Experiences of a Kerry t-shirt wearer in the deep south

[Stuckinthebush]

OK...I'll admit it, I was a tad bit nervous as I donned my "Kerry for President" t-shirt today to go to the local Lowe's in Birmingham. I have had it for at least a week, and remember quite well the words of the campaign worker as I walked out of the Kerry headquarters in downtown Birmingham...

"Be careful out there."

I took those words to heart. While we have a number of Kerry supporters here in the Ham, we have 10 times more rabid Bush supporters. You know the type - Fox News watching, Rush Limbaugh listening, Dixie Chicks hating Republicans. They can be sort of assholeish at times too.

So I took a deep breath as I was headed out the door. I said to my wife (quite melodramatically), "If I get my ass kicked at Lowe's, just know that I love you." She said, "Don't be such a wimp."

My wife is a bad ass.

As I entered Lowe's, I found myself looking at everyone just daring them to say anything about my shirt. I was primed and ready. I had facts, figures, and a few good zingers up my sleeve ready to pounce on the poor soul who may say, "Kerry sucks!"

I got a few looks, but nothing menacing. As I was walking down the lumber aisle aiming for one of those stand up lumber carts, I eyed a middle age white man staring me down. He was standing in front of the cart I needed and he wasn't moving. I stood up a little taller and headed for him. He cocked his head to the side, put a little smile on his face and waited for me to arrive. As I brushed past him and put my hand on the cart, I turned my head to the side and saw that he was looking directly in my eyes. I was ready for it. What was he going to throw at me? Swift Boat Veterans for Truth? Flip flopper? Teresa's "Shove it" comment? Then he finally spoke...

"I like your shirt. God, I hope Kerry wins."

I'll admit it, I had no response for that one.

As we were leaving Lowe's with my bad ass wife laughing at me, I realized that there are probably a great number of people out there that want to see Bush gone and are scared for our future. Even in Alabama.

I think I'll wear my shirt tomorrow too.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

1. People like THAT are

exactly why I wear shirts like that here in suburban Dallas, Texas.

To give HOPE to other people like me. To show them it's ok! Come out of hiding! Be PROUD of who you are and who you support!

No more whispering and talking in code! Come into the light!

Most bush supporters are chickenshit anyway and wouldn't confront you to your face. They just steal your bumper stickers.

Yes. I'm still bitter.

[the Kelly Gang]

19. you are right..give hope to others !

[TowelBoy]

36. HAHAHAHA!

Evil bumper-sticker-stealing so's-and-so's!

"No more whispering and talking in code! Come into the light!"

Sounds like he conservatives in my area! Woohoo for Eastern Maryland!

[Cybergata]

2. Great Story

Thanks for sharing. :hippie:

[the Kelly Gang]

20. just luv that pussy at the comp !

[Cybergata]

22. That pussy is Cybergata...

or my alter ego. :hippie:

[Syrinx]

3. my experiences are just like yours

The first time I wore the shirt, an older lady came up to me and was asking where could she get one, and two men also expressed approval. Nobody has ever cussed me or even given me a dirty look because of the shirt. I'm in Tuscaloosa, by the way, and I wear the shirt just about everytime I have to go shopping.

[Stuckinthebush]

8. Hello, Alabamian!

Come on up I-59 and meet me at Lowe's sometime!

Are you telling me that you get no comments on your Kerry gear at McFarland Mall? If so, then maybe Alabama could be a Kerry state!

[Syrinx]

13. I rarely go to the mall

Last time was to see F911, before that I don't recall. But I go to the grocery store at least every other day, and no rude comments yet.

I hope and pray that Kerry could win our state. It seems pretty doubtful, but Bush went from 21 up in June to "only" 14 in July, according to rassmussen, so if that trend continues...

And I'm doing what I can do.

I've seen you around here, but had no idea you were in Birmingham.

:hi:

[Stuckinthebush]

48. I spent seven years of my life going back and forth to T-town

I found that it has an interesting mix of very liberal critical thinkers and GOP drones. I often wondered if the progressive faculty was the reason behind this. The ones they can get to think critically embrace it with a vengeance.

We need to have a central Alabama DU get together sometime.

[oasis]

4. To rabidly support Chimpy is becoming more and more indefensible.

A year ago, pompous Bushbots would've made your Lowes trip a real headache.

[Swamp Rat]

5. Good for both of you! We really outnumber the Bush Bots.

More and more folks will be wearing Kerry t-shirts, bumper stickers, etc. as Americans shake off the stupor and wipe the sleep from their eyes.

Your wife would've kicked his ass anyway.

