I had a disturbing encounter with a MAGA customer last night

[Rachel M at 6 pm]

First, a couple of details before I tell you what he said:

He was calm and friendly the whole time, with nothing sinister or threatening about his tone or body language. That's what made it all so much more disturbing. He seemed to think what he said was completely reasonable.

Also, I live in a dark blue state where this kind of encounter is already rare.

Also, while it's difficult to get fired where I work, the one thing you can never do is show gross disrespect to a customer. So other than telling him who I voted for, and that I'm a never-Trumper, I stayed calm and let him spout this insanity. I knew that if I took him on, it would escalate quickly (I know the limits of my own temper) and that I could easily find myself out of a job.

The conversation began with him asking how I was handling the election, and I told him I was stressed to my limit and couldn't wait untll it was over.

He replied, "Well, it will be over soon, one or the other side will win, and then everyone will be able to calm down."

And then:

"But unless Trump wins in a landslide, we'll know the Democrats rigged the election. Anything other than a Trump landslide, and there's going to be hell to pay. And the Republicans are not going to just passively sit by and let it happen, like they did in 2020. This time, they'll be out for revenge. The Democrats better not steal it again."

He said all that in such a reasonable tone, it was as if he was describing how water always runs downhill or how time always moves forward.

This was an hour before the end of my last shift before the election. A month ago I scheduled Monday the 4th through Thursday the 7th off for myself, just to try to avoid some of the election craziness.

I calmly explained that I'm voting for Kamala, I'm a never-Trumper, and I would vote for anyone who ran against Trump. I knew that if I went further than that, I would end up yelling at him, calling him a fucking idiot, and asking him whether he was evil or stupid.

So I made it though my shift without getting fired, and now I have four days off. But I had trouble sleeping last night, thinking about this disturbing conversation.

[Tetrachloride]

1. Well done

[Sparkly]

2. Kudos for managing that well!

Keeping your cool and keeping your job! Now we all need to keep our sanity, come what may. Clearly people like this customer lost theirs already.

[TwilightZone]

3. There's nothing he can do about it.

There isn't going to be an uprising. There isn't going to be a civil war. These guys just sit around fantasizing about taking on "the man" or the government and would be the first to run when the fighting started.

I know it's difficult, but try to just laugh it off. There will no doubt be isolated incidents, but that's true pretty much all the time. The guy is just talking out of his ass.

You handled it well. There's nothing you could have said that would change his mind, and it's not worth the effort to get upset with him. It wouldn't accomplish anything, because people like this are too dumb to get it.

[FrankBooth]

6. Yep

Cosplay radicals huffing their own RW media to the point they can't distinguish reality from their fever dreams. FAFO.

[paleotn]

14. Exactly. Well said.

And those few who do get rowdy will just add to the list of trump trash serving prison sentences.

[Hieronymus Phact]

36. just laugh it off

Great advice, in fact i would go further and just start laughing and guffawing at what he said, in his face. I'd try to laugh so hard it would sound fake and i wouldn't care.
Can't get in trouble for laughing at a joke can you?

[OldBaldy1701E]

51. Exactly my thought.

Fall on the floor laughing. Point at him and laugh some more, as loudly as you can.

These people deserve ridicule and derision.

Give it to them in full.

[Hieronymus Phact]

54. thanks!

I've been preaching the gospel of "Righteous Ridicule" for a while but liberals seem to be squeamish about it.
A friend put it well, and i think this is the role that ridicule is supposed play in society.

Ridicule the Ridiculous

[Buttoneer]

4. Thank you for sharing your story, and for standing up to him. Stay well.

[elleng]

5. WOW!

Rachel M.

[Ilsa]

7. They refuse to believe TFG is disliked by

more people who like him. TFG has drilled into them that they can't lose, they are right, good, and entitled. How dare a majority take this away from them?

I'm really glad you got through the encounter without feeling like you'll lose it.

[Emrys]

8. I'd have asked him in what universe Trump's fans "just passively sit by and let it happen" in 2020

But I think you did the right thing. He wasn't there for a debate anyway. Don't let him get to you, and enjoy your break.

[Hekate]

9. I worked retail for years thru college; take this for what it's worth...

He was baiting you. First and foremost, never give your personal information, including that you are a Never Trumper.

Put the following in your own words on a sticky note on your mirror, and practice saying it out loud.

“Gosh. We are not allowed to discuss politics at work. Can I get you (name of a product you sell) ? “ Smile.

He tries again. You say: “I’ll be over there — when you see what you want, let me know.” Smile. Walk away. Don’t play any part of his game.

Best of luck, and enjoy your 4 days off.

