Okay, now that I have looked up Trabant, that is funny! 
(In fact, I have decided that a Trabant is the car I want next.)
You have three separate issues here.
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The guy is harassing you. I suspect that you have made your lack of respect for him perfectly clear whether by overt or subconscious expressions. I also bet that you have vented to co-workers things which have been repeated to him. Stop discussing him or even thinking about him. Just make it your habit to switch topics immediately when you think of him “Joe said X . . .” “Oh, look, a bunny rabbit.”
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You don’t trust the management chain where you work. If there are other job opportunites in yoru area, start looking immediately. If you have any bosses or HR people you think MAY be trustworthy go to themand say “I need some advice on how to handle Joe . . .” (NOT “I think you should fire Joe because . . .”)
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You overheard something which you maybe should report. I’d utilize the FBI on-line tip site. It’s not your job to decide whether this is credible, you are not trained in that. https://tips.fbi.gov/ Write in I heard Joe Blow say “Xxxxxxxxx” on this date. It was overheard by Jane Smith, and John Doe as well. I don’t think he meant it, but I’m not trained to judge these things.
Clearly you are allowing him to set the tone of your relationship; stop escalating. By getting all upset you are playing into his hands. Take notes on every thing he does which affects your productivity at work, with the long term goal of presenting it to HR or management.
He who stays calm wins.
The guy seems like a jerk, but not minding if Obama got killed and actually doing it are WORLDS apart. That particular remark would be a non-issue to me.
I rode in one once. It made my Fiat loot like a luxury car by comparison - and my Fiat was an early-80s pile of crap.
It’s not that hard. You’ve still got sports, the economy, and, of course American Idol.
In fact, discussing politics OR religion can and will get you in trouble where I work. So could displaying an American (or any other country’s) flag. Or soliciting for charities not officially endorsed for the company.
And, yet, somehow we all survive.
Like poker, this game rewards the patient. Next time he brings it up, ask him curiously…“Heh, do you have a website, manifesto, or something to read so I can contemplate your point of view more thoroughly? I’m just curious what your reasoning is here.” That might answer your question on whether this guy is serious or talking crap.
And by the way, that’s no Christian. That’s an Eridian you’re talking to.
Very interesting advice in this thread. I’m at the edge of my seat reading this stuff but I’m a bit confused about that “Eridian” comment. According to Wiktionary, the definition is “Of or pertaining to the dwarf planet Eris.” Are you trying to say that he feels small and he acts so aggressively towards others to compensate for his overwhelming feeling of self-irrelevance?
It seems extremely ballsy to flat-out report this guy to the FBI like that, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to continue saying these things in the future because of his lack of control when it comes to these matters. And I’m 90% sure he says things that are much worse around his friends and family.
Not only that, but his tirades about how much he hates muslims, middle-easterns, atheists, and homosexuals are disturbing to listen to as well.
But talking about killing the President is definitely crossing all of those lines.
Now that makes perfect sense. Someone has to be consumed by hate to freely say things that outlandish in front of FOUR people at their job.
Yeah, I know.
I talked to my friend today about Trabants and he basically said the same thing, except he said they were worse than a Yugo and that I would not want to have a Trabant unless I liked to walk a lot.
I was like, but it would still be so funky and weird. I like funky and weird. And I could still keep my Escort so I wouldn’t have to end up walking too much!
Depends on how much it bothers you. If you think he’s dangerous, make the report and don’t talk about it. Have you ever had a security clearance? Same thing. You just don’t talk about the subject, talk around it, joke about it, or whatever. Just keep mum. Either someone will talk to him, or they won’t.
If you’re thinking of dropping a dime on him just because he pisses you off, decide if you are the kind of person who needs vengeance.
Do nothing. There’s a world of difference between a credible death threat on the President and some blowhard moron flapping his gums. This guy is nothing but the latter.
Also, put an “Obama for Change!” sticker on his car.
Get it in writing.
Excellent idea - and send a copy to the Secret Service.
No, they are not there to help in personal vendettas, but I think they might like to know where this person is, should Obama decide to go to Alabama for a speech or whatever.
Nothing wrong with having this nutcase be put on a list of people to watch.
Plus, godforbid this nutcase actually did do something - how would you live with yourself knowing a quick, anonymous letter might have at least put him on the Secret Service radar and perhaps stopped anything from happening?
It is no secret that I loathed Dubya with every fiber of my being, but I never once made a death threat, not even in jest. I think that crosses the line - big time.
I’ve heard people at my workplace say similar things, and there’s no way any of them would actually do anything. They’re just loudmouths who overstate their disapproval of the president. Some of them said similar things about Bush. Chances are this guy is just a loudmouth jerk, and you should avoid discussing politics with each other.
I agree with this. My interpretation is that the guy wished death on Obama but didn’t explicitly threaten to kill him.
All the other stuff in your OP… are you actually asking for advice on that, or just what to do about his statements related to Obama?
I’d post about it on the internet.
They can determine if the guy is a genuine threat or not. Timothy McVeigh said a lot of things to a lot of people before the Oklahoma City bombing. But until he acted, he was an honorably discharged Army vet.
What are the odds that the “nicest guy in the office” would be wishing death on someone he’s never met? I loath George Bush, Karl Rove and Dick Cheney deeply, but I sure have never wished death on them (waterboarding and other “non-life-threatening enhanced interrogation techniques” is a different matter).
The Secret Service can determine if this is a credible threat.
Have you talked to the other three co-workers that heard this? I’m wondering what their take on the comment was.
IMO, if you think he’s believable on any level, you should report him and let the secret service decide.