weird thing that just happened

[asakiyume]

I was talking to my neighbor on her front lawn, and an unknown-to-us guy, White guy in his 50s, maybe, or maybe 60s, short silvery hair and sunglasses on, drives up. He rolls down the window and...

Him: Hey, hey, I need to ask you something.

Us: .... Yes?

Him: My daughter is thinking of moving into this neighborhood, is looking to move into this neighborhood, but I need to know: are there a lot of Trump supporters here?

Us: .... There are ... some. You'll see a few signs if you drive around.

(I would guess my neighborhood is 80% anti-Trump or neutral and 20% pro-Trump.)

Him: But it's mainly anti-Trump, right? She's coming from Texas and doesn't want to live with a whole bunch of Trump supporters.

(I can't speak for my neighbor, but at this point I was feeling very uncomfortable about this guy.)

Us: Well, yes, there are probably more anti-Trump people than pro-Trump people, but you'll find both.

Him: Okay, thanks. *Drives off with a vroom along a quiet residential road.*

Me: That felt fake. I don't think that guy was really asking for his daughter.

Her: He drove off like a Trump supporter.

It was very strange

Comments

[amaebi]

Brrrrrrrrr.

What seemed hinky to you about the man?

I have in fact been thinking lately about how we haven't ever thought about a neighbourhood's politics when housebuying. The cul-de-sac our last house was in was-- or at least those who chose to erect markers-- very Republican. Our next-door neighbour had up a Tom Tancredo sign in 2008.

In our current neighbourhood and throughout the town nearly all the signs are Trump/Pence. I have seen a QANON sign near Chun Woo's middle school.

I have wondered whether leftie people are not posting signs. We have only a Penzey's Vote sign. I have read snarling conversations on Nextdoor about sign-stealing.

I have wondered whether the Dem campaigns were not concentrating much on signs.

Yesterday Sheeyun and I went for lunch in Golden, whose downtowner residents have largely posted Biden/Harris signs. Sheeyun tells me that Golden is typically conservative.

[asakiyume]

I think what made me suspicious was first, that he asked the question in an aggressive way that made me assume that he assumed we were anti-Trump. It wasn't at all oblique, which I'm thinking it might have been if he wanted to know without alienating people. It was pushy. So he was inviting people he assumed were anti-Trump to say some negative things-- maybe "Yeah, there aren't many of THOSE SORT here" or "Unfortunately we have some of THOSE ASSHOLES here." And then he could talk about how unwelcoming anti-Trumpers are, or engage in an argument or something.

If I was worried about moving into a very pro-Trump neighborhood, or about my daughter moving into one, I would probably ask something like, "So, what are people's politics like around here?" and then judge for myself from the response.

[amaebi]

Thanks!

Yes, that all sounds spot-on.

[asakiyume]

Also, you live in a way more Trump-supporting environment than we do. That must really take its toll.

[amaebi]

I am feeling wrung-out indeed, though I think it's probably generated at a higher level and after almost four years is a lot.

That I m now quite isolated online as well as off makes things. I am fortunate: it turns out that, right now, Sheeyun is willing to hear me.

[asakiyume]

I'm very glad Sheeyun is in a listening phase at present (and I'm sorry about your isolation).