[Rachel M at 6 pm]

10. Thanks, "We are not allowed to discuss politics at work" is a good idea

This was my first political discussion with a customer who was not a Dem, due to this being such a bright blue state.

But when it's a co-worker, I've always interjected some version of, "Just so we're clear, I see Trump as the enemy and I always vote against him." I've done that because I haven't wanted my lack of reaction to their MAGA talk to be seen as agreement.

But you're right, "we're not allowed to discuss politics at work" is a good idea when it's a customer.

[Cassidy]

26. Prattling patrons

"Smile and walk away" is excellent advice. Necessary for self preservation in retail.

The only exception I make to that is when a person says something rude about immigrants. I explain to them that my grandfather was an illegal immigrant, so what they are saying applies to my family and applies to me.

That usually shuts them up.

Since I am a blue-eyed blond, I hope that somewhere in the unused recesses of their brain it also makes them reconsider their assumptions.

[LisaM]

28. Yes, I think he was baiting the OP.

To what end - who knows?

[Hekate]

38. Goal: to cause a scene when the bait was taken, while he stands there innocent as a lamb...

…still talking calmly.

Just a guess.

[Blue_Roses]

40. Yeah, you're spot on

because when it escalates the more heated and irrational you get. It's hard though sometimes.

[sheshe2]

11. Ha!

You do what I used to do when I was working, taking time off after the election. I did it because I knew I would be exhausted from staying up so late to catch all the news.

We are going to do this!

[Bluethroughu]

12. I had one of those with a chicken shit young guy.

I asked him, "are you okay with friends and their families being shot or rounded up", he just smirked and shrugged.

They are losers and have nothing to lose, so why not. Politics is just the excuse for burning it all down, so their failed lazy incel asses have something to blame, for nothing they are.

[relayerbob]

13. They aren't going to do jack shit

They are going to get their asses handed to them tomorrow. A few will likely stage some terrorist acts, but as a whole, they're going to go back in their basements, and back under their hoods, while trump makes a run for the airport to get out of the country.

[Linda ladeewolf]

15. Why has it never occurred

To these people, that trump lost while he was president. He lost in red states, there is no way they would have cheated on Biden’s behalf, no effing way. He tried to get help from Putin and did, he got help from his own people and still lost.

[AZ8theist]

17. You're trying to rationalize people who are in a cult.

It's a waste of time. These people cannot think; most don't even know what he's for or even what they are against.

[Blue_Roses]

41. He doesn't even know what he's for...

except hate and vengeance

[dchill]

22. Logic and reason are not parts of their regimen.

Critical thinking went to lunch one day and never came back.

[lastlib]

35. I think their critical thinking went for a swim and drowned.....

...in the shallow end.

[niyad]

16. Kudos to you for keeping your cool, and your job. That guy is so clearly

delusional, there was nothing you could have said.


A friend runs a convenience store in a very, very red district, and his temper is almost as short as mine. He finally started answering the magats who tried to engage him with, "it is against company policy to talk politics at work".

[Gaugamela]

18. Well done. I have worked in retail, and know how

hard it can be. But I think this guy is dead wrong. Once Trump loses he's chopped liver. Nobody's going to stick their neck out or put their livelihood on the line to help a washed up loser who has no appointments or money or pardons to hand out. This orange simulacrum of a man will slip into meaningless obscurity and die alone in custody.

[hadEnuf]

19. Heads I win, tails you lose?

These MAGATs can shove it. They are inches away from needing to be declared a terrorist organization.

[4lbs]

20. I would have handled it differently. Thank Dog I'm not you.

I would have called him a fucking bitch to his face.

Then, if he complained and upper management got involved, I would just say "Fire Me, Asswipe(s). Go ahead. In fact, I'll do it for you. I quit. Bye!"

Then when they scramble to find someone that does EVERYTHING I DO in a small amount of time (I do nearly 8 things EVERY DAY in just 4 hours), I'll laugh my ass off in their faces. They won't like it, but I won't care.

I've already had lots of other job offers (about 6 now) that I've turned down, but can still "ring them up" if needed.

This is why I don't work with customers directly. So many of them are idiots. It is all I can do to "bite my tongue" at how stupid they are.

[niyad]

47. Please do not use "bitch" as an insult.

[Emile]

21. I think it's republicans who rig elections. Remember the

fake electors.

[Cha]

24. It Definitely IS.

[Cha]

23. Wow The brainwashed Stupidity of that

Cult is Enough to Make anyone Lose It.