[Stuckinthebush]

9. Yes, she would have kicked his ass

She is waiting for her shirt to come in the mail. They only had extra large shirts at the headquarters and she needed a medium. I bet she wears it all over town when she gets it.

[Robbien]

6. What a great story

And just think of the pleasure that man felt when he saw you. He also lives in the middle of the rabid right and is used to it. Then out of the blue, here you come barreling at him with Kerry/Edwards blazoned across your chest.

Probably made his day.

[Stuckinthebush]

10. I think it did make his day

I know it made mine.

It is funny down here. You feel that you are all alone, and then suddenly realize that there are many walking around you who feel the same way. Funny what the perception of intimidation does to one.

[merh]

7. Great story. Thanks for sharing it with us ....

And thank you for taking the risk. I live on the MS Gulf Coast and have a Kerry bumper sticker on my vehicle. So far, I have not had my car keyed or the sticker touched. I had one friend tell me they were surprised that my car hasn't been egged yet, but outside of that, no negative reactions. No one has tried to run me off the road. After your story and the other posts, I know now I have to get a Kerry shirt.

:toast: thanks again!

[redstateblues]

11. I 've Got Repub Relatives In B'Ham That Are Going For Kerry

[AgadorSparticus]

12. good for you!! wear it loud and proud my friend. i wear mine around

town too.

[Deeman]

14. Deep South

Okay- After months of lurking, your e-mail about the deep
south made me register and respond. 

I am a professor at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss).
I put my "Kerry for President" sticker on my car
about six months ago. At first only two of us Kerry Folks
parked in front of the "Trent Lott Leadership
Institute." Now, there are more Kerry stickers in front
of the "Oxymoron Institute" as there are hate
filled, "the path to hell is paved with liberals"
stickers. I know it's not a major victory, but it makes a
transplanted new yorker feel that there are a few fighting the
good fight in the south. 

[Syrinx]

18. Welcome to DU, Deeman!

We ain't gonna let the bastards steal it this time. ;)

[Cybergata]

24. Wow, your first post!

Welcome to DU. :hippie:

[GoneOffShore]

46. Welcome to DU

:toast:

[Stuckinthebush]

Welcome, Deeman!

As we say down here, my "people" are from Mississippi. I know that it is rather conservative over there. Don't let it get to you - keep coming to DU for relief. We have a good number of academicians here, I know you'll feel at home!

[newyawker99]

53. Hi Deeman!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Logansquare]

58. "Oxymoron Institute" I love that! n/t

[KharmaTrain]

15. Soon It's Time For All Of Us To Stand Up Proud...

We've come a long way over the past year. Especially you folks in the "red" areas who've had to take the worst of the shit. But the sun is starting to shine and a new day can be possible.

No more "liberal" (and I'm a Progressive) as a dirty word! It should be cherished for the freedom it enables.

No more allowing those assholes to steal our flag and American institutions. We're the ones who've fought against tremendous odds to keep this nation true to the founding principles. Wave the flag and be proud of how you've worked to defend it.

No more allowing Right Wing buzzwords to define our society. When we hear them, we call them out and then force them to defend their positions.

Then, we spread optimism to all who prefer hope to fear.

Do this by wearing Kerry T-shirts & buttons, bumper stickers and yard signs.

I'm in Chicago...Kerry stickers are starting to pop up everywhere (nary a Bushbot one...even in my predominately Repugnican suburb)...and the few GOOP signs I see these days barely mention Repugnican on them (the tables are turning).

A great coming together of the finest and the proudest American...not the arrogant and explotive. This is a truely inspirational time.

Cheers!

[Booster]

16. Everytime I wear my John Kerry t-shirt I get

"Hey, great shirt", lots of thumbs up, "yeah, let's get Bush outta there", etc. I have not had anyone even give me a dirty look over it - course I live in Los Angeles so.....

[KharmaTrain]

17. I Give The Peace Sign, Not The Thumbs Up...

I always give the "high" sign to those with a Kerry sticker. I had to give up on the thumbs up when one guy though I was flipping him off...I went to the peace sign instead...and get lots and lots of smiles!

Cheers!

[Sugarbleus]

30. Yes, it's PAST time for us to stand up and be proud ...

there is NO shame in being a Democrat or being Liberal. NOW is the time. Let it out, let your hair down, open the doors...who knows, your courage may encourage others.

Be careful but DON'T CHICKEN OUT. Go Democrats Woohooooo

HOPE IS ON THE WAY :bounce:

[ChoralScholar]

21. I tell people

It's none of their damn business who I vote for. Thats my right as an American, so go get bent.

I even told my father-in-law that when he told me I needed to be voting Republican.

