h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I had dinner at a neighbors with some people from out of town who do things during the pageant weekend. I found it hard to bear, for the first time, because one couple were resolutely prejudiced, and liable to raise their voices at the drop of a hat. The bloke, who was admittedly a bit drunk, shouted that we should nuke the entire middle east, turn it to glass, because of those ing r*gheads, and I actually shouted back. He did not stop (he had interrupted me) nor lower his voice, and I actually told him to back off or I would bloody his nose.

I was simmering because twice his wife had used the word 'liberal' the way I might say 'child molester', and they had also issued a fierce blanket condemnation of all environmentalists everywhere and announced that environmentalists were out to destroy Amurrica. So I tried to talk about issues of rage and and feeling violated by telling them about living in England in the 70's and about the IRA bombings, and the bloke would never let me finish a sentence. So I had to threaten to deck him in order to make him be polite.

The irony wasn't lost on me, the Quaker pacifist, but the couple never did understand what I was saying about how violence is contagious. I turned the discussion later on to religious fundamentalism and how that was the culprit, not the entire "nation of Islam". What nation of Islam?? The bloke was quite convinced that the Koran preaches violence, and several of us tried but could not change his mind.

It was as if some other part of the world somehow confused the entire North American continent with the Symbionese Liberation Army or with a handful of vicious survivalist building-bombers out of Idaho, and resolved therefore to carpet bomb the whole country. And I said so, after I had obtained some silence, and I saw him blink. I hope it was a new neural connection being formed.

We shook hands later and strolled around a bit, he and his wife and I, and I found out that he was an ex-pilot who flew slurry planes. That's firefighting, one of the more dangerous jobs around. So his attitude toward environmentalism had mostly to do with the controversy concerning logging. It was weird, because he and I were totally on the same side concerning the evil that is capitalism.

I'm still pissed about the way his wife spoke about liberals, though. I wasn't the only political progressive in the room, either.

People like that couple certainly can spoil an evening. I hope you were able to get through to them, but it is unlikely. When their minds are so closed it generally takes a personal tragedy of some kind to make them think about their opinions and beliefs. At least you were civil and chatted with them afterward, which is really more than they deserved.

I've been having a similar sort of conversation on another website with someone who keeps throwing the same Qu'ran verses at me. I keep arguing context, and finally, I threw "peaceful" verses at him, as well as OT verses that were pretty violent.

Didn't go anywhere, though. He's still stuck in the mindset that all Muslims are violent and hate everyone who isn't Muslim.

Was this dinner guest playing golf in England about a month ago?

Mr T was playing a match against someone very similar two days after the London bombs. This guy's response was to "bomb one of their mosques to teach them a lesson". Appalling.

My husband is normally very mild mannered but came home and rather upset.

Good that you managed to find out the back-story to your chap.

I have a similar problem with a very close friend of mine. He is intelligent, witty, broadminded and indeed the ideal companion for an evening. Except when it comes to Muslims. Then it's 'bomb the bxstxrds'. Pointing out that bombing sizable chunks of Yorkshire, whilst enjoyable, is unlikely to achieve much, never really seems to get through.

It is disappointing when people we like and admire come out with racist remarks. My father was a fine man in many respects. But he was a bigot. I tried to overlook it and convince myself that he was a product of his environment. I wasn't very successful.

When All in the Family was on TV, my dad never understood why we thought Archie was ridiculous and made fun of him. It was because he ~was~ Archie Bunker. I can easily imagine what he would be saying about Muslims right now.

What I notice is the anger. It's always there, even behind the smiles. This fellow got just drunk enough to drop the smile.

Yes, displaced anger. Often from people who externalize everything rather than facing up to their fears and limitations. I have often wondered if they lack the capacity for self-realization. Young souls.

I found out later that the guy's wife thought it was great that I stood up to him, but that the wife of the other couple was angry with me for "having a go at D--."

Having a go at him! He was clenching his fists and yelling as he leaned aross the table at ~me~! Why do some rightwingers constantly see themselves as the victim of any disagreement? Victims who happen to have control of the media, the executive branch, the legislative branch...

And what were you supposed to do? Sit and bat your eyes and tell him how brilliant he was? Big strong men aren't to be contradicted by women. It isn't seemly. It isn't ladylike. Men are allowed to be rude and borish, but women must always be delicate and selfeffacing.

I'm glad you gave him hell.

I'm going to go watch the Daily Show.

I much prefered the story of the conversation you had at dinner in another journal entry.

I think you did the best you could in the circumstances there Lil

I have to stand ground on alot of pollicies, I'm in the UK so most of the sheep belive bombing muslims is wrong simply out of following the press.

what I find disturbing is how reading the dail mail (replace with fox news for USA) can turn and broad minded, fair indervidual into a raving malicous lunatic with no sense of self.

Lil, how old was this woman who complained? I've noticed that a lot of women of certain age really don't like other women to be angry or have convictions...something about making all women man-haters or some such nonsense.

I wonder, honestly, what that's all about. He's yelling at you, and you tell him to knock it off, and it's your fault somehow. Amazing.

Oh that old chestnut, no I don't like sexists as much as the next liberal but thats no reason for getting angry like that.

I hope no one minds me butting in, but I have to say something here.

I have a REAL problem with closed minded biggots! Whenever they start spouting out their opinions regarding other races, religions, age groups... so on. I am often picturing myself doing to them exactly what they say should be done to others. I know this isn't realy commendable, but I realy want to wipe the Earth clean of THOSE people.

Don't get me started on child abusers and wife beaters.

On a closing note... Life can still be happy.