We had a family day out yesterday. Art museum, a nice lunch, and a stop at an art supply store near downtown Seattle.

As we were leaving the store, there were about a hundred police officers, mostly on motorcycles and bicycles and we could hear something at the other end of the block. As we walked toward the car, we saw what the fuss was all about. A *very* small group of white supremacist Trumpists were "marching" down the sidewalk yelling stuff through a megaphone and carrying three flags... one a US flag, one Trump flag, and one I couldn't make out. The only thing I could discern was the chant "whose streets? our streets!" which was heard at Charleston and other white supremacist "marches". Other than something about "one hundred years of maga", I couldn't make out anything else, mostly due to the sound of the police motorcycles.

My wife urged us along toward the car, and suggested we not yell anything back or wave a finger at them.

She said there were somewhere between eight and a dozen white supremacists (all but one were male), and at least three or four times that many of other people (opposed to their message) following them. And what seemed like about a hundred cops.

What a waste of police resources.

The only thing I could think that I would have yelled at them was "go back to whatever sh*thole country you came from".

So, we just walked a block to the car and left.

Even after sleeping on it, I still can't think of anything more clever, meaningful, or persuasive I could have said. I think these people are pretty hopeless and nothing I could do or say would have any effect on their hate and ignorance.

I also have a hard time ignoring that sort.
I repeatedly tell myself it is a waste of time.
Have learned to simply stare at my sister-in-law when she starts that carp.

Sometimes I wish I had a loaded missile launcher in my pocket.

I generally ignore that sort of silliness.

I have promised myself, though, that, if I see someone harassing an individual with "speak the language" or "go back where you came from", I will step in. I will not be the guy who stands by and watches that happen.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I generally ignore that sort of silliness.

I have promised myself, though, that, if I see someone harassing an individual with "speak the language" or "go back where you came from", I will step in. I will not be the guy who stands by and watches that happen.

I sort of look forward to a situation like that so I can answer back in Spanish...Already I have had many folks be surprised that I can hold my own in their language...Just hoping to put these monolingual racists in their place.

quote:

I will not be the guy who stands by and watches that happen.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I generally ignore that sort of silliness.

I have promised myself, though, that, if I see someone harassing an individual with "speak the language" or "go back where you came from", I will step in. I will not be the guy who stands by and watches that happen.

Yes, This.

quote:

Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
I generally ignore that sort of silliness.

I have promised myself, though, that, if I see someone harassing an individual with "speak the language" or "go back where you came from", I will step in. I will not be the guy who stands by and watches that happen.

Hope I would do the same.
pj did the right thing in the situation he encountered.

Years ago (as in at least 15), I was visiting my sister who lived outside of Indianapolis. We were driving around looking for something to do (you know, Indianapolis) and I happened to look across and see about 10 KKK, hoods and all, marching around in a city park. There were police and protesters, that outnumbered the KKK. But I was shocked. I'd never seen such an outright demonstration of hate, had never seen anyone wearing a hood. We continued to drive by. I think if we didn't have kids in the car, I might have pulled over and joined the protesters.

quote:

I have promised myself, though, that, if I see someone harassing an individual with "speak the language" or "go back where you came from", I will step in.

Oh man, I'd pay a bigly amount of money to see that.