Check out murphyslaws exchange with your Mom,Audrey and me..rude comes in all colors,sizes and shapes.I have been a "liberal "in this town of conservatives for a long time Moto~ believe me when I say it is a two way street. But I always keep smiling and wonder what is really wrong with folks when they act this way...

Some might call it favoritism seeins' how motopoet is my son, but I can vouch for him in this instance.  He is outspoken and sometimes abrupt but one thing he is not is deliberately rude or ever mean spirited.  I know from experience that he likes a lively debate but doesn't like to fight with people.

I've stated on here before that strong feelings about a topic doesn't mean that the person is angry although it may appear that way on the surface.  Intensity doesn't necessarily equate into negative emotion, hate, or even dislike,  and name calling never resolves a debate.

I was wondering how we know the man at the cash register was a "liberal"?

Was he some sawed-off little sucker with a bald head?

Lo, you're reading something into this that isn't there.  If one is a conservative the feeling probably IS that McCain HAS to win.  This is the type of thing that a lot of us were afraid of...that saying anything against Obama would be condsidered racial.   Add to that, the waitress didn't say a word about Obama.

If you frequented the coffee shop moto referred to you'd know that, like a lot of places, the regulars interact with the customers all the time.    The waitresses there know the guys by name and it's a really friendly place.  I cant imagine anyone thinking she was butting in. 

If you're a liberal, you're not doing Obama any favors by playing the race card.  Regardless of your party affiliation, calling someone an idiot because they have an opinion is just plain wrong.

Nancy..motopoet is your son?? I knew I liked him for some reason...*grin*

as far as the waitress situation I probably would have explained in no uncertain terms the dwebs input wasnt required..I just dont take kindly to strange men being rude to women especially if they are my friends..and if the gal didnt deserve his nasty attitude hes gonna hear it..got a broken nose Ive been wearin all these years from a punk in high school that was given my fav female teacher a hard time..dove over a row of desks and met his hard head on touchdown..but he still lost the exchange and aplogized to her at my insistance..BHS crazy daze......YOU SHOW WOMEN RESPECT even if you dont agree with them thats why a very wise man invented doors.. just the way my daddy raised me

Rude, crude, and socially unacceptable.  It does seem to be a stereotype that is becoming more common to the Left.  A stereotype that needs more than the weak, tired, and inaccurate "but they do it too" excuse to eliminate.

 I recently witnessed something that is becoming more and more typical of liberal behavior and it is happening more often all the time.

I'm sorry that you feel this way.  What I see becoming more typical is people using generalizations about entire groups of people based on the actions of one.   The man who approached the register was, in my opinion, clearly out of line.  I don't disagree that his comment was unsolicited and inappropriate.  This election is bringing a lot of emotion and passion to the surface.  That doesn't excuse him from being polite. 

 I hate the fact that so many liberals today seem to feel the need to make politics personal. I don't think liberals are stupid or idiots, I simply think they are wrong and I don't feel the need to be rude to express my disagreement.

I think this is out-of-line.  You say you don't feel the need to be rude, but...you just dismissed an entire segment of the American public by suggesting that everyone who's unlike you is wrong.  Why the need to polarize this country?  You and I may agree on many fronts, but you'll never know because you're so quick to place people in groups.  Those with you and those who you feel are "wrong".  Do you honestly think that that sort of attitude is going to lead to common ground? 

 It does seem to be a stereotype that is becoming more common to the Left.  A stereotype that needs more than the weak, tired, and inaccurate "but they do it too" excuse to eliminate.

As I was saying...

Disagreeing with someones opinion *IS THE SAME* as thinking they are wrong.  Nothing rude (or dismissive of entire segments of society) about that at all.  Get a grip.