Good on you Keeping your Cool and your job! ⭐️ 🕯️🕊️💙🌊🌊🌊💙🇺🇸🌈

[Warpy]

25. Sigh. I've worked retail, too

and a lot of times some of the worst lunacy comes out of people who are trying to act reasonable but you want to call 911 and get someone out with a butterfly net ASAP but since nobody does that sort of sensible thing any more, I was stuck dealing with them, too.

All we can hope is that we are outvoting them, that thee are more sane people than crazy people out there.

[AdamGG]

27. Someone in here last week posted that a Trumper

Was publicly talking at his job (at Habitat for Humanity of all places) about how Jesus stopped Trump from being shot and after Trump wins, a lot of leftists are going to have to be hung.

Your Trumper sounds like Mahatma Gandhi compared to theirs. I hope that Josh Shapiro, Tony Evers, Gretchen Whitmer & Roy Cooper have the state police and the national guard on speed dial because your Trumpanzee was probably right. If anything other than a Trump landslide is playing out on Tuesday night, they're going to be violently mobilizing.

The law in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin is that their election workers can't open any of the mail in/early vote ballots and begin processing until 7 am Tuesday morning. Because of this, Pennsylvania didn't declare a winner in 2020 until the Saturday after the election. If that happens this year, I'd be surprised if armed mobs aren't assaulting the locations where the votes are being counted.

[Puppyjive]

29. He must not know who currently controls the military

The party in power can trump all these losers and whatever they have planned.

[czarjak]

30. See what we are up against?

The greeter at Wally-World today made a reference to The Donald being back in charge after tomorrow. After laughing in his face and wishing him good luck with that, I asked him if he wanted to wager, no response. Was eagerly looking forward to the exit exchange. Unfortunately he was busy pushing-broom while I was checking out and didn't get to rub it in anymore. Work for a living and vote R? Bigly mistake.

[niyad]

48. I would have reminded him that Joe is STILL President until Jan. 20 at 12:01 pm.

[Seinan Sensei]

31. I said "Bullshit" in church a few days ago

The church was an early-voting location
The guy four places back was chatting with the guy in line right behind me.
Speaking loud enough for all to hear.
He started with Kamala being a Communist
He went to how great RFK Jr would be in the Trump admin
He began talking about post-birth abortions

I couldn't take it any more: "Bullshit!"

Three more 'Bullshits' from me, and he finally quit talking
Two people caught me later, to tell me they appreciated what I said

[Bayard]

32. Good for you keeping your cool

[Initech]

33. WTF is he smoking?

The GOP didn't just sit idly by. They actively tried to disrupt the election process as much as they could. Trump went on Fox News every night to his mommy and daddy Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham about how the democrats stole the election. Then when all else failed, he instructed his deranged followers to destroy the Capitol, which they did, and they threatened to murder his own vice president. And this is all easily searched for.

[JHB]

34. These people complain about things "rammed down their throat" but...

...they will swallow anything.

"Give me another bowl of chocolate!"
"Sir, that brown stuff was not chocolate. Couldn't you tell by the smell?"
"Yes, I can smell, and it was definitely chocolate. I've been enjoying that since it was served in Rush Rooms back in the 90s. Now get me seconds!"

[Grins]

37. ...unless Trump wins in a landslide, we'll know the Democrats rigged the election."

“…unless Trump wins in a landslide, we'll know the Democrats rigged the election.”

Really? Based on what? And how can you be so stupid?

[GoodRaisin]

39. What I would like to tell him.

“Well, I hope you enjoy jail. Moron”.

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

42. Glad you got out of that intact.

I would like to think I would have either said "We can't talk about politics at work" or "That's not the way I remember 2020."

But I can't know not having been there.

My main goal would have been to avoid extending the conversation mostly because I am not going to convince this guy of anything, and neither is he going to convince me. Debate is a waste of breath in this case.

But sometimes I like to argue for argument's sake or just to prove how smart I am. Not a pretty trait.

I am so ready for this all to be over (with a good outcome).

[radius777]

43. Best thing to do is feign ignorance,

ie "I'm not a political person, wake me up when it's over." Basically in this environment, unless surely amongst likeminded folks, it's best to say very little. There are too many nuts out there who could go beserk over the smallest thing.

[Emile]

45. Welcome to du, how do you like your pizza?

[niyad]

49. That one actually lasted a couple of minutes longer than I thought it would.

[Emile]

50. I replied to an earlier post too. Oh well, the troll is gone now.

[niyad]

46. Gin, or rubles?

[Think. Again.]

52. If he felt he had to try to scare people into voting for trump...

...by threatening "all hell" or whatever, I guess he's not as confident as he wants to appear.

[intrepidity]

53. "Gee, our side feels exactly the same way."

"How do you explain that?"