# Impromptu public political discussions, or, Today is Harangue the New Democrat Day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 4, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849 "2001-04-04T23:50:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/1 "2001-04-04T23:50:11Z")
It’s a bright sunny April afternoon in La Belle Ville, and I’m moseying down historic Prince Arthur Street in search of ice cream. I’m groovin’ to my walkman playing the theme song from _Fushigi Yuugi_ when all of a sudden, I hear, “Hey, Comrade!” Not being aware that the Bolshevist revolution was in progress, I turn my head. There is this big old guy looking at me with a stupid smirk on his face. “Hey, Comrade! How’s the revolution going?” Now it may come as a surprise to some, but I Am Not A Revolutionary (IANAR?) However, I deduce that his question refers to my lovely unbleached-cotton reusable environmentally sound tote bag with the logo of the NDP emblazoned on it in cheerful orange. This fine specimen of humanity - whom, I feel obliged to point out, I have never seen before today - proceeds to vulgarly harangue me for the next five minutes, following me as I continue in quest of frozen dairy products. Words such as “union whore” and “Chairman” and “lame” and whatnot are used. Finally I find a likely-looking gelateria and step inside, cutting off this gentleman’s diatribe midway through. The incident mildly annoyed me, though. I like my NDP bag, and I’m annoyed at the notion that I might have to give it up in order to avoid street harassment. …You’re into politics, eh? Let me tell you, I ran for Parliament in the last election as the New Democratic candidate for Verdun St-Henri. I’m serving on my party’s renewal committee and going to the general council in November. I have done committee, community, protest, and direct activism in the causes of students’ rights, the environment, fair trade, GMOs, medicare, political prisoners, democratic reform, and gay and lesbian rights. I have literally gone to the barricades for my political beliefs and have been attacked by the police for them. Now then, just what exactly do _you_ do with your oh-so-deeply-held convictions? Anything at all, or do you just hang around and harass passers-by? Thought so. Bite my social-democratic faggot ass, comrade. ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2001, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/2 "2001-04-04T23:59:22Z")
Preach the _word_, brother **matt**! I’d love to see you in _just_ your totebag sometime… \ 😉 Esprix ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/3 "2001-04-05T00:01:20Z")
What’s wrong with a snappy rejoinder? “it is my conjecture that your mother was no stranger to the embraces of barnyard and domestic animals, and that your genitals resemble moldy spinach. Now go away or I shall taunt you a second time.” ---
**Author:** ![Freyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freyr/32/5763_2.png) [@Freyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freyr)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/4 "2001-04-05T01:28:49Z")
Another snappy rejoinder… “Oh, the Revolution’s going fine! In fact…” flip open note book, scan down several lines “…you’re due for execution by firing squad next Thursday. What do you want on your tombstone?” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/5 "2001-04-05T02:05:59Z")
Considering the Bolshies didn’t exactly RUN for office… Just through back, “Krusai, tovarish!” (Bite me, comrade!) Hehehehehhe… ---
**Author:** ![dewt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9dc877/32.png) [@dewt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewt)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/6 "2001-04-05T03:27:51Z")
Yak. What a pain in the arse. People can be such dolts. Now, the burning question… _cheerful_ orange?!? ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2001, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/7 "2001-04-05T13:23:34Z")
Here’s my line: “…and your opinion matters _how_? Um. Yeah. Have a nice day.” You go, **matt**! ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/8 "2001-04-19T01:22:51Z")
Better to come back with _“Tambovskii volk tebe tovarisch”_ - Don’t call me comrade. Of course, since such people are probably monolingual a snide “I ain’t _your_ comrade” will probably also suffice. **Guin** - I think the word you’re looking for is _kusai_, no ‘r’. But if you’re going to hurl bodily insults in Russian, _idi na khui_ (go fuck yourself) works much better. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2001, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/9 "2001-04-19T19:15:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Olentzero \* > Of course, since such people are probably monolingual a snide “I ain’t _your_ comrade” will probably also suffice. Of course, being _multi_lingual doesn’t demand being able to speak russian. Maybe he knew spanish? 😃 **matt** > [@](#): > > I have done committee, community, **protest** , and **direct activism** in the causes of students’ rights, the environment, fair trade, GMOs, medicare, political prisoners, democratic **reform** , and gay and lesbian rights. **I have literally gone to the barricades for my political beliefs and have been attacked by the police for them.** So, then…how **is** the revolution going? I’ll leave out the comrade, however. (We all know Commies hate student rights.) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/10 "2001-04-20T00:25:34Z")
