I went to a local winery today

[stollen]

to cancel my membership. The winery is near DC.

"I'm sorry you'll be leaving us."

Yes, I'm leaving for Europe for a few months.

"How fun! "

I only hope I have a safe flight over.

"Don't worry. They'll double up on the air traffic controllers now."

I'm not so sure. There's a hiring freeze as Trump is demanding federal workers either retire or be fired. Air traffic controllers work for the federal govt.

"Are you sure? [She's a Trumpie with no clue.] I hadn't heard that. Why would he do that?"

A guy alone at the bar next to me says, "Because he wants to get rid of DEI hires. I can't recall what the letters stand for."

Diversity, equity and inclusion.

"Right. Anyway, getting rid of that office will improve the quality of candidates. Plus, I'd always wanted a buyout when I worked for the feds."

Well, I got a buyout, and so did my husband. The point is not everyone wants ...

Man interrupts: DEI costs money, and it's not doing its job to hire the best candidates.

Actually, DEI is umbrella'd by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to avoid discrimi....

Man interrupts: "We should hire based on ability."

A female naval pilot just tried to apply for Top Gun, and her supervisor laughed in her fa...

Man interrupts: "Well, I've never been one for having women in the military.

It's not just one's gender the Civil Rights Act protects but also personal sexual identity, religious preference, disabilities, ...

Man interrupts: "But not merit. Plus,"

Let me finish. How do you know a woman or someone in a wheelchair can't do a better job unless they're included in the pile of candi...

Man interrupts: "But..."

The wine pourer and people at a table are listening as I get impatient with the man.

I blow past the man's interruption using a louder voice: ...candidates? In fact, Trump himself is using DEI when choosing his cabinet. One candidate, who was just approved for the DoD Sec, is a recovering alcoholic. Alcoholism is a disability. Another, for HHS, was a long time heroin addict..."

Man interrupts: You're speaking to a brick wall. I'm a republican."

I know. I can tell by the way you talk down to me.

Man and wine pourer look at me stunned. I grab my two months worth of membership wine and split, never to return.

[pandr32]

1. Well done!

[brush]

2. You did what you could. It's impossible to reason with maga idiots.

[stollen]

3. "Brick wall"

A self-own if ever there was one

[NorCalBlue]

4. What repulsive people. When you return

And you feel the need to randomly visit winery after winery where every person there knows what DEI stands for, where you can say “I’m a Democrat” and everyone says “thank god”, and lastly, where the wine is 1000 times better than DC…. Come to beautiful Sonoma/Napa! We will wine and dine you like you are our best friend.

Hey, and thank you for standing up for truth and justice. It’s easy to run into the line of physical danger. But moral courage- now that is something that takes real inner metal. Thank you for what you said. They need to hear us more than ever and you didn’t fail us.

You deserve a big glass of European wine. Cheers, Stollen!

[stollen]

7. I'm from your area

...but you may already think I sound familiar.

I worry about CA daily.

You stay safe.

We've been packed for a month, not that Europe will ultimately be secure, but we're familiar with the terrain.

Sante!

[fierywoman]

5. Porca miseria.

[sinkingfeeling]

6. Well, at least he admitted talking to a GQPer is like talking to a brick wall.