Flag-waving freeper family on street corner (WARNING: HIGH GAG FACTOR)

[Obamarama]

So, I was out indulging in a little retail therapy today and was going down the main commercial strip here in Kalamazoo/Portage area.

There, on the corner of one of the main intersections was a small assemblage of very Freeperish looking people. I won't go into great detail, but think of the infamous "Morans" guy and notch it up a couple degrees. We're talking white trash on steroids.I think they were a family. Two adult females, two adult males and four children.

The Freeper Men were waving huge American flags and the little Freeperkinden were waving little flags. The Freeper women were holding up signs that said "Honk if you love America" and the other was holding up a sign that portrayed two crudely drawn World Trade Center towers, with smoke sprialing upward. On it were the words "WE WILL NEVER 4-GET."

What is it with these people? I realize this is a sad and important date in our country's history and that the wounds are still fresh, but that type of exhibit is truly puzzling to me. It is still a free country (unless Bush gets another 4 years) and they are expressing their first ammendment rights.

I just don't understand where "that" comes from...what made these people decide "Oh, I know...lets go stand out on Westnedge Avenue and wave flags and get people to honk for America?" '

Am I the only one who is confounded by these types of displays?

[jdj]

1. What is appalling to me is that it is not the death of innocents

but the percieved kick in the nuts that these folks are upset about.

"Yew cain't dew that kinda thang to us murikans. We'ull put uh boot in yer ayuss."

thanks for the new terminology, freeperkinden, I like it.

[Obamarama]

4. RE: Freeperkinden

Thanks...it is meant to be representative of the Hitler Jugen ala Nazi Germany.

[MazeRat7]

5. dey took my jubbbbb !!! (n/t)

[yardwork]

34. LOL! One of my all-time favorite South Park episodes

Welcome to DU.

[Rowdyboy]

2. Thank God I didn't experience anything like that....

It not only belittles the loss of the lives of 3000 innocent American civilians, but also minimizes the loss of 1000 American soldiers and untold thousands of Iraqi men, women and children. All of these victims deserves respect, not flag waving extreme-nationalism. Its a total disgrace and embarrassemnt for all involved.

[DS1]

3. I bark nonsensical German at people like that

It's a lot of fun - but you gotta make sure to not get in an accident while doing so A) You'll really make an ass of yourself which B) said crowd would likely want to kick up and down the road.

So, remember kids, stay on the brake while leaning out your window and screaming "DAS IS MEIN SHIESTER FATERLAND!!!" or such pleasantries.

[davsand]

6. I had a clerk at Toys R Us give me crap for shopping on 9/11.

I'll grant you, he wasn't exactly rude about it--but he actually asked me why I was out shopping on this "awful anniversary." I explained that I was shopping because it was SATURDAY and I wasn't at work and my daughter wasn't in school--thus we were ABLE to go shopping.

He just shook his head and said he thought it was wrong to go out and have fun on a day like today...

You have NO idea how difficult it was for me not to remind him that in the wake of 9/11 our "fearless leader" urged everyone to go out and shop in support of our nation...
:puke:


Laura

[Obamarama]

8. Oy vey...ya gotta be kidding me

So what was the dolt doing at work? If he felt that strongly about it why didn't he trade shifts or give up his shift to someone who needed/wanted more hours?

[Warpy]

10. Why struggle?

Remind the bloody fool of what a cowardly, crass bastard is in the White House. Take every opportunity, and this was a golden one.

Another thing would be to say in a stage voice that if they don't want your business, K-B Toys will. That will get his manager's attention, since both companies are in a fight to the death.

[mitchum]

12. Did he say that he was donating his day's pay to the families of...

the victims? Seems the least he could do.

[thomas_a]

15. "I had a clerk at Toys R Us give me crap for shopping on 9/11."

"You have NO idea how difficult it was for me not to remind him that in the wake of 9/11 our "fearless leader" urged everyone to go out and shop in support of our nation..."

That is one temptation you should not have resisted.

[jdj]

19. say your kid is dressing up as Osama on Halloween

just kidding, but it is hard not to resist making comments like these

I had a friend from England who was pretty shocked when she visited the Southern U.S. (her sister is in North Carolina) and all these people would ask her "Are you Saved" (or the long version which is "have you accepted Jesus Christ as your lord and savior?") She is a very ballsy dame, and after at first not knowing how to respond to these folks, she just started telling them no, that she is a Satan Worshipper.

I thought that was so funny, especially with her dignified British accent.

