# I blew up a Toastmasters group last night **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 21, 2020, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672 "2020-08-21T14:38:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/61 "2020-08-22T23:24:44Z")
We were coming at it from different angles and perspectives, with slightly different filters. I now see it through your perspective and filters and have learned something. Thank you. Hopefully you will also have learned something from my angle and filter. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/62 "2020-08-22T23:29:41Z")
What is the stereotype of a person who uses a cane and oxygen? I can’t say I’m familiar with it. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/63 "2020-08-22T23:30:08Z")
All of the old, white men and women that I associate with are liberals. So either I’m living in an alternate universe or the OP is all wet. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/64 "2020-08-23T00:33:11Z")
Oh heavens, I know too many. Fortunately, I know more who are liberals. It might have to do with the Portlandia area where you live? Surely you know there are a lot of old white republican trump supporters in this country. And JohnT is in Texas, isn’t he? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/65 "2020-08-23T00:59:57Z")
Matthew’s speeches referred only to the importance of the Second Amendment and his desire to see protesters shot. He didn’t (at least, according to the OP) say anything about health care, pre-existing conditions, or Medicare. I don’t agree with any politician, or political party, 100%. Perhaps Matthew agrees with Trump on some things and disagrees on others. As much a I disagree with Matthew, I don’t see how his age or infirmity makes him a hypocrite when discussing the 2nd Amendment or protesters. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/66 "2020-08-23T01:00:09Z")
Really, this is the part I found painting with a broad brush: > [@JohnT](#): > > “Dave, thank you. I will go again as invited, and I’m going to revisit the topic of ‘what is your most controversial opinion’, to which I respond: My most controversial opinion is that middle-aged and older white American men are undergoing a mental, emotional, spiritual, and psychological breakdown and that was never highlighted better in my life than listening to you speak, Matthew.” That statement could have been fixed with many different qualifiers (e.g. many, some, several). I can certainly say that this particular middle aged/older white American man isn’t undergoing any emotional, spiritual or psychological breakdown. So, if I could be excluded from this with the addition of a few well placed words, I’d be happier. But then again, I don’t see “all” in the statement, so it can reasonably be assumed that you didn’t mean that in a way it could have reasonably been interpreted. I wouldn’t have been able to help from interrupting Matthew with incredulous laughter, and if you were able to sit there in silence, you are far more stoic than I. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/67 "2020-08-23T01:04:08Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Matthew’s speeches referred only to the importance of the Second Amendment and his desire to see protesters shot. He didn’t (at least, according to the OP) say anything about health care, pre-existing conditions, or Medicare. I don’t agree with any politician, or political party, 100%. Perhaps Matthew agrees with Trump on some things and disagrees on others. > > As much a I disagree with Matthew, I don’t see how his age or infirmity makes him a hypocrite when discussing the 2nd Amendment or protesters. Well, I can’t really speak for JohnT, but everyone I know who believes in shooting the protesters is a trump-supporting republican who thinks that the party is on his side. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/68 "2020-08-23T02:00:51Z")
I did not read the OP’s response to his so-called friend’s set-up/lame trap as being broad-brushed or prejudiced against anyone. What he did was carefully describe the group which seems to be driving the far-right reaction to the positive changes in our society over the last hundred plus years and he did that without using words that would indicate that he feels all of the people who match those demographics (age, gender) are considered by him to be a monolithic thinking bloc. The OP is correct: those in that demographic who do react negatively to those changes, but not everyone in that demographic, react so because they perceive those changes as taking away their privilege. Of course, they also deny that they had those privileges in the first place, but that’s not the point. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/69 "2020-08-23T04:48:06Z")
Have to say that B&D Toastmasters are the best of the lot, no need to clean, just throw away when dirty. New one is less than drinks at a bar. 😉🕶 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/70 "2020-08-23T05:03:19Z")
You did everything right. I am fucking impressed. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2020, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/71 "2020-08-24T00:33:53Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > All of the old, white men and women that I associate with are liberals. So either I’m living in an alternate universe or the OP is all wet. I guess it depends where you live, exactly. Most of the old white people I know of live in the suburbs or ex-urbs and were kids when white flight from the city took place. So in many cases they were raised to believe “people who don’t look like you are bad.” ---
**Author:** ![erpa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e56c9b/32.png) [@erpa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erpa)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2020, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/72 "2020-08-25T03:53:32Z")
Did you architect this entire conversation for your reply? LOL!!! ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2020, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/73 "2020-08-27T11:54:39Z")
Sheesh… my TM group is sponsored by my workplace, and we have an unspoken rule to avoid discussing politics. When I was Table Topics master and announced that the topics would be related to Abraham Lincoln, some of the attendees were reluctant to participate because they were afraid I was going to ask them something of a political/historical nature. I purposely did not – “Abraham Lincoln’s favorite dinner was corned beef and cabbage, venison and apples. What’s yours?” Even the mention of his name was enough to invoke fears of the ominous political specter. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/74 "2020-08-31T22:48:26Z")
Man, we have an unspoken rule in my work to not talk politics, though I think I know how some are leaning. In 28 years I have never heard anyone debate or talk politics. Home life, health and whatever else is fine. You just don’t talk politics or religion at work. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/75 "2020-08-31T23:29:16Z")
Just to be clear, I don’t think the Toastmasters group in the OP was a workplace group. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/76 "2020-09-02T01:11:02Z")
Almost blew up my toaster this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/77 "2020-09-02T01:19:55Z")
You do not sound like much of a toastmaster. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/78 "2020-09-02T01:29:10Z")
I propose a toast…to the masters of…toasting and roasting. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/79 "2020-09-02T01:42:44Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > You do not sound like much of a toastmaster. I’m inclined to agree. I used to do Toastmasters years ago before I had kids. Honestly, the OP’s group sounds terrible. Toastmasters is supposed to be a place for learning public speaking, not to serve as a soapbox to debate politics. And unless the OPs TM group runs very differently from mine, I don’t think there is really a format for debating. Someone could give a politically charged 2 min Table Topics or prepared speech, but mostly the group would be addressing the style and structure, not debating the merits of the content. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672/80 "2020-09-02T10:36:25Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I’m inclined to agree. Woah woah woah, slow your roll, I was responding to the guy who exploded his toaster. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-blew-up-a-toastmasters-group-last-night/918672.md?page=5)