, that 'socialist’ Obama is the only thing standing between you and the fucking street, you fuckwad blue collar shithead.”
“What did you say?” He replied - this time a little less defiantly.
“That’s right.” I said. “You think the fucking Republicans give a shit about you? Glen Beck is a fucking millionaire, and you don’t have a pot to piss in. You think he’s going to help you when you get sick and lose your job? At least Obama is willing to give us little guys a fair shake.”
He seemed to get some swagger back. “Who the hell do you think you are?” He said.
I replied. “Oh, you gonna shoot me, you fucking stupid redneck?”
Then he said it.
“Get lost, you nigger lover.”
The words still echo now hours later. This is what we’re up against. This is the real face of this monster called the right wing.