Why is johnburger2013′s latest epic a Comment of the Day? I’d like to use it to launch a series of such accounts as people try to navigate the Great Stupid as it merges with 2020 campaign craziness.

We’ve talked here before about how it isn’t ethical to deliberately upset people, especially people who are suffering from emotional maladies intensified by one’s existence in a peer group bubble devoid of diversity of thought, experience and expression. However, it is also not ethical to allow those who have announced to the world, or even just you, that they don’t know what the hell they are talking about to not even have the chance to improve their lot. We are all members of the human family, and family members are obligated to say something when other family members speak or act like idiots.

Here is johnburger2013′s  Comment of the Day on the post, “Morning Ethics Warm-Up, 8/13/2020: Kamala Harris Selection Hangover Edition”:

This past Monday afternoon, I went to an upscale Houston area hardware store (yeah, I know, the whole idea is dumb but I needed a certain type of screw and nut that only they sell so don’t yell at me)*. They had CNN playing on the TV screen. I watched a bit of the Kamala Harris selection/pick coverage. An employee who is quite nice on most occasions watched with me. I asked her, “What does Harris bring to the ticket? Biden is going to win California and the west and east coasts, and Harris’s background as a DA in California has some real problems. She has not been overly impressive in her term as a senator, and her behavior during the Brett Kavanaugh hearing is hypocritical as it relates to Biden’s history will the ladies.”

Thus ensued a tongue lashing I haven’t had since the last time my wife was really mad at me (which may have been the day before!). She declared that she had the First Amendment right to speak her truth and that I was not to prevent her from doing so. (Me: “Uh . . .” ) She told me that she used to be a registered Republican but wouldn’t vote for one of those slimy jerks if they were the last candidates on the planet because they are weak and cowed by Trump, too afraid to stand against him who embodies all that is pure evil on the side of the universe. She also declared that Biden’s choice was the most amazing choice in VP candidates in the last 50 years, that Harris will bring grace, strength, and wisdom to the ticket, and will solidify a Biden Presidency that will save this nation from horrible Donald Trump and his infernal legacy of corruption, racism, sexism, Islamophobia, homophobia, xenophobia, and misogyny. When I pressed further** about Kamala’s qualifications, considering that Biden may have dementia or other cognitive issues, she scoffed, furrowed her brow and demanded if I truly believed that Biden was suffering from dementia any more than the Current Satan-in-Chief.

Then, she stormed away, stopped, turned around, and snarled, “What did you want anyway?” I told her I needed a nut with silicon inside for the lamp on my wife’s dental loops. She scoffed at me and declared that she didn’t work in that department but sold chocolates and other confections, gesturing to a display case containing some tasty looking treats (I told you it wasn’t your average hardware store but you didn’t want to listen). I suggested that if her demeanor was evidence of anything like the treats she sold that I would look elsewhere as her delicacies clearly did not help her friendly disposition. No response just a glare.

A coworker overheard the exchange and visibly winced when i walked over to that department. I asked her if the store sold the size nut with silicon, which she said was too small. Then, I asked if she had a similar size of screw with a silicon infused nut, which only increased her ire, declaring with obvious frustration, “Look, sir. I told you we don’t sell silicon-infused nuts that size because they are too small. The smallest we sell is this one (showing me).” They were too large for my project. I asked if she had any ideas, causing her to exhale slowly and again declare that the nut was too small. I told her I understood but asked for suggestions. Now, clearly aggravated with me, she said in a huff that a nut glue was all she could offer, gave me the product and stated emphatically “Have a nice day,” conclusively establishing that he conversation had ended.

I thanked her, and went to pay. The cashier was a friendly late teen/early 20 something young lady. She had witnessed the exchanges and was prepared for a confrontation as she saw me approaching. She looked at me straight in the eye, and with a wide smile and most friendly disposition stated, “I have tried that nut glue myself and it works pretty well. Be careful, though, because the liquid is very thin and may gum up any joints . . . by the way, I thought you were right. I don’t get the choice, either. Sorry they were not nice to you.” I thanked her for her advice and then told her I didn’t understand the vitriol about Trump. The cashier stated, “Well, they are just angry people but don’t take it personally. They are mean to a lot of people who come in here. Some day the manager is going to hear them and they are gonna get in trouble. Have a great day and I hope that glue works.”