So, as I was waiting for my bus home today, this short, older gentleman, wearing a country singer t-shirt (I can't remember who) and a cowboy hat decided to strike up a conversation with me (for your information, I look about has hippie as can possibly be) about how the bus route we were both waiting for is always late. He quickly delved into his personal beliefs, about how Obama and Clinton are socialists controlled by the European Union (and how we should blow Europe up for their anti-American views) and how the Jews are the chosen people (his cowboy hat had a US flag crossed with the Israeli flag, a MASSACHUSETTS CITIZENS FOR LIFE! sticker, a GOD BLESS AMERICA, and a DON'T TREAD ON ME!). Now, being half Jewish myself, I had to try VERY hard to suppress a laugh. Upon telling him that I was part Jewish, he said how lucky I was and how he wishes he was part Jewish himself. I asked him if he had ever been to Israel, and naturally, the answer was no. (I have been once myself) However, ss a rule, I do not argue with the elderly when it comes to politics. I understand completely that he will never EVER see things my way, so I tried to steer the conversation away from that, and got him to talk about his music, which was rather interesting, about how he always wanted a record deal, but now that he's 75 he knows it is too late, but that he still loves to play his guitar.
He talked more about his beliefs though, and thankfully, I am blessed with an incredible amount of patience and had no need to fight him on any of his incredibly paranoid ideas. He talked about how it was the end times, quoted random biblical scriptures and the like, talked about how Israel should use its nuclear weapons to destroy the entire Arab world (I proceeded to point out that on my other side, I am Lebanese-Brazilian, to which he said "well, the Lebanese are all right! I'm talking about those damn Saudis!") and the proceeded to tell me how much he loved Brazil, with its largest in the world Italian diaspora (he was Italian himself, he talked about how his grandmother knew Garabaldi and how proud he was to be connected to him, and this also helped bring in another guy standing near us, who was also Italian, albeit quite younger.)
He also talked about how Americans are weak and unable to fight anymore for good Christian ideals. I then asked him if he was getting Social Security and Medicare, to which he replied "yes! Great programs!" And what he thought of the MBTA "it gets me where I need to go" But he then went back on a rant about the evil Obama plot to give control of America to the EU and Kenya. Yeah. Luckily, the bus came at this point, and our conversation ended. He got into a similar conversation with another elderly gentleman about the same stuff. A Haitian girl then dropped her cell phone, and he immediately got up and got it for her, and tipped his hat to her. And then, as he got off, he thanked me for listening to him and for talking to him, and I told him to have a great day. I'm always stuck at how civil and often times kind, these people are, while at the same time, espousing such incredibly insane political views, that are often times contradictory. Do I have my problems with the Federal Government? Oh god yes. Do I have issues with President Obama? Indeed, I do. But this guy was on another planet entirely, with views I cannot possibly comprehend.
All in all, it was an interesting experience. This diary doesn't really have a point, it's more just of a rant/vent/whatever. I just couldn't get over the irony of his raging anti-government views (anti-government in all the wrong ways, of course) as we waited for a public transit bus in the country's fourth biggest public transit system. So I want to ask anyone who actually sat through my meaningless drivel, have you ever had a similar encounter? I'm sure many Kossacks have. The crazy right wing lives everywhere, even here right outside of Boston.
