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Back To Normal [1]

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Date: 2024-09-01  

In my last story about the farmer’s market, I ranted about a MAGA moron who insisted on inflicting on us his paranoid delusions as gifted to him by the orange BS dispenser. The odds of the pests besieging us greatly increase when the market is sparsely attended. During the last two Saturdays the market has been busier than it was on the Saturday of the MAGA moron, and the only Republicans visiting us were women who are, for the most part, smart enough not to start absurd political arguments that no one is going to win. This is not to say, however, that they do not occasionally say something they do not know is false and will not listen to any argument or presentation of facts that will reveal the falsehood to them. A perfect example of that was when one of those women told us we needed to tell people we are registering to notify the county where they are currently registered so that county will take them off the voter roll there. When I pointed out that the state automatically removes them from the voter roll of the county they are leaving, she vigorously denied that and insisted that there are millions of people registered in multiple counties. She did so regardless of the fact that the voter registration form has a place where you are required to name the county in which you are currently registered. I guess she can’t figure out why the state would require that disclosure so she said we will just have to agree to disagree. Okay, I can accept that. No need to bang my head against the wall she has erected to protect herself from the real world. We can still exchange pleasantries.

We had several new members of our club at the booth with us during the last two Saturdays. They were energetic and eager to get people walking by to stop and register or just chat with us. The story boards I mentioned in my story of August 15, 2024 also attracted people. Some of those people were even Democrats. I always enjoy the rants of frustrated Democrats who really need to get it off their chests. It is not that easy to find someone who is not a fact denier in this district, and most of the Democrats here do not pester folks with their views because they’ve learned that right-wingers will interpret any logical argument that threatens their delusions as a personal attack. It must be very unpleasant for Republicans when reality crashes into their delusions and bruises their right-wing souls!

I had to smile when one of our new members became a bit too eager and asked the religious group next to us if they were registered to vote. They said no, they didn’t need to vote because God would take care of it! Now I have to acknowledge the other side of the coin and say it can also be very unpleasant for we Democrats when delusion crashes into our rationality and bruises our enlightened sense of reality. I know – those metaphorical crashes are not equivalent and presenting both is about as nonpartisan as the mainstream media. Did I just grind two axes with one twist of the wheel? Don’t answer that; it might scare me.

Sorry about that. I’m afraid this is turning into another rant. And I had every intention of sharing what was a pleasant and productive experience. Quite a few Democrats shared their stories with us, and we registered ten people during those two days. That may not seem like a large number, but it is good for up here. And it can make a big difference in some of the down ballot races. If you want to know the truth, I’m meeting good people at the farmer’s market and having a good time (some of those people are even misguided Republicans).

Yeah, I know someone will undoubtedly leave a message scolding me for consorting with NAZIs, but even the misguided Republicans up here will stop and help if they see you are in trouble. So while I get very frustrated with the MAGA delusions, and I am determined to defeat the dumb-assery before it destroys our democracy, I will stop, as many of them do, to help people in trouble without asking or caring about their politics. And during most of the interactions of my daily life I will set politics aside and remind myself that all people share a common humanity. As John Wayn once said, I’m “… one of those Goddamn liberals, I have to love everyone.” All right, I’m not that virtuous. There is a strong self-interest involved. For my own mental health, I try to confine myself to throwing floating life rings to people who are smart enough to use them, and I leave the fact deniers to their fate.

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