nobody wants to hear it...

 nobody wants to hear it...

                                                       

   The language many of us use to express our political posture needs to be upgraded.  Speaking harshly by some people is conventional, and, sometimes using threatening language has become standard form for venting political sentiments.  Boorishness often times prevails.  

   Politically, we are a much divided country, but, it is not the first time America has witnessed such discourse, e.g., the Vietnam Era.  

  Our everyday propriety is under attack from extremist supporters of both major political parties.  People are often times intrusive, impolite, sometimes mean-spirited, and, too many times, short tempered.  But, the same people are seldom, if ever, apologetic for their words or actions.    

  As often as not, politics seems to be the driving force behind people's anger today. 

  Acting ill mannered has become routine by some factions. There are a lot of nice people walking around, but being surly, forceful, or, intimidating seems to have caught on as the way to act in public with another part of the population.  

   I have witnessed verbal sparring, sometimes bordering on fisticuffs or worse on a few occasions in the past few months.   

  As I walked into a convenience store to buy what I expected to be the winning Powerball ticket, three men appeared to be kidding each other about their politics of choice.  While I was in line, a bystander took exception to the words by one of the three men and butted into the conversation.  The newcomer was aggressive and attempted intimidation as the solution.  When I heard one of the gentlemen yell out for the other guy to go do something physically impossible, I decided Snagglepuss had the right idea. Exit Stage Left.  

   Several weeks ago, while sitting with one other patient in an eye doctor’s waiting room, the other patient started talking to the television.  President Biden was proposing the end of college loan payments for certain students.  

  Apparently, the man wanted someone to commiserate with his ideals because he turned to lucky me and said, Can you believe this?  

  Even though I didn't want to appear to be ignoring him, I in fact was trying to ignore him.  So, he repeated his question at a higher volume.  

  Sir, I don't have a hearing issue, I really don't want a political discussion, I said.  

  This (blank) idiot is crazy!  Somebody needs to take him out, he barked!

  There is a reason such words and phrases of aggression are not protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution.  Who is to say if someone is just spouting off or actually harbors intent?  

  The issues which seem to be the reasons for so many expletives and verbal threats are numerous.  A sample would be:

 *  The abortion debate rages.  

 *  Climate change is a flashpoint and can get some people fired up somewhere north of the rising temperature in Iceland.  

  *  Critical Race Theory in schools here in Kentucky is a divisive issue.  

  *  Former president Trump's claim of a stolen election is a major hot button, and, as a result, County Clerks or their equivalent in several states are feeling the heat from extremists.  

  According to the Courier-Journal newspaper (Louisville, Kentucky, October 16, 2022, p.1), a record number (9) of Kentucky County Clerks have resigned their jobs ahead of their elected term ending.  The reason?  Political harassment, unfounded conspiracy theories thrown at them, and, accusations with no basis of fact.

  And, for the first time in my lifetime, there are reports of armed citizens in military fatigues and brandishing weapons at polling places.  

   It's inexcusable. 

   Of course, a rant in the privacy of a person's home base is normal.  A political discussion among friends as long as there is some modicum of manners is great.  But, nobody wants to listen to another person's political anger when out in public.  Who cares which political party the man or woman at the next table supports?  

  Why are we so fueled by opposing viewpoints?   Can't we as individuals separate the chaff from the wheat?   

  There's a movement underway in Oregon to move the Idaho-Oregon borders.  Why?  Political discourse.  To those people living within the borders of what is now Idaho, this has to be the ultimate insult:  If citizens don't want to tolerate the way a certain part of the state votes, the citizens will move those voters to another state by creating new borders.   

  Other signs of rudeness, unrest, impatience, aggressiveness, or, in-your-face attitude are visible too.  

  Drivers who refuse to wait their turn at a four-way stop; people cutting ahead of someone else in a line at the supermarket; malcontents not going to work because he or she isn't happy with life.  