[eurolefty]

29. ah, the South

I lived in the Southern U.S. for a year. Similar experiences. I used to answer truthfully that I am atheist. Got some funny looks because of that. But most trouble I got when wearing a T-shirt with a large peace sign on it. Freepers just went spastic when they saw it, I have no idea why.

[jdj]

30. Peace doesn't bode well for Jesus coming back soon.

They hate peace.

For them being around 'when Jesus comes' is like winning Miss America.

With the crown and cape and runny mascara and everything.

They should all have bumper stickers that say "wage war for Jesus."

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

7. Not to nitpick,

but so far I see no problem here. How did you know they were Freepers? Frankly, I don't see anything right-wing about waving the flag proudly, or remembering 9-11. What's your beef?

[Obamarama]

9. Look, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck....

Everything you need to know to answer your question is in my post, and I'm not falling for flame bait.

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

16. Not trying to flame. I read your post twice.

All you told me was that they were waving flags and remembering 9/11. I was just asking WTF was the big deal?

[Gyre]

11. meth provides lots of unfocused energy

I've heard tell.

Gyre

[mitchum]

14. LOL!!!

:)

[frylock]

18. beautiful!

[fearnobush]

Did they lose loved ones in Bush's greatest failure.

[fearnobush]

13. Did they lose loved ones in Bush's greatest failure.

[DaveSZ]

17. I don't really see a problem with this

[jdj]

22. So all us folks who don't honk HATE AMERICA?

connect the dots.

there is now an amber alert on a couple of missing turnips.

[gratuitous]

20. Forget about them

Go swing by Skyridge Church of the Brethren, and appreciate a far more insightful and tasteful display.

[Obamarama]

23. Skyridge...out on Drake Road....nice church

Very welcoming of gay and lesbian members, too. They had a huge peace display on exhibit there earlier this year.

If I were Christian (I'm Jewish) I'd probably be a member.

[gratuitous]

24. Yup, a very good friend pastors there

We're probably going to swipe their peace display idea.

[frylock]

21. hey everybody!! look at me!!

I'm uber-patriotic. :eyes:

[TreasonousBastard]

25. So what?

Although I may think the same of Freeperfamilien as you do, waving flags on a day set aside to memorialize the tragedy doesn't seem like a descent into the maelstrom.

We hold an anti-war vigil every Saturdy. Been doing it since Afghanistan started. There were more vigils over the 1,00th dead soldier on Thursday.

If they are to be attacked for what they believe, then I suppose we should be attacked for our vigils.

It would be only fair.

[Obamarama]

27. To set the record straight for you and a couple others....

I am not attacking them, and I pretty clearly stated in my post that it is a free country and they are exercising their first ammendment rights.

I never said they were wrong for doing what they are doing, and I never implied that they had no right to be there, and I certainly never said flag waving was wrong.

Christ, can someone tell me when they ceased teaching reading comprehension in school?

If you'll go back and read my initial post, you will clearly see that what I am questioning is the motivation and psychology behind people who feel compelled to go stand on a street and put themselves on display in this manner.

While I defend their right to do what they're doing, I think it is appallingly maudlin and it is beyond me what motivates someone to behave in this manner. There are any number of more dignified ways to show ones patriotism.

[TreasonousBastard]

33. You are...

"questioning is the motivation and psychology"

of these people and

"think it is appallingly maudlin"

You also describe them as trailer trash and warned us of a gag alert.

This appears to be making something of a value judgment about these people, and that is what I question.

I might tend to agree with that value judgment, and find that many people who wave their beliefs in my face are shallow-- even the ones I agree with. I have a real problems with flag wavers who know the symbol but don't know what it really symbolizes.

However, for each of us who derides or questions them, there are at least as many of them who deride us for what we may do. Just how many of us have been out there with equally mawkish anti-Shrub signage?

Methinks your complaint is really more about the message than the messengers.

Anyway, somewhere along the line we have to live with these people, and while drawing the battle lines in a campaign is great sport, none of us should really believe that they are wrong for expressing their ideas in pretty much the same way we often do.

It's the ideas that must be fought, not the people expressing them. When it gets personal, the battle is lost.

[Obamarama]

35. Yeah, well......

When I can pretty much surmise that these people are of the same ilk that would vote against my right to have my 16 year relationship with my partner legally recognized, yeah...I am going to get personal. I suspect they wouldn't waste any time calling me a fag, so I'm not too terribly concerned about calling them white trash.

