My husband and I went out to dinner on Saturday night, and for much of the dinner in a neighborhood restaurant too small to escape it, we were treated to another patrons long, offensive, far left political harangue. It may have been aimed at the woman he was eating dinner with, but he definitely took the shotgun approach, because everyone else in the restaurant – about twelve tables – could hear him. He was the recipient of quite a few hostile and/or exasperated looks, but he was oblivious to them all. And since it was a restaurant, and we weren’t part of the conversation, what could we do? Should we have interrupted him and asked him to lower his voice? Asked a waiter to ask him (which just felt like such a wimpy way out)? It was getting to the point that if I had to listen much longer I’d have interrupted him for a verbal smack upside the head. Well, that’s frowned upon by Miss Manners, so we settled for leaving a lot sooner than we’d intended, with doggie bags.
My far left brother is exactly the same way. Every conversation with him seems to turn to politics, and there is no rhetorical give and take. He doesn’t hesitate to lecture even my sixteen year old daughter. There are no polite disclaimers, no patiently listening to the other person’s position. As I speak, I can see on his face that his answer is ready, and even if he doesn’t interrupt me, he’s no longer listening – he’s figuring out how best to skewer me.
It’s a safe bet that people on the right do this to people on the left, because bad manners are bipartisan. I probably just don’t notice it. It was just another reminder – we are at liberty to discuss politics when we want, and in loud tones. But…
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
(Galatians 5:13 ESV)
Aloha, thanks for the post to my site, and here’s a reply!
I hate it when a dinner out becomes a debate. Ugh! I just wanna enjoy the food and company. Most times that’s the case.
Happy Thanksgiving! Or as we say in Hawai’i: Hau`oli Lâ Ho`omaika`i!
Aloha!
Hi Laura… hope you are feeling a bit better and have made some progress with your health issues. I am reluctantly in from my time in the woods and back to civilized life. *sigh*
I run into this situation sometimes while I am dining out with my wife, too. My approach is to give the waiter the option of respectfully asking them to lower their voices, or I will do it myself and then leave for dinner elsewhere. I carefully and politely explain to the waiter or waitress how this will go if they refuse to participate… and that I will not be back if put in a position where I feel forced to leave.
It is uncomfortable to confront, but my view is that the situation is already uncomfortable, and by the actions of someone else. I would rather state my case, and if necessary leave and start over again rather than have the liberals continue to make our dinner even worse. There are many places to dine, even here in the sticks!
God bless you, Laura. We continue to pray for your good health.