This Morning I Got Death Threats From a Trumper

[rachelmanija]

While gardening, no less!

Don't worry, he doesn't know where I live. I wasn't at home, I was doing some work elsewhere in the neighborhood in a fenced-in lot.

So there I was, peacefully pulling weeds, when a white guy walked past with a kid I assume was his son, neither wearing masks. They looked like a totally normal white suburban family (which as we all know from horror movies, means I should have run for my life.) The kid looked about four years old and was on a scooter. Just as they were passing me, the kid took a tumble.

I looked up and said, "Are you all right?"

The kid picked himself up, the dude looked at me, and then he said in a hostile tone, "That's a Marxist organization! They're Marxists! Do you know that?!"

That seemed like a total non sequitur, so I said, "What?"

"Black Lives Matter! They're Marxists!"

It was then that I remembered that I was wearing a BLM mask. And also, taking a closer look, I saw that he was wearing a TRUMP 2020 baseball cap.

I was not really prepared for a political debate, so I just said, "No, they're not."

"Yes, they are!"

I didn't see much point in continuing the debate, so I said, "Well, I disagree."

He walked closer, I waved him back, he didn't move, so I got up and backed up. I was inside a locked lot and he was outside, with a chain-link fence between us, so I was worried about him breathing on me, not attacking me.

"It's not a matter of agree or disagree!" he yelled. "It's facts! It's on the Black Lives Matter website that they're Marxists!"

"No, it isn't," I said.

"Yes, it is!"

"No, it isn't," I said. "That's just not correct."

"Just you wait," he said. "The squatties will all get their necks squeezed."

He didn't yell, but said that in a kind of gleeful tone. It was extremely creepy. His kid was just standing there with his little scooter the whole time, watching.

I had no idea what a squatty was, but figured it was some Q-Anon or white supremacist derogatory term. When I'm hearing death threats I like to know specifically why I'm being threatened, so I said, "I don't know what that word means."

"Squatty, squatty," he said. "You know."

"No. I've never heard that before."

"The bald lady, you know... they'll all be strung up, all the Marxists! It's on the Black Lives Matter website that they're Marxists!"

"No, it isn't," I said, belatedly realizing that he meant "the squad" in Congress. "I believe in justice and equality for all. Listen, you should join, see for yourself..."

He gave a loud, maniacal laugh - seriously, it was a HA HA HA HA - and said, "When you try to take over the country, I'll be there to stop you!"

I said, "Listen, I have work to do. You have a nice day."

"You're Marxists! Marxists!" He stomped off with his kid, belatedly yelling, rather aggressively, "You have a nice day too."

That is the first time I've ever gotten a death threat as an adult from someone who was not having an obvious psychotic episode. In broad daylight, in a public place, in front of his child. I have to say that it was pretty disturbing.

(Yes, yes, technically he was threatening the Congresswomen, not me directly, but he certainly seemed to be implying that I should also be killed.)

Comments

[sovay]

That is the first time I've ever gotten a death threat as an adult from someone who was not having an obvious psychotic episode. In broad daylight, in a public place, in front of his child. I have to say that it was pretty disturbing.

It sounds it. I'm sorry.

[musesfool]

Ugh, I'm so sorry you were subjected to that.

[rachelmanija]

I'm sorry his kid was subjected to that! What's it like to hear your father yelling at some random gardener he only noticed because she wanted to make sure you were okay after you fell?

[redbird]

Oy.

Definitely disturbing.

[ellenmillion]

That's just so unpleasant and depressing. Poor kid.

[sartorias]

I dunno, sounds pretty damn psycho to me. maybe not foaming at the mouth, but that guy is not playing with a full deck, imo.

[twistedchick]

Agree, totally. And very sorry you were subjected to this.

[scioscribe]

That is unbelievably fucked up. I'm sorry for both you and the kid!

[asakiyume]

Wowwwwwwwwwww

I'd say you handled it with aplomb, all things considered.

[minoanmiss]

Thank you for being so kind to his child, and I'm really glad you're unscathed by this horrible person.

[rachelmanija]

I feel so bad for the kid. I hope he escapes the brainwashing.

[sholio]

Oh my god, that sounds terrifying! What the fuck.

(Though I can't help thinking that if you were going to guess the reasons why Trumpist righties would have violent issues with BLM, "because they're Marxist" wouldn't even have made my top 10; that's like crazywall levels of conspiracy theorizing ...)

[rachelmanija]

And he lives somewhere in my neighborhood, because he was taking his kid for a walk and this is 100% a place where you'd only do that if you lived there!

I was surprised too. I guess that's a Q-Anon thing.

[eglantiere]

are you sure he was not having a psychotic episode? because, ugh.

(jesus what the everloving fuck. vaccinate them cats, dude :((( )

[rachelmanija]

I have an appointment for Saturday!

Weeeeeell, maybe but if so approximately 29% of all Americans are having the same episode.

[mecurtin]

That's actual pretty frightening. These people have let themselves be driven insane. What is he going to do when Trump loses?

[rachelmanija]

Hopefully he doesn't have a gun.

[qian]

That sounds horrible! I'm sorry you had to experience it.

[karalee]

JFC! I'm so sorry you were subjected to that. It sounds horrible.

[author_by_night]

I'm glad you're okay. That is so scary. *Hugs*

[intothespin]

That sounds really horrible! I'm glad you're okay.

[lydamorehouse]

This is nuts. People are nuts.

[wpadmirer]

Trumpers are such angry people. I can't imagine living like that.

[sabotabby]

Well that's fucking terrifying.

[kathmandu]

Yeeech. That is alarming. Sympathies to you. It sounds like you handled yourself well. He was just a powderkeg looking for any excuse to blow up at someone.

[brainwane]

:-( that this happened and that his kid witnessed it (and, from the kid's reaction, didn't particularly indicate that this was completely out of character for their parent). You're reasonably well-equipped to handle it, so I'm sorry it happened to you but also glad it didn't happen to someone less equipped. :-(

[rachelmanija]

Yeah, I am 100% fine with taking that bullet for someone else.

Poor kid. He just stood there in utter silence, watching. I'm guessing that for him, this was basically Monday.

[julianr]

Yikes. Disturbing indeed, though you do seem to have handled it very calmly.

I gotta say, the part where even literal frothing at the mouth couldn't stop him from reflexively replying "You have a nice day too", was hilarious :)

[rachelmanija]

NGL, that's why I said it.

[naomikritzer]

This is what actual "Trump derangement syndrome" looks like -- Trumpers who wind up screaming at random gardeners who asked if their kid was OK.

[rachelmanija]

With explicit death threats, no less!

[lilacsigil]

That's really disturbing and I hope it was a one-off. That poor kid.

[chomiji]

Bleah! What a piece of garbage he is!

The whole "squatty" thing is mystifying. I guess everything they hate needs to have a belittling nickname.

[indywind]

It's so much easier to hate and dehumanize with belittling, othering nicknames. Meanness even a ragefrothing loon couldn't quite see doing to the respected congresspersons of the opposition party, or to fellow citizen ordinary people, feels fine for "Marxist squaddies."

[bemused_writer]

Yikes! That is super freaky. D: So sorry you had to put up with that but glad it didn't escalate any further.