Frankly, I'm sick and tired of this "We have to be nice, politically correct Democrats" mentality. Fuck that shit. The Republicans have been playing the game by lopsided rules for decades. They make it personal, so fuck the "We shouldn't resort to the same tactics they use."

It's working for them, so I say it's time to get mean spirited and nasty right back at them.

So, I reiterate: they were disgusting, Freeper white trash pigs who are so utterly clueless they will probably vote for Bush in two months, so fuck them and the four-wheel drive pickup with a gun rack they drove in on.

[benomo]

37. Tolerance

You "suspect they wouldn't waste any time calling" you a fag.

Exactly. You suspect and don't know.

How can you expect people to accept you in light of your self-perceived differences, if you won't accept them for their differences? I'm not saying you have to like them, by any means. But try to be tolerant.

On the other hand you are confiding in people on this board "behind closed doors." It isn't like you screamed "white-trash" or anything along those lines at them.

[smirkymonkey]

45. Bravo!

It's not the flag waving, it's the HYPOCRISY!

Something about people who weren't anywhere near ground zero when it happened getting all maudlin about 9/11 in public turns my stomach.

Most of these people just like the drama. They could give a shit about New Yorkers or the people who lost their lives that day. (Disclaimer: with the exception of those who ACTUALLY lost loved ones on that day - and I have yet to hear of any of these families waving flags on street corners!)

[Nordic]

40. well, gosh, since they don't share your sophistication, yes, they are scum

sorry, but you keep digging yourself in deeper here.

[SudieJD]

26. Repuke Area..Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids MI

Having lived and worked in that area, I know that it is a REPUKE hide-out. I worked for the TV station in Battle Creek (WUHQ/WOTV) and it was owned by the Lawrence boys. It was an order to the news directer to favor repuke storys.

The Lawrence boys (Jack and Bill) BTW..own most of Kazoo. They're both rich, white repukes.

This doesn't surprize me at all.

Susie in MN

[Obamarama]

28. Oh yeah....those Lawrence boys are Republicans deluxe....

Were you there for the great downsizing?

[BlueJazz]

31. If I may say......One reason why I agree with your post is.....

...because it's been my experience that the "Flag wavers, America is so holy, American is the best, I love my country more that you", People, are the first ones to have the attitude that anyone on welfare is a piece of shit...Democrats are all lazy queers and Lizzies and tree huggers, all "decent" Americans go to church and most important....
I got mine and fuck everyone else.

I think these people KNOW (in their heart) that they don't truly live by what the Constitution says or in fact, really give a shit about anybody else...so they "over-compensate" for it...

[gollygee]

32. How did I miss that? LOL I was out shopping and either didn't see them

or was out at the wrong time or something.

Ah well. They'll do that hand-holding anti-abortion thing soon too. When is that?

[Madrone]

36. My guess is that they were on the Portage portion of Westnedge -

But I could be wrong... :)

My mom made the Gazette a few months ago when she went to see WhistleAss himself at his swing-state stump stop in Kalamazoo. She had me seriously :puke: :puke: :puke: in her retelling of her experience in trying to get tickets and the actual event - seeing such a good, moral, Christian man who is in touch with average people speak.... arggggghhh.

I offered to next-day her my Rosie the Riveter tshirt that says "UP YOURS GEORGE" to wear in honor of the event - but she wasn't buying.

At least her husband will be cancelling out her bullshit Bush vote this November.

[Obamarama]

38. Yup....

On the corner of Kilgore and Westnedge, in front of the Speedway gas station.

[Nordic]

39. sorry, but I think you're being judgmental and prejudiced

from your description I see absolutely nothing wrong with anything these people were doing.

I do, however, see a picture of you that conveys you as a judgmental and predjudiced person.

Sorry, that's just how it looks from here.

Don't judge a man till you've walked a mile in his moccassins. Or he's actually holding up a "morans" sign. :)

[Qanisqineq]

42. there seems to be a lot of that going around lately

judging, stereotyping, prejudice.

All I can say is, are you (original poster) saying liberals don't love America and don't care about 9/11? Because if any people that do love America and do care about 9/11 and wave flags are automatically right wingers... ?

[CPUSA04]

41. ok

and what? did you not honk or somthing?

[VOX]

43. Not ok.

Your, uh, true colors are showing -- kind of a nice tombstone gray, with a little patch of green below.

[Columbia]

44. "Flag-waving... freeper... white trash... moran..."

Any wonder why it is so difficult to get votes in middle america with such derogatory attitudes towards our fellow citizens?

[Qanisqineq]

46. hear hear

eom