So.....I've been in Minneapolis almost 2 weeks now, still looking for a place to live, and ran into this guy.

The Man From Ohio

I had an interesting albeit disappointing encounter today with a man from Ohio working here on a commercial kitchen for Cluster Truck. You guys know me, I prefer quiet, but when around people, well.....it’s been said that I’ve never met a stranger. Small talk ensued about construction challenges and traffic. Laughed about the clever name of the company. The conversation took a darker turn when he mentioned the kids walking out of school today.

Me: They want a safe environment to learn in. We went to school without the fear of being gunned down, why shouldn't they?

MFO: Oh, I have plenty of thoughts on that. (Chest puffs out, uh oh.)

Me: So what do you think has caused the increase in school shootings if not for the easy access and sheer number of guns in this country?

MFO: I'll tell ya what it is. It's that they took GOD out of the schools!

Me: God was never in public schools.

MFO: Well, they took PRAYER out!

Me. No, they didn't.

MFO: Well the government made it illegal to spank your kids. I got spanked and LEARNED from it. These brats don't know pain.

Me: It's not illegal to spank your children. It is illegal to abuse them. Personally, the spankings I received as a child just made me angrier. And the pain of losing your best friend due to the ever expanding gun culture in the country seems like an excellent reason to protest.

MFO: Well, nobody is taking away MY GUNS. I have a concealed carry license (pats his jacket pocket).

Me: Does that make you feel safer from being shot by a sniper intent on inflicting multiple casualties at any random place in this country?

MFO: It sure does.

Me: How?

MFO: Good guy with a gun missy.

Me: I’m 54 years old and would appreciate not being called “missy”. Study after study proves the myth of a “good guy with a gun” is either ineffective or causes more harm than good.

MFO: Well they aren't taking away my AR-15 either.

Me: What on earth do you need an AR-15 for?

MFO: I raise cattle. If there are bobcats, bears or coyotes, I will take them out with my AR-15.

Me: I’m not familiar with the flora and fauna in Ohio, but wouldn't a rifle or shotgun suffice?

MFO: Nope. My AR will do the job.

Me: Are you that bad of a shot?

(OK, likely not the smartest thing to say to a probably armed, quite large man, in a parking lot, but I stood my ground anyway. He obviously didn’t like my reference to his marksmanship abilities.)

He did agree to background checks, mentioned his military service briefly, and at first agreed kids should not be able to buy guns. Then he changed his mind stating if they can join the military, they should be able to buy any gun they want.

Me: Military issued weapons are a different subject. The draft is currently not in effect.
Civilians have no business owning them. I think the drinking age and age to enlist should be consistent at 21.

MFO: Well Trump's going to fix all that.

(I knew it, I just f***ing knew it. Well, I had nothing better to do, so.....)

Me: I'll bite. How exactly is he going to fix the fact that 98 people are killed by......bullets every day in this country. On our own soil.

MFO: 15 people a day are killed by texting.

Me: People should pay attention. Death by guns is third largest cause of death to the children in our country. How is that ok with you?

MFO: Parents need to spank their kids.

Me: Respectfully sir, you have not convinced me there is not a gun problem in OUR country, I can say with certainty that spanking children will not solve the problem. You have not given me sufficient reason to think that we have a need for assault rifles, and have not enlightened me as to how Trump is going to fix it all. And just a tidbit here, he is the most godless man ever to run anything. Unless affairs with porn stars and grabbing women by the pu**y is considered godly in your world.

(And yes, at this point I was still calm, but didn’t really care that he was probably armed. Too many witnesses milling about.)

MFO: This country needed shaking up. And that’s exactly what he’s doing!

Me: At what cost sir? Do your cattle need clean water? Are you ok footing the bill for corporations to get a tax cut? Did trickle down economics make you rich? Do you want our food supply to be safe? Our National Parks protected? The respect of the global community? Because in case you haven’t been paying attention, all of that and more are at risk. Now. Today. Do you love mother Russia?

(That last bit may have crossed his proverbial line in the sand, but I just couldn’t help it.)

MFO: You snowflakes are all the same. Whiners and takers.

Me: You are incorrect sir. And I only say “sir” because you are older than me. I have in no way whined during this now pointless conversation. I was attempting to understand your viewpoint - which is vague, at best. You cannot stand there just saying “God” and “spanking” and “Trump will fix it” and be taken seriously. The fact is, he is destroying our democracy. It will take decades to undue the damage he’s done. If we survive it. However you sir, are unreachable, so have a nice day.

MFO: Scoffs, starts walking away, turns and says “surive what?”

Me: (putting my arms over my head) Duck and cover sir. Duck and cover.

And that, my friends, was an encounter with what my dear friend Steve refers to as a member of the tribe, or more accurately a trump-nazi. Not the sharpest tools in the shed for sure. If anyone cares to attempt to convince me otherwise, you’re going to have to do better than that.