[Elwood P Dowd]

23. It's tough down here in Alabama

Kerry will not carry this state, but I've never seen so many people upset with Bushit. I've turned my 86-year-old mother and some friends. All you have to do is give them a list of Bushit's policies, the legislation he has backed, the lost manufacturing jobs, and then explain to them that Iraq DID NOT attack us on 9-11. It also helps to give them a list of Bushisms, like the one today. Even Alabama rednecks who barely graduated from high school laugh at them. Then, you tell them the world is laughing at us for electing this buffoon.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

25. Reverse experience in Marin Cty, CA- "Send All Liberals to Afghanistan"

On a huge pick-up truck here in the heart of progressive-to-hippy Marin county I saw that bumper sticker along with "Support Our Troops" and "Marin County Republicans" when I parked at my fave restaurant.

I saw the guy who got out. Mr Clean/Jesse Ventura/Special Forces lookin' kinda guy.

I almost asked him what the hell 'Sending Liberals to Afghanistan' meant but decided to just go in and eat dinner and he did too.

[Warren DeMontague]

29. Those folks are extra pissed and defensive---

'cuz they're horribly outnumbered up here.

I wore one of my newly silk-screened impeach bush t-shirts (plug plug) to a local Sonoma County Farmer's mkt. a couple weeks ago, to try to see how many people might be interested in 'em. Reaction was overwhelmingly positive.. the only negative reaction, aside from a couple old people frowning at me, was from a bunch of pimply-faced boys in their late teens with close-cropped hair, who started grunting "Bush is the MAN!!!"... My response was something like..."uh, no he's not", although I really should have asked them why, in particular, they think he's "the man", and if they know what the deficit is, and if they're prepared to go over to Iraq and die for halliburton.

A particularly pleasing moment for me was when I walked by the lonely man at the county republican booth, and gave him a big friendly wave, showing him my shirt. I also noticed this week the republicans appeared to have given up on this particular farmer's market. Generally they have a line of people waiting to argue with them.

[roguevalley]

60. Tell them next time that a 'man' doesn't dessert his post in time of war.

Up here in conservative Alaska, in Soldotna, there are NO lawn signs and the three bumper stickers I have seen are tiny, not the HUGE ones people usually use. No signs, very, very few stickers. Amazing if you knew the region.

[Guaranteed]

26. That's awesome. He was probably in awe of you

and your courage. :)

[DiverDave]

27. Just put my sticker on my car.

And no responses yet.
I was a bit nervous also, but no-one seems to notice.
Course, I am moving pretty fast these days, since I swapped a bigger motor into my car:-)
I am waiting for the first one, good or bad?...we'll see

[funkybutt]

28. Go You!

If you need more facts check out democrats.org and select alabama. The current administration has not been good to AL...unfortunately most are not aware of that.

How about that senator of y'all's who has been leaking 911 info to Faux News?? Interesting. I understand a building at University of Alabama has just been named after him...maybe it should be called "Blabbermouth Hall"

[SammyWinstonJack]

44. Bush* wasn't good to Texas while Gov

But the Morans in this state went for him in '00 and will do so again in Nov. :shrug:

[Andromeda]

31. I love your story.

What you did took guts -- really. There are a lot of Kerry supporters out there and you sometimes find them in the most unusual places.

I can understand why you might feel a little uncomfortable wearing a Kerry t-shirt in the heart of Bush country.

[AlFrankenFan]

32. Hopefully when I get mine I won't be shot here in Orange County, CA

I have to admit your experience gives me hope that I'll come back alive from an outting.

[Piperay]

33. Proud of you and

proud of the fellow who spoke to you! :thumbsup:

[slutticus]

34. You'd be surprised how much that happens here in Houston too.

Every time I think they're going to say "Your shirt sucks! Go to hell!!!" they say something like "I LOVE your shirt, where did you get it? I want one!". I never know what to say, because i was expecting something totally different.

[sleepystudent]

59. Why is that suprising?

Houston has a Dem. mayor ( former Clinton official ), Annise Parker, openly lesbian in a high ranking government position, and Harris County went for Gore and Clinton in 2000 and 1996. It's a liberal city. Most of the cities in Texas vote Dem. Now the suburbs on the other hand...they are the problem.

[drhilarius]

35. Frankly, it's sad...

that in America one could be afraid of doing nothing more than wearing a goddamned t-shirt. Honestly, what the hell does that say about where politics are today. Whenever my girlfriend goes out wearing her JFK pin, I am genuinely scared some harm will come to her (she's been yelled at here In DC, which is a pretty lib town). I need a change cause all this thuggery's bad for my nerves.

