Sounds like that one hadn't completely lost is soul yet.

The Magas I encounter get very defensive and shut down.

I keep waiting to run into one of those people. I live in Western PA where one would think I could find one. So glad you ran into one in New England.

Often my travels take me further south in Western PA. Still can’t find anyone like that.

You got lucky, the stereotypical trump fan. Big truck, red hat, camo and Fox News. That’s the entire package right there.

But kudos for talking to him and probably changing his mind.

I live in deep blue Massachusetts. However, we have our clusters of MAGATs all around us. Four miles north of my hometown, across the border into New Hampshire, the yards are still proudly sporting Trump signs.

One auto repair shop on Rt 1, just before the border, has a huge billboard that currently has something to the effect of the new homeland security pick cleaning up the country. The owner changes the message frequently to display opinions on current events. They are all offensive.

My place of employment is close to Boston. (I work in retail). I call it the United Nations because we have people from all over the world working here.
Still, I and my fellow colleagues have to listen to a consistent gaggle of mostly American born white women sing Trump‘s praises on a daily basis.
They openly admit that they can’t wait to see “all the illegals sent packing”. All the while their immigrant coworkers, with whom they are actually on a very friendly basis, are sitting right there.

So yeah, they are everywhere.

Your retail managers allow their immigrant employees to be exposed to that type of bigotry?

It’s just so odd. I live in a swing state. I visit the city, suburban and rural areas. But, I never randomly run into these kinds of people. Never see anyone in retail stores talking politics. Or in doctor’s offices. Or in random checkout lines at the local grocery stores. It seems to be a phenomenon only available to certain people. I never even run into guys driving big pickup trucks, wearing camo and red hats!

If your retail manager does nothing when your coworkers are confronted with that kind of bigotry, you really should do something. Get to the HR office locally or corporate. Go above your do nothing manager’s head.

That was before my time. During Trump’s first reign. She was bothering customers with her Trump rants. Most of management are Trumpers, too. One of them has Trump and MAGA stickers plastered all over her car. However, none of them bring up their political beliefs except if they let something slip in conversations. (Like right before and after the election)

The Trumpette coworkers aren’t deliberately harassing their immigrant colleagues. They somehow seem to not count them as the same people they want to see deported. Their lunch conversations are always amongst each other and they talk about the latest events. This is when the topic Trump comes up, and the worship begins.

So they aren’t doing anything that is actionable, only thoughtless and offensive.

It happened before your time?

A coworker harassed customers about politics? I’m sure management immediately fired her.

But now, you’re still hearing, hopefully not the same coworker, talking to friends about immigrant fellow coworkers. Wanting them deported? You do nothing?

If anyone in the management group drives a car covered with trump stickers, and talks politics at work, you need a new job. You can’t be paid well with that type of management. You live in a deep blue state. I’m certain other retail stores aren’t like that.

At the very least, you’ve reported it to HR. Right?

I wasn’t working there at the time the employee was fired. Yes, the issue about people talking about their political beliefs in the lunch room was brought up to HR with expected results. (Nothing to be done because the conversations are not considered harassment).

As to management: Like I said, they rarely talk politics except in heated times like elections. (Even the bumper sticker person.) But every one of them lets it slip at some point. Especially since the election.

Oh, and other retail stores are absolutely like that. Before my current job, I worked for one of the large home improvement stores. That place was filled with Trumpers top to bottom. And they let you know it.

Believe me and others, or don’t. But that’s the reality for a lot of blue collar work places.

That I say these stories are embellished at best? That these stories are posted to fit in with everyone? To get credibility? Now, I would never say that.

Waiting for my car when a very loud, blustery fellow walked in. For some reason, he took the seat right next to me, even though there were only two people there.

The TV was on, and something about Nancy Pelosi came on. This guy loudly said "That traitor! She should be in jail!"

Thankfully, the other guy in the waiting room quickly changed the subject by asking the guy if he saw the football game last night. Then the guy started talking about football. Finally, my car was ready, and I got out of there.

They will survive a nuclear war.

Others here have thanked you for this service. I commend you also, and wonder if you've ever considered joining up with Braver Angels. Because so many of our public plazas are no more, places where people could meet on a park bench (or in the waiting room of a tire repair center) and just shoot the breeze, we've lost the art of civil discourse and I think the majority of us miss that. "Treat others as you wish to be treated" is more than just a platitude. It makes miracles.

Part of the secret must be respect even for people who are very different from us.

One of the anecdotes during Jimmy Carter's funeral service today at the National Cathedral was about his approach to his work with the Carter Center working to eradicate the guinea worm. His longtime friend and aide, Stu Eisenberg, noted that the process really was one of persuasion and that Jimmy's approach even in the smallest of villages involved his meeting and having conversations that were respectful. Probably from growing up in the small town of Plains (pop. 600), he knew from his personal experience that small town folk were just as interesting, genuine, caring [my interpretation of the anecdote] as any in the cities of the world. He treated people as partners, with respect, not pity. [Thanks wnylib for your notes from today's service!] The people he engaged with not only took on the work for their own village, they went out and worked with other villages and spread the knowledge and work involved in the eradication of the guinea worm organically.

I loved that. Part of the problems dividing us is a crisis of contempt, and it seems contagious. But if we could just be more like Jimmy, many problems would be able to begin finding solutions.

and the other (mostly) tells the truth. It's just not the same on both sides.

You took a tack more effective than trying to make my point. But we don't need people to just disengage. We need them to learn critical thinking. How do we do that?

I used to watch 24-hour news, but not in the vein of fake/faux news. Thought I would actually get valid news, but sadly, no. Now I don't watch any of them, it has burned me out.

I watch the news 100% now on YouTube (no broadcast TV anymore, not a whit), but it's the kind of news on what's going on in our communities, in such a way I can very easily control the news on YouTube I want to watch, and even on my small community, the news is sometimes that detailed (YouTube is everywhere). I actually enjoy these far more.

The narrative style of telling stories on YouTube are the best ones that tell their story so effectively. I do enjoy these so much more, and you don't see the nonstop commercials that is on 'regular' broadcast TV, ABC, NBC, CNN, etc. Sometimes they do plug something, but it's not overwhelming and I do understand the need to get sponsors by some of these people, to help keep going.

None of that news that deals w/ the political spectrum, thank GOD. There are far more important things going on in our communities that warrant our attention, such as food banks, helping our elderly neighbors, helping our kids read, participate in our senior citizen's groups (we actually have a place in the neighborhood for these places, where they lend out tools, etc., very nice). The list goes on and on. Stop by when you're on your daily walks, and visit these places. It is so interesting and who knows, you might run into your neighbors too!

I'm done preaching. Sorry!

i too miss just the facts, ma'am.

and get a non-criminal hobby

....you have removed 1 cult member from the cult. This guy is going to find out anyway over the next 4 years.