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Background: An inlaw of mine is going through a divorce. She had been living with us while she gets a job, finds a house, and so on. She moves out today. Yay! I'm a very political person, and better informed than the average Joe (or Joeette??). Doesn't mean I'm always right, doesn't mean I think I am, but I expect a higher than average level of thought to be put into people comments or else I get annoyed. She is uneducated (high school education at best), and is about 50. That's fine, most people don't have university degrees. However, with her any time she talks I get such an overwhelming feeling that this woman hardly knows or understands anything, uses very little if any critical thinking, and will believe anything that conforms to her incorrect and preconceived notions. Not everyone without a degree is like that. Some who have them are unfortunately.
The worst part, we disagree philosophically and profoundly on pretty much any and all issues. Usually, it's rather clear to me, the reason is because I know what the fuck I am talking about, and she doesn't. Usually I just let her go on, and don't say anything. One time I did...
Oh, she is a conservative, and more than a tad racist even though she has said she isn't. But it's much like the child, who, when you walk into the room says "I didn't do anything". It's pretty obvious that something has been done.
This brings us to "the conversation"!
She comes home from work and starts explaining to us (myself, dad, and wife of dad - not my mother, she died about 6 years ago) that these foreign students (we have a university in my city, I am student there) have one on one translators that we pay for with our taxes. She also mentioned that one of them went to where she works and had poor english skills. This proves in her mind that they do get translators. Poor english skills = we pay for one on one translators. Hey! Makes a little sense, must be true.
I inquire: According to whom, exactly, do these students get translators?
A professor? A foreign exchange student? One of these so called translators? Any of the above would have been an acceptable answer.
Her reply: My niece.
Ed note: Her niece is fat, and uneducated. Nothing against fat uneducated people, except that I wouldn't get my foreign exchange student information from them. She works at a clothing store.
I ask a follow up question: How (the fuck) would she know?
Ed note: She wouldn't, she isn't a professor, translator, or even a janitor at the university.
Reply? She spends a lot of time with young people. (Note: not really, she just said that for some reason)
I ask another question: You said that when they came to your place of business they had poor english skills yet no translator to help them. I am curious, if they did have a translator where and when would they make use of such a service if not when they were out doing chores and unable to communicate effectively?
Her reply: At school.
Ed note: She said at school with such a great amount of certainty (even though my earlier attack seemed to make her question this nonsense briefly) that I was almost convinced. EXCEPT....
My response: I go to school at the same school as them, in the same classes. I've been in work groups with them. They do not have translators at school.
-END OF RELEVANT PART OF CONVERSATION-
As of this date I still have no conclusive proof that no foreign student has ever had a one on one translator, but I can assure you that if such a service existed it would be nothing like she imagined. In her mind our tax dollars are always being spent on things for "poor" people, or whatever. You know, typical liberal wastes of money. She is wrong, but doesn't know it. I did actually ask around at school if anyone had ever heard of this.
After living with her for a month and having many conversations like this I just needed to vent. Thanks for your time!
Oh!! Later the same day she was telling me about how there is no such thing as global warming because, well, she had whatever reasons idiots use. I'm not an idiot so I don't recall exactly. Now, I don't claim to understand global warming. I'm not a scientist. But when given the opinion of a moron, and the opinion of scientists that I've seen on TV, I will take the word of the scientists for it and conclude that yes, global warming probably does exist. Shucks.
The worst part, we disagree philosophically and profoundly on pretty much any and all issues. Usually, it's rather clear to me, the reason is because I know what the fuck I am talking about, and she doesn't. Usually I just let her go on, and don't say anything. One time I did...
Oh, she is a conservative, and more than a tad racist even though she has said she isn't. But it's much like the child, who, when you walk into the room says "I didn't do anything". It's pretty obvious that something has been done.
This brings us to "the conversation"!
She comes home from work and starts explaining to us (myself, dad, and wife of dad - not my mother, she died about 6 years ago) that these foreign students (we have a university in my city, I am student there) have one on one translators that we pay for with our taxes. She also mentioned that one of them went to where she works and had poor english skills. This proves in her mind that they do get translators. Poor english skills = we pay for one on one translators. Hey! Makes a little sense, must be true.
I inquire: According to whom, exactly, do these students get translators?
A professor? A foreign exchange student? One of these so called translators? Any of the above would have been an acceptable answer.
Her reply: My niece.
Ed note: Her niece is fat, and uneducated. Nothing against fat uneducated people, except that I wouldn't get my foreign exchange student information from them. She works at a clothing store.
I ask a follow up question: How (the fuck) would she know?
Ed note: She wouldn't, she isn't a professor, translator, or even a janitor at the university.
Reply? She spends a lot of time with young people. (Note: not really, she just said that for some reason)
I ask another question: You said that when they came to your place of business they had poor english skills yet no translator to help them. I am curious, if they did have a translator where and when would they make use of such a service if not when they were out doing chores and unable to communicate effectively?
Her reply: At school.
Ed note: She said at school with such a great amount of certainty (even though my earlier attack seemed to make her question this nonsense briefly) that I was almost convinced. EXCEPT....
My response: I go to school at the same school as them, in the same classes. I've been in work groups with them. They do not have translators at school.
-END OF RELEVANT PART OF CONVERSATION-
As of this date I still have no conclusive proof that no foreign student has ever had a one on one translator, but I can assure you that if such a service existed it would be nothing like she imagined. In her mind our tax dollars are always being spent on things for "poor" people, or whatever. You know, typical liberal wastes of money. She is wrong, but doesn't know it. I did actually ask around at school if anyone had ever heard of this.
After living with her for a month and having many conversations like this I just needed to vent. Thanks for your time!
Oh!! Later the same day she was telling me about how there is no such thing as global warming because, well, she had whatever reasons idiots use. I'm not an idiot so I don't recall exactly. Now, I don't claim to understand global warming. I'm not a scientist. But when given the opinion of a moron, and the opinion of scientists that I've seen on TV, I will take the word of the scientists for it and conclude that yes, global warming probably does exist. Shucks.
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