[southernleftylady]

37. LOL oh how funny.. ill be getting my shirt soon and i feel like you did...

i just hope i dont get attacked.. which is so sad that we are SCARED about this.. just shows how crazy those nutjobs are!
great story... hopefully my story will just as good :)

[Jeff in Cincinnati]

38. Closet Democrats

I live in Cincinnati, arguably one of the more conservative pieces of real estate on Earth. But to date I've seen only one Bush-Cheney yard sign and dozens of Kerry-Edwards. I see Kerry bumperstickers everywhere (even on my own car -- and I've never put a bumpersticker on before). Suddenly everybody in Cincinnati is a Democrat! Maybe George W. really is a uniter!

[johnnie]

39. That's interesting

I'm in Cleveland and one of our salesmen from Cincinnati was up here yesterday. He is in the National Guard and did some time in Iraq. We did a bit of talking and he knows I have been anti-bush and anti-war, so the talk wasn't too heavy.
I have 2 right-winged religious guys in my dept. and they were just listening. Then the salesman said that although he is from one of the most conservative parts of the state, he thinks Kerry might win the state and the election. One of the repugs here said.."no" and that made me laugh. Then the salesman said.."I like them both", which surprised me. Part of me thinks that he just said that because he feels he can't dis his president. But it sounded to me like he was leaning toward Kerry. I have this feeling that Kerry is going to win this state.

[Eurobabe]

40. I don the bullet proof vest to go over the mts. in VA

from Charlottesville area into the heavy red zone of Shenandoah Valley. Always wondering if someone will pass a remark re: my Kerry bumper sticker.

So far, since June, not a word has been uttered. Neither for, nor against. I am suprised....

[90-percent]

41. tee shirts

I always wondered what would happen wearing a "unionize wal-mart" shirt while shopping there?

Any info?

-85%

[Stuckinthebush]

42. I'll give you $10 to do it!

That would be priceless. I'd imagine you'd get a lot of employees whispering to you that they agree, but then management would throw you out.

Interesting!

[JNelson6563]

43. "My wife's a bad ass"

haha I love it.

Good story. :-)

Julie

[vetwife]

57. There are only 2 kinds of women in the South..Doormats and Bad Ass

I live in Georgia. Only 2 kinds.....
Wann guess which one I am? LOL
Back at the height of the cheerleading for the war I wore my
Send a Chickenhawk to Iraq shirt...........No comments ..
It is encouragin..huh?

[wicket]

45. "I like your shirt. God, I hope Kerry wins."

The response to that should be: "Are you registered to vote?" :)

[Stuckinthebush]

47. I'll be ready with that one the next time!

:D

I was truly stunned when he said that. All I could say was "Thanks, man."

[wicket]

52. I was stunned when I read it!

I really thought you were going to say he said something nasty to you. The tide really is turning! Good luck with everything :)

[Riptide]

49. My 13 year old daughter just got her Kerry shirt...

She bought it herself, with her own money! She says she is going to wear it to school on the first day. We live in a very republican area of SE Pennsylvania, so I am a little worried for her. I warned her that she might get some negative feedback. She is prepared for it and doesn't care. I am very proud of her.

[Stuckinthebush]

50. You should be proud

I hope my three young daughters grow up to be as courageous as she is.

[in_cog_ni_to]

51. Sweeeeet!

I think our pro-Kerry t-shirts give others who are afraid to speak out, the "open" to do so. Isn't it nice to know others feel as we do? I have yet to have ANYONE who's a Bush supporter say anything to me and I wear political t-shirts EVERYDAY. I loved your story....VERY funny! Keep wearing your shirt....others will follow. :)

[Stuckinthebush]

54. I was thinking about keeping a pocket full of buttons

or stickers to give out to anyone who says a nice word.

[TWiley]

55. I think it is spelled Ass-Holy-Ness

My area is beginning to lighten up, but there there was a time when a bad word about bush would lead to physical assault or possibly a police investigation. I found myself in some delicate positions due to simply stating the obvious.

I will never forget one experience that I had. I was in a popular grocery store just before the invasion of Iraq, and I was bitching to a friend about duh-bya. Suddenly, someone said "I am so happy that I heard you say that, I feel the same way". Soon,the aisle was plugged with maybe 20 people, some bitching about the ass on the hill, some just trying to get through, and some were probably just curious. Many said they knew the war was all about oil.

We attracted a couple republican assholes who began shouting "If you don't like it, then move to Iraq" and similar stupid remarks. I argued,the crowd dispersed, security was called, and several of us were asked to leave the store.

The republican loudmouths continued bitching and remained in the store.

[Stuckinthebush]

56. Indeed! Ass-holy-ness...

I like it.

Yes, I think we have all been intimidated by real and imagined thugs in our midst.

I feel very, very good about November now.