Dh and I woke up yesterday and just decided to take the boys to Six Flags. The weather was beautiful and we were having a great time. I am not very spur of the moment, so my dks were very excited!! My boys love the University of Texas baseball team so they were wearing shirts and baseball hats with their logo. My oldest ds and I were walking a little ways behind dh and my youngest ds. All of a sudden this man came up to my ds and said to the boy that was with him "there is that poor boy with the UT stuff on." He then continued to say that there must be something wrong that he had that shirt and hat on. He said that UT makes him sick and he couldn't believe my ds was wearing stuff with them on it. I was shocked and my ds(who is 6!!!) was so upset. I was just speechless at first. Finally I said, What is wrong with you that makes you feel it is okay to say those things to a 6 year old child?" His face got red and he walked off. Thank God dh wasn't walking with us he would have flipped. But then dh is 6'2" and 250 lbs, so I am sure he wouldn't have said anything if he was with us. My ds was so upset and just didn't understand why a man he didn't even know would say such mean things to him. I have never had this happen before. What is wrong with people???

By Happynerdmom on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 05:30 pm:

Good for you for saying something! Usually when something happens, LATER I think, oh, I should have said such and such. Maybe he thought he was being funny for his ds, who knows. Sounds like you made him think, though.

By Kay on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 05:35 pm:

Good thing my oldest dd wasn't with you - she is a die-hard UT fan (my in-laws both went there), and she certainly would not have been able to keep her mouth shut.

By Dawnk777 on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 06:22 pm:

It's like Thumper says in Bambi, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!" He should have just kept his nasty thoughts to himself. Good for you to point out his rudeness. DH just called that guy a boor!

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 06:54 pm:

Good for you. Glad your son heard you standing up for him. What a real A+ JERK!

By Tink on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 07:03 pm:

I just got back from the grocery store and heard a man tell his wife she was a " F****** C*** and a stupid B****!" I couldn't believe that anyone would talk to his wife this way but much less in public! I decided that if he wasn't ashamed of the way he was talking I shouldn't be ashamed to stand up to him. I was only a few feet away so I said quietly, "I'm very sorry that you feel that way about this woman and that you think it is ok to say these kind of things but there are children nearby and that is totally inappropriate." He looked me up and down and called me a b**** and walked out of the store. The woman just walked away behind him, leaving their cart in the aisle. I can't believe what people think is appropriate! As you said, Debbie, What is wrong with people?!

By Bea on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 07:31 pm:

What used to be the rarity is now the commonplace. The media appeals to the worst in all of us, and celebrates it. I love Survivor, but when I stop and think what it is really about, I feel ashamed. Lying, scheming and deceit are what makes you a winner. Reality TV is cheap to produce, and appeals to the lowest common denominator. Sad. So sad. It glorifies the basest behavior.

By Debbie on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 08:02 pm:

Wow Cori, that is terrible!! I was just really shocked at this guys tone when talking to my ds. Ds has had people joke around with him before. He is ALWAYS wearing his UT stuff so we are bound to get some comments. Once a man asked him if he would consider changing teams, but it was in a laughing, joking way. I don't mind this and neither does ds.

Oh well, you said it best Bea. I totally agree.

By Trina~moderator on Sunday, July 11, 2004 - 08:16 pm:

OMG! What a jerk! I'm glad you spoke up. I think I would have said something like, "Kids, this is a prime example of poor sportsmanship. Everyone needs to RESPECT the fact that different people root for different teams."

Tink, if that man spoke to his wife (and you!) in that manner in public I believe there is some serious abuse going on at home. Very sad.

By Emily7 on Monday, July 12, 2004 - 12:49 am:

People don't care anymore about what they say to others. There used to be a time when cussing in public was illegal, it is still on the books here.
I am glad you both said something, I always find myself saying something too, although my dh hates that.