# To the liberals who utterly dominate the season-ticket holding ranks for the Wash Nat Opera **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 30, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667 "2013-10-30T18:27:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2013, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/261 "2013-11-04T23:52:22Z")
Its always better to be mild and diplomatic. Unless you’ve got a really snappy line handy to deliver the scorch, then maybe not. Kinda depends. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/262 "2013-11-05T00:00:03Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > No. It’s a strawman, undoubtedly concocted by a liberal with no real understanding of personal responsibility. It’s not _my_ fault I have no real understanding of personal responsibility! ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/263 "2013-11-05T00:04:23Z")
Even Bricker’s wife is sick of his shit. What hope do the rest of us have? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/264 "2013-11-05T01:40:24Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes, I see that. But ignoring them doesn’t necessarily mean you view their outbursts with approval, or even with equanimity, does it? Letting it spoil your evening was self-defeating. A very wise man once said to me, “I will not be my own worst enemy.” ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/265 "2013-11-05T02:07:01Z")
Am I the only lefty who thinks that **Bricker** was justified in taking umbrage at being confronted by some blowhards who were trying to turn a night at the opera into their personal political forum? Granted, he might have done better had he chosen not to step into that forum, and sure, he’s not doing himself any favours in the way he’s presenting himself, but some of the responses above\* have been downright arseholish. \*(Responses _below_ may also be arseholish, but I haven’t checked them yet.) ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/266 "2013-11-05T03:21:21Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > Am I the only lefty who thinks that **Bricker** was justified in taking umbrage at being confronted by some blowhards who were trying to turn a night at the opera into their personal political forum? . . . No, actually, I’m there. People shouldn’t talk politics in public places, especially loudly, and especially highly partisan talk. It’s protected by the First Amendment, of course, but it still is impolite. **Bricker** just took it way too far, which is, alas, not entirely unprecedented for him. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/267 "2013-11-05T03:48:44Z")
They don’t have bouncers at these shindigs, do they? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/268 "2013-11-05T03:53:43Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > No, actually, I’m there. People shouldn’t talk politics in public places, especially loudly, and especially highly partisan talk. It’s protected by the First Amendment, of course, but it still is impolite. > > **Bricker** just took it way too far, which is, alas, not entirely unprecedented for him. I guess that’s a fair take on it. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/269 "2013-11-05T06:50:34Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Morally, he is, IMO, under such an obligation. Although “obligation” is a little strong. But he’d be morally a better man if he didn’t attend things that he objected to the funding structure of. That’s a crazy standard. Ought an anarcho-syndicalist get all his food from soup kitchens or non-profits? Should an anarcho-capitalist shoo away the fire truck and watch his house burn? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/270 "2013-11-05T08:27:59Z")
No, an anarcho-capitalist would have given his house to poor people so nobody important would die. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/271 "2013-11-05T11:52:09Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > They don’t have bouncers at these shindigs, do they? Pale, asthmatic, clad in menacing cummerbunds, wearing a look that says “kindly check your coats at the door”… ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/272 "2013-11-05T12:44:45Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > They don’t have bouncers at these shindigs, do they? They have ushers. And they’re _unionized_. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/273 "2013-11-05T13:22:33Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > No, an anarcho-capitalist would have given his house to poor people so nobody important would die. And if no one dies, you’ll never know when the opera is over. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/274 "2013-11-05T14:18:53Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > **Bricker** just took it way too far, which is, alas, not entirely unprecedented for him. By “took it way too far,” you refer to the fact that I said nothing impolite to anyone, got my drink, returned to my seat…but continued to think about the incident during the last act? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/275 "2013-11-05T14:22:20Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Morally, he is, IMO, under such an obligation. Although “obligation” is a little strong. But he’d be morally a better man if he didn’t attend things that he objected to the funding structure of. Lunacy. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/276 "2013-11-05T14:35:14Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > By “took it way too far,” you refer to the fact that I said nothing impolite to anyone, got my drink, returned to my seat…but continued to think about the incident during the last act? Sounds like you’re mellowing… the **Bricker** I first met here would’ve loudly debated the issue… And followed as many patrons as possible to their cars and then home to make sure they’d gotten your point (pontificating up at their bedroom windows as they tried to get to sleep)… ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/277 "2013-11-05T14:44:13Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > They have ushers. And they’re _unionized_. How can you tell? Do you carry an electrometer with you when you go to the opera? Or is it just the lack of static cling you notice when you show them your ticket? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/278 "2013-11-05T15:09:44Z")
The ionized ones are less smug. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/279 "2013-11-05T15:12:13Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > The ionized ones are less smug. And, frankly, very negative. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/to-the-liberals-who-utterly-dominate-the-season-ticket-holding-ranks-for-the-wash-nat-opera/672667/280 "2013-11-05T15:48:27Z")
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