SO tired of talking to people and then hearing "the dumb" come out of their mouths...

We have next-door neighbors that we've had for over 20 years.  We are both 45, and they are both around 65.  We could NOT be more different from each other.  We are Atheists and Liberal Democrats, and they are born-again and VERY right-wing.  But they are really good neighbors.  Bring us baked-goods, nice to us, etc.  We do the same.  But every once-in-a-while the wife says something bad about President Obama, or worse, something racist, etc.  Once she asked me to sign a petition to help get abortion made illegal.  I said I would never sign something like that.  She HAS to know we are Democrats, we've seen each other @ the polls and she's seen signs in our yard, etc.  SO.  I just stepped over there today to tell them (and be friendly, because they are always complimenting our kids) that our daughter, 20, got a paid internship (YAY!), and our son who has been homeschooled (our daughter never was) got his GED on the first try (he got it because there is no diploma for homeschoolers in IL).  I was proud and knew they'd be happy for them.

Anyway, to make a short-story long,  she brings up President Obama and how he's a Socialist,drank and snorted cocaine (I pointed out that even if he did, which I don't know, so did her precious George W and she ignored that) and instead of just changing the subject, I decided to not be quiet.  I just said well I am voting for Obama again, and we'll just have to agree to disagree.  She just sort-of mumbled something and stepped over by her husband.  Before THIS conversation, she said her pastors daughter was married to a , and she WHISPERED IT, black man.  She is very racist.  How 'christian' of her! She also has said everyone shouldn't get healthcare because if 'they' get it, it will take away from 'us'. WHAT?  I said to her then "Well that doesn't seem very christian", and then she back-tracked. 

I don't think she knows we're Atheists and I KNOW she doesn't know my daughter is bi-sexual or she would just die!  I know they already wonder how such heathens raised two great young-adults.

I am NOT keeping my mouth shut anymore.  Anything racist or stupid-religious (like when she said'god' sends the tsunamis because he's mad, etc. I am going to be very ladylike, but firm in saying that that is AWFUL.  I will not just change the subject to avoid controversy with a neighbor that is literally a few feet from our house.

Thanks for letting me rant!

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on May 20, 2012 at 10:42am

I applaud your standing up. I feel people get away with this crap because they have no one to challenge their unwillingness to accept others. I find it hard to understand how anyone wouldnt want people to have healthcare. This healthcare issue really has polarized this nation and I really dont know why. There was a time I didnt have healthcare and it sucked. When I finally found a job that offered healthcare it was life changing. I want everyone to have access to facilities that could save their life. Offices that will allow them to live more healthy, productive lives. I think its selfish to keep healthcare amongst a certain group of people because of race, income, or nationality. If these people who feel this way had their precious healthcare taken away maybe they would understand how important it is to the advancement of society.

Permalink Reply by Shawn on May 20, 2012 at 10:45am

You think I can win an award for using "healthcare" so many times in a response?...:)

Permalink Reply by booklover on May 20, 2012 at 4:21pm

Shawn, you win the "healthcare" word-using award! lol. just kidding.

I agree totally with you about it.  I also don't think healthcare should be tied to your job.  Your car ins. isn't, etc.  Even though we have AWESOME healthcare through my husbands job (Luckily since my son is a type 1 diabetic, and my daughter and I both take a lot of meds.  We pay NOTHING for prescriptions.  For now.  Not a dime.) and I know how extremely lucky we are.  Everyone needs healthcare as a basic human right.  We have to figure a way so everyone can be taken-care of!  It's so important and it's so disrespectful to say to groups of people that they can't have it, like their lives are worth nothing.

Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on May 20, 2012 at 9:24am

Melinda, sounds like the relationship i have with my mother and her new husband.  he has turned her into an Obama birther, and i fear a racist.  and she voted for Obama in 2008! 

as for you situation, i say good for you.  it sounds like you don't bring up these subjects, so i see no reason that you should keep quiet.  just remember, lock you doors.  many of these types own guns - lots of them. 

Permalink Reply by booklover on May 20, 2012 at 4:16pm

Hi Matthew!  Sorry about your mother.  You're right, I don't bring up the subjects, ever.  She does, and I used to just sort of make an excuse to walk away, but I am Not going to ever let her or anyone say racist, etc. things to me without me saying I think that's terrible.  I won't start a fight, lol, but I will chastise in a polite matter.