  Then, there are those people who mistakenly ascertained the rest of us want to hear their private communication with another person by putting their phone conversation on speaker at full volume while out in public.   

    HUH?  What's up with that? 

  Oh, great.  Just what I want to hear.  Now, I get to listen to both sides of a blistering argument about whether the man standing in front of me should bring home salami or bologna for dinner. 

  How did it happen that we no longer seek privacy for personal telephone calls?  

  I'd like to meet the man who had the idea to build the first telephone booth.  According to Time.com-history, his name was William Gray and he also invented the first pay telephone.  Of course, he is no longer with us, but, if I had access to a time machine...

  I would tell Mr. Gray his invention was not needed because people don't care about privacy.  I would also tell the Bell Companies to save the millions of dollars you are about to spend over the next 130 years because people want all telephone conversations to be open to the public.  

  Since a phone booth is a product of the Victorian Era, I assume at that time in history, we as a public wanted to keep conversations private, or, at least Mr. Gray and the Bell Companies thought we did.  

  Because of today's telephone environment, the question now becomes:  Did Mr. Gray create a need that didn't exist?  

  It is almost impossible not to have come in contact with people on their cellphone with the speaker turned up.  I have been in enough stores and out in public and seen first hand people approach a cashier, pay station, or, reach out to a store employee for assistance.  

  Here are my classifications for such rude people.    

  1.  The Ceiling FaceTimer:  This person comes up to the cashier and lays his or her phone down on the counter.  Since it is a FaceTime call, the person on the other end is now looking at an out of focus ceiling for about one minute.  

  2.  The Hold It a Minute, I Gotta Pay This Guy caller:  This man or woman also lays the phone down to complete a transaction.  But, before that happens, he or she rarely, if ever, fails to say, Hold It A Minute, I Gotta Pay This Guy.

  3.  The I'll Keep This Guy Waiting to Show Him How Important This Call Is caller.  100% of the time, this character will walk up to pay for his groceries as if he or she wants to conclude his or her business, only to stand in the same spot, ignore the cashier, and, continue the phone conversation.  

  4.  The Shhh, This Is Important, caller.  This person is holding his or her phone and ignores a plea of, Can I help you?  Usually, the look given to the cashier is one of disdain along with a roll of the eyes or shake of the head.  This caller also extends a vertical finger to their lips.  

  5.  The I'm Too Busy To Be Bothered caller.  This caller has been harassed all day long.  He or she usually has a phone in their hand, a drink cup, or, an iPad in the other hand, plus, a bag or purse.  This person generally flings his or her credit card at the cashier.  After settling the account, the person gathers the regalia of items and gives a dismissive wave of the hand when asked any question, such as, Would you like a receipt? 

  6.  The Shoulder Holder caller.  This customer cradles the telephone on his or her shoulder while digging in a purse or pocket for a credit card or cash.  Because the phone is on speaker, if the person on the other end speaks during this time, it seems amplified many times and shocks the customer into dropping the phone.  Obscenities usually follow this action.  

    Rude people have been with us for a long, long time and they come in all shapes and configurations.  Whether it is while talking on a telephone, or, during a disagreement about politics or any other issue while occupying a neutral area, there doesn't seem to be any way to change the course of impoliteness once it is flowing.

  If you extrapolate the number of people across the country who feel vehemently about any political issue, it is clear we need to at least reach some kind of consensus about proper verses improper manners, action and language.  

  Or, could it be as simple as letting each person think as he or she desires? 

  Coming up:  Meet more POS (people over 60); another oddities, observations, & omg's, and; another job$ somebody's gotta do.  

  And, finally.  I can’t help but think we all need to be a little smarter.  Perhaps facts, not fiction or false news, would help us all reach more solid conclusions.  

  It brought to mind this Jerry Seinfeld quote: A bookstore is one of the only pieces of evidence we have that people are still thinking (This is not an implication that reading will solve our ills, but, it couldn't do any harm, could it?). 

  HUH?  What's up with that?