(no subject)
This morning, on the south side of 103rd st between 3rd Avenue and Lexington Avenue, there were something like 900,000 people asking for petition signers. In honesty, it was closer to ten or twelve. As I walked West toward the subway station, the first two approached me: "Are you a registered Democrat?" I shook my head without saying anything. I *am* a registered Democrat, but I also see that they're getting signatures to run a particular candidate. I don't know the man, I know nothing about him, and I won't be a resident of this district when elections come up. I just didn't want to be bothered.
But then, of course, since they're all there working the subway thoroughfare, and since nobody was stopping, none of the petitioners were busy with clients. So all of them--all ten or twelve of them--asked all passersby "Are you a registered Democrat? Are you a registered Democrat? Take thirty seconds to sign a petition? Are you a registered Democrat?" It appeared (I may have overlooked them) that there were no petitioners on the other side of the street, and I hadn't met any coming up to 103rd. They all seemed to be smushed into that block, on one side of the street. So as I passed the last three people, I said "You should spread out." This guy in a suit said, "Yeah? It's a free country."
It's a free country? What the hell, right?
Now, I knew that I should just keep walking and let the guy be a dick (to give him the benefit of the doubt, it's possible that he'd been harassed all morning and didn't really listen to what I said). I knew I knew I knew that I should just keep walking. But I took off my headphones, turned around, and walked back to him. Here's what happened:
Dave: Did you just say 'it's a free country?' I know it's a free country. I'm trying to help you. You're all standing in a row, and it might be better if you spread out.
Suit: Well that's politics. (he turns away from me)
Dave: Hey, I'm trying to help you, and you're being really snarky with me. (I was able at the time to self-edit. I really wanted to say, "Well, if your candidate is as much of a dick as you are, I hope he dies of malaria." OK, I wasn't really thinking that. But I seriously started to say "real asshole," but was able to engage in an on-the-fly downgrade to "snarky.")
Suit: (cutting me off) You have a good day. You have a good day.
And then he turned away again.
What the hell? Why did he immediately assume that I was trying to badger him? I went door to door in a suburban neighborhood in another state trying to get people to go vote. I'm not against canvassing. But I had my own, individually assigned blocks to cover. If everyone working for the Kerry campaign had gone around to all the same houses, over and over, twelve doorbell rings in a row, not only wouldn't those people have been as likely to vote, they probably would have wished us malaria-related deaths.
Again, I try not to let this stuff affect me. But somehow I'm still thinking about it hours later.
But then, of course, since they're all there working the subway thoroughfare, and since nobody was stopping, none of the petitioners were busy with clients. So all of them--all ten or twelve of them--asked all passersby "Are you a registered Democrat? Are you a registered Democrat? Take thirty seconds to sign a petition? Are you a registered Democrat?" It appeared (I may have overlooked them) that there were no petitioners on the other side of the street, and I hadn't met any coming up to 103rd. They all seemed to be smushed into that block, on one side of the street. So as I passed the last three people, I said "You should spread out." This guy in a suit said, "Yeah? It's a free country."
It's a free country? What the hell, right?
Now, I knew that I should just keep walking and let the guy be a dick (to give him the benefit of the doubt, it's possible that he'd been harassed all morning and didn't really listen to what I said). I knew I knew I knew that I should just keep walking. But I took off my headphones, turned around, and walked back to him. Here's what happened:
Dave: Did you just say 'it's a free country?' I know it's a free country. I'm trying to help you. You're all standing in a row, and it might be better if you spread out.
Suit: Well that's politics. (he turns away from me)
Dave: Hey, I'm trying to help you, and you're being really snarky with me. (I was able at the time to self-edit. I really wanted to say, "Well, if your candidate is as much of a dick as you are, I hope he dies of malaria." OK, I wasn't really thinking that. But I seriously started to say "real asshole," but was able to engage in an on-the-fly downgrade to "snarky.")
Suit: (cutting me off) You have a good day. You have a good day.
And then he turned away again.
What the hell? Why did he immediately assume that I was trying to badger him? I went door to door in a suburban neighborhood in another state trying to get people to go vote. I'm not against canvassing. But I had my own, individually assigned blocks to cover. If everyone working for the Kerry campaign had gone around to all the same houses, over and over, twelve doorbell rings in a row, not only wouldn't those people have been as likely to vote, they probably would have wished us malaria-related deaths.
Again, I try not to let this stuff affect me. But somehow I'm still thinking about it hours later.