As far as this couple goes, they are as far from guns as possible.  They are just SO DUMB.  I can't explain it.  Here is an example.  My daughter got a paid-internship doing what will be her major in college.  EXACTLY what she is going to school for.  When I told them, the man said "Well it sounds like it's sorta in her field".  No, it's EXACTLY her field doing EXACTLY what she wants to do for a job.  So I said it was her field.  He just looked away and started washing his car again. LOL.  They really are harmless.  I TRULY think they cannot see the world any other way than white, midwest, born-again, republican, etc.  Anyone else scares the 'hell' out of them, so they pretend it's not real.  lol

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on May 20, 2012 at 9:48am
Thanks for posting the story about your neighbors. I try to not get close to any of my neighbors. I just wave at them and say hi and that's it. However, if you feel it is necessary to tell them your feelings and that makes you feel better than you go ahead and do that.
Permalink Reply by booklover on May 20, 2012 at 4:09pm

Hi Steph!  I'm going to just say hi from now on, but if she comes up to me and starts in on anything terrible I'm going to call her on it.  I don't want her or anyone else to think it's okay to speak that way or that I agree with her.

Permalink Reply by Pat on May 20, 2012 at 10:15am

Melinda, I have a brother who is a birther and though he denies it, is also a racist. Every time he brings it up, I call him on it. He's not going to change his bigotry, but he now knows he's not going to get away with it with me, either. He emails me with right wing, racist nonsense. My response usually starts out with something "I see you watched the most recent episode of Right Wing Bat Shit Insane Theater."

I don't start the shit, but I won't back down either.

Permalink Reply by booklover on May 20, 2012 at 4:10pm

I totally agree Pat.  I won't start anything, but I'm not going to back down either!

Permalink Reply by A. Noni Moose on May 24, 2012 at 9:28am

Everyone DOES have access to healthcare..there's a hospital in every po-dunk town in America. The issue is not the accessibility of healthcare, it is the expense. Everyone is so quick to call the Insurance comapnies devils, etc. when the cost of healthcare is based upon what Doctors charge. The right way to go about this issue is to bring the cost of healt care down, then the insurance costs were follow suit.

Back to the original subject: I applaud you for letting them know your stance and not just taking the neighbors' crap. They are racists. There are plenty of reasons to dislike Obama and his efforts/policies..you don't have to stoop to his color. That is the part that is crap and makes people see all "right-wingers" as a$$holes. I am not a Democrat, or a liberal in any way. I consider myself a fiscally conservative, socially tolerant person..I am an atheist so I don't fit in with the typical conservative. I am pro-choice because I am pro freedom..not because I think abortion is right. I feel like you have to take the good with the bad when you say you are "free". ANd, NO, I did not like Bush. He was a big-government socialist in sheep's clothing. He did more to erode freedom in this country than any president in the last 20+ years. Is Obama the answer- Definitely NOT. Are any of the current batch of Repubs? Definitely NOT. I really wish we could get another party in the spotlight and start making our system a little more open. In other countries they have multiple political parties..not just 2 that have a chance of winning. I really thought last election and this election cycle were the best possible times for that to happen..but, sadly people are still just too scared to vote outside their party ranks..Oh well, I digress..sorry.

Permalink Reply by booklover on May 24, 2012 at 11:00am

Thanks A. Noni Moose.  I did enjoy reading your response, and I agree with you.  I just feel like our country will never get past the religious crap as compared to more progressive European countries.  My neighbor though Bush was just the smartest thing since sliced-bread. NOT.  She would never even listen to the fact that Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar or that Obama was the head of the Harvard Law Review. I am disappointed in the way Obama has handled things, but I truly believe Mitt won't do any better.  He can go pray in his magical underwear for all the good it will do. Democrats can't be smart in her opinion, especially ones of a different race.  She truly is dumb.  All that matters to her are white, christian, MEN in charge of the world.  She thinks that's the way it should be.  I can't deal with her, so I'll just be polite and wave, but not get into any conversations with her.

Like you I wish we could have more legit political parties, but I don't think I'll ever see it in my lifetime.  I hope so for my kids' sake.  I wish religion would get the hell out of politics.  Again, can't see it happening.

Permalink Reply by booklover on May 30, 2012 at 6:11am

Hi Write4U,  I don't know who said that a shared system of universal healthcare automatically creates a Socialist society, I thought I read through all the posts, but I agree with you.

I agree with not being a Socialist, but also not an advocate of unrestricted capitalism.  I agree that the best idea would be "...responsible balance of economic freedom shared social responsibilities..."

As I said above, my son (almost 18) has type 1 diabetes (an auto-immune disease totally unlike type 2) and we are very worried that once he can't be on our insurance anymore (for now that age is 26 and I hope it stays that way!) that he'll be able to get his own.  Or I hope a better plan is in progress before that, etc.  It's scary.  We will help him with his expenses for the rest of our lives if we have to!

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