I can top your story, Mark.  When I was 19 I was driving home at night from my job at a clothing store and I had a "Clinton/Gore" sticker on the back of my car.  All of a sudden this grey BMW comes up behind me and swerves in the other lane and tries to run me off the road.  Then, when we're stuck at a light, he honks his horn right behind me for the entire duration.  Truth is, he could have killed me.  Because of my bumper sticker.  I agree, Sage, it goes both ways.

The story ended with me arriving safely home and bursting into tears and telling my parents about it, at which point my Dad grabbed his shotgun, and without even putting his shoes on, jumped in his truck and drove up and down Rosedale Hwy looking for a man in a grey BMW.  That guy could have been killed.  Because he didn't like my bumper sticker.

Disagreeing with someones opinion *IS THE SAME* as thinking they are wrong.  Nothing rude (or dismissive of entire segments of society) about that at all.  Get a grip.

I'm sorry.  I don't share that same negative point-of-view.  When I disagree with someone, I try to understand how or why they've arrived at their position.  I don't automatically dismiss them as "wrong".  We all have areas of specialty and experiences that shape the way we see the world.  There are so many subjective interpretations in the world that we can't afford to have the mindset you're advocating. 

Like possum, I find the trend to generalize more disturbing. Truth is, rudeness is on the rise everywhere and it knows no political bounds.

LOL vanity.  MY sarcasm rarely translates ANYWHERE.  No, I'm being completely serious.  It really happened.  I shudder to think what would have happened if my Dad had actually found that grey BMW. 

No problem, vanity.  I often wonder what people mean, too.  Then other bloggers will comment and make a reference to what that person said and I'll go "Oh!  That!"

Its all the round about word games people like to use on these blogs..alot of those who preceive themselves as a superior intellect quit often before alls said and done...are at  risk of losing the content of their post..the biggest  problem is they are so busy trying to appear smart they cant even see it..myself excluded of course *grin*

Catherine was so distraught when she got home (Christmas Eve) that she couldn't even talk about it for a few minutes.   She had a hard time catching her breath she was sobbing so hard.

I thought "has she been raped, assaulted".  All she could say was "a guy in a grey BMV on Rosedale Hwy.    Her dad didn't wait for the details, he just ran out the door ready to kill the SOB. 

We called the HP.  They sent a "trainee" of some kind out to take the report.  He didn't give it much credence and said, "this happens all the time in LA where I used to work".   We don't even take a report there unless someone gets hurt."  Another reason to avoid LA.

Lesson learned:  it's OK to terrorize someone on the road as long as you don't actually hurt them.  

That incident, and another one involving Cat, led me to have NO RESPECT for the HP at all!.

Do you know for sure it was the bumper sticker? Mayb e he was just a nutjob....

There was no reason for him to target Cat.  She had several stickers on her car endorsing a democrat for president.

That's why we don't put bumper stickers on our cars anymore.   So I guess you can say, he won.

LOL Witbee!  I think we're both right--he was a nutjob who didn't like my bumper sticker!

Actually, you're right.  I really don't now what made that guy choose ME to try to kill that night.  I didn't know him--had never seen him before.  All I know is that it was late and I was alone on Rosedale one minute (can you imagine ever being alone on Rosedale at any hour?  This was a long time ago) and the next minute this guy came out of nowhere and tried to kill me, and he was REALLY REALLY angry--at me.  I don't know why.  We all sat around and thought about it for a long time afterwards and my bumper sticker was the only thing we could come up with.

It was the Duke...or as he called himself ( Dukie) on his Gay escapades in Btown. Little know fact... Mr John was a regular in the underground "gay" clubs that were in Btown...Giddy up and barebacking with the Boys of Btown...Pre Village People era... 

Oh boy!

Maggie has just outed the Duke.

The response should be interesting.

Who's the next conservative icon Maggie, Reagan?

Catherine, researchers at Colorado State University would agree with your assessment that it was the bumper stickers. They just completed a study on bumper stickers and road rage. Article here: www.nature.com/news/2008/080613/full/news.2008.88 9.html