The _ **evolution** _ is going along quite nicely, thank you. Today I met one of my constituents and convinced him to take out a party membership. Tomorrow I’m heading up to Quebec City to protest. See you on Monday, if I don’t get my head beat in. (Do you know Dubya is bringing 1 200 soldiers with him to QC? Brrrrr. I just hope they disarm them as they were SUPPOSED to do with Suharto’s thugs at APEC in 1997.) ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2001, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/11 "2001-04-20T08:12:05Z")
Matt, Matt, Matt… This is a simple situation to solve. All you do is start talking to him about Star Trek stuff. **YOU** : “Oh, hi, comrade! Did you know that Jean-Luc Picard had an artificial heart?” **HIM** : “Yeah, you Union Whore, you… huh?” **YOU** : “Oh yes, and he developed a maneuver that allowed him to evade enemy sensors.” **HIM** : “What’re you talking about?” **YOU** : “Oh, and did you see the episode of Voyager where they got beat up by the timeship, but then they blew up the timeship and the whole episode didn’t happen?” **HIM** : “Timeship? What’re you talking about?!?” **YOU** : “Oh, oh, and the whole bit where the Doctor’s mobile emitter created a 29th-century Borg and then the 24th-century Borg tried to assimilate him, but he kicked all their asses!” **HIM** : “AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!” ::runs away:: Now, the only way this could backfire would be if HE likes Star Trek, too… but you can counter this by talking about Playboy, and he’ll immediately run off in search of a public restroom to masturbate in. 😃 And people say Star Trek is worthless… BAH! ---
**Author:** ![Kaitlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/73ab20/32.png) [@Kaitlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaitlyn)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2001, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/12 "2001-04-22T03:29:42Z")
My all-purpose reply to idiots with small brains: “Your simian countenance belies an ancestry unusually rich in species diversity” Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes) to Moe ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2001, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/13 "2001-04-22T04:07:57Z")
Aww, that sucks, matt. I’ve learned that most people that stupid don’t bother to vote, anyway (even if they say they do, I doubt they could remember when election day is.) You stand up for your political beliefs more than 99% of the people I know, so you don’t deserve to be treated like that, even if you are a commie bastard. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2001, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/impromptu-public-political-discussions-or-today-is-harangue-the-new-democrat-day/60849/14 "2001-04-22T16:15:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by matt\_mcl \* > This fine specimen of humanity - whom, I feel obliged to point out, I have never seen before today - proceeds to vulgarly harangue me for the next five minutes, following me as I continue in quest of frozen dairy products. Words such as “union whore” and “Chairman” and “lame” and whatnot are used. > > Let me tell you, … I have done … protest, and direct activism. I have literally gone to the barricades for my political beliefs > > Now then, just what exactly do _you_ do with your oh-so-deeply-held convictions? Anything at all, or do you just hang around and harass passers-by? Excuse me? What about the the workers in buildings you blockade - they don’t want to listen to your verbal harangues - they want to go to work. The drivers on streets that you take over during protests just want to get home. The very point of direct activism and protest is to incovenience others in the normal activities of their daily life. **I’m not saying that you are wrong to protest.** Repeat, **you are not wrong to protest.** Hell, I’ve done it myself on more than one occasion. But I don’t fool myself into thinking that the people affected by my protesting activities like it - like you they feel harrassed, inconvenienced, put-upon, and quite likely threatened. And you shouldn’t either. This guy was doing to you the same thing you and I have done to others. If it’s legitimate for us, it’s legitimate for him. Sua