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AIBU?

To have a weeny bit of sympathy for the poo smearers?

42 replies

ProPooSmearer · 29/01/2013 08:53

NCed as very identifiable.

In my town there is a sect, founded by someone in the town who thinks they see the Virgin Mary in their garden. The main thrust of the sect, which has a lot of followers all over the world, is anti-abortion, and that aborted children are martyrs. They have parades barefoot around town carrying a statue of Jesus and carrying anti-abortion banners.

Anyway, a sect member lives down our road. On their car they have a huge sticker covering half the back window which says something like "Aborted children are martyrs to The Truth, G-d forgive you". It's parked on the road as we don't have driveways. Walked past the car today and someone has smeared poo all over the front windscreen.

Obviously this is vile and disgusting and horrible and if someone wants to make the point about not having to look at that sticker every day surely a reasoned and polite debate is the way to go. And I feel terrible for the family who have lots of children who will have to look at that today knowing someone anonymous did it to them.

BUT, on the other hand, they have been intolerant and a bit vile with their anti-abortion stuff for YEARS. Maybe someone just snapped today? I can't help having a weeny teeny bit of sympathy with the poo smearers and thinking, "well yes, if you're going to be sanctimonious and ram your message down people's throats, someone IS going to retaliate one day?"

AIBU?

OP posts:
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NoisesOff · 29/01/2013 08:59

YANBU, given that it wasn't you who smeared the poo!

Doesn't sound like a nice place to live.

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cantspel · 29/01/2013 09:00

How could it ever be reasonable to support smearing poo on someone's car?

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VisualiseAHorse · 29/01/2013 09:03

I can understand someone snapping about this....but not the poo thing.

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Toughasoldboots · 29/01/2013 09:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CailinDana · 29/01/2013 09:07

YABtotallyU. The sticker expresses their belief and doesn't attack anyone in particular. The poo smearing on the other hand is a direct attack on them for not having views that fit with the mainstream. Anyone who approves even in a small way of such horrible violent behaviour has no place to criticise anyone else IMO. I can understand people being offended by that sticker but it does not warrant an attack.

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WorraLiberty · 29/01/2013 09:13

That's disgusting

If they had any sense they'd report the driver for having half of their back window covered, instead of smearing shit around the place.

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SpicyPear · 29/01/2013 09:16

I can't condone the poo thing, but do feel bad for you to have to live near these people. Holding those views is one thing but they do seem to try to force them on everyone else. Had a quick google as very curious. Live in that general part of the world ish and had no idea this group existed. How very odd, particularly in the context of your town!

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HoleyGhost · 29/01/2013 09:19

I've never had an abortion or a miscarriage, but I have been accosted by these forced birther "pro life" scum and had graphic images shoved in my face. It upset me. I suspect they were targeting women who had been less lucky than me, women who had needed to have an abortion.

YANBU

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Fakebook · 29/01/2013 09:26

YABU. That is a revolting thing to do and I can't believe someone would condone that kind of behaviour.

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MrsWolowitzerables · 29/01/2013 10:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

merlottits · 29/01/2013 10:14

No. You are wrong and pretty revolting. I can see why you namechanged.

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fuzzypicklehead · 29/01/2013 10:29

Smearing poo is always to be avoided, if one is able.

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sieglinde · 29/01/2013 10:30

YAB totally U. They have every right to any peaceful action to try to convince others of their views (even though few of us may agree with them and many of us may disagree very strongly with them.) The poo thing is a personal attack, much worse than a few barefoot parades. It's also f*ing cowardly - if anyone disagrees as violently as that, why not sit down and discuss?

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Punkatheart · 29/01/2013 10:32

I tend not to smear poo if I can use words or protest instead. My chickens poo in food they don't like - but bless them, they have tiny brains. Dirty protest is only to be used in desperate situations - as in prisoners of war.

So no - I don't have sympathy with either side here..

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YouOldSlag · 29/01/2013 10:37

The sticker expresses their belief and doesn't attack anyone in particular

I disagree. I had to have a termination for medical reasons and it pretty much broke my heart. If I saw that car sticker I would take it as a direct attack on me. I wouldn't smear poo, but I would be very insulted and hurt.

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Abra1d · 29/01/2013 10:40

YABU.

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DreamingofSummer · 29/01/2013 10:41

So the right response to opinions you don't agree with is to attack with shit?

You are being totally unreasonable.

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Punkatheart · 29/01/2013 10:44

Sorry to hear that YouOldSlag. But it does goes to show how much hurt it can cause. Poo - never. But I can understand anger. I am an ex-anarchist and I have done things in anger - but throwing/smearing poo just seems too........eurghhhhhhh....even for an anarchist.

Although my daughter, when particularly hurt and upset, talked about sending some poo to her runaway father. I really told her off and I was shocked that she even thought about it.

There are levels of anger and I am sure that cavemen threw poo when they couldn't articulate things. Now - we can - there is less need to be so primal.

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badtime · 29/01/2013 10:58

I would not judge someone who put something that wasn't a hazardous or permanently damaging over the windscreen/sticker, e.g. mud or yoghurt. I think rabid anti-abortion people like that sort of thing anyway, as it makes them feel like martyrs.

I couldn't condone the poo, but can see how if someone who, say, had had to have a termination and had subsequently been accosted by these people, may have wanted to hurt them as much as they had hurt her.

So I would say YANBU to have 'a weeny bit of sympathy' for them. That's not the same as saying it's the right thing to do.

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sieglinde · 29/01/2013 11:00

Sorry too to hear that YouOldSlag, and I also completely see why posters/stickers can hurt anyone who has had a termination badly, but then they have a right to their views as well. Dilemma! (Think we are all mostly agreed on the poo, though.)

A question for you, YOS - how can those people who oppose termination on moral grounds express that view in public without hurting people who have had one for whatever reason?

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ouryve · 29/01/2013 11:03

I can understand the anger, but I would draw the line at poo smearing. Eurgh.

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dashoflime · 29/01/2013 11:03

YANBU!

Also: Is that the best thread title ever? I think it is!

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HoleyGhost · 29/01/2013 11:06

To add to the chorus - obviously I would never smear poo, but do have a weeny bit of sympathy. Anyway, it might have been mud or chocolate spread :-)

Forced birthers have freedom of speech but accosting women of childbearing age is inexcusable.

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newNN · 29/01/2013 11:21

I have a bit of sympathy. I believe in their right to hold whatever opinion they choose, but forcing it on other people is utterly unacceptable. If they continue to do this, then other people will feel vindicated in returning the favour. They can't just go through life inflicting their opinions and expecting no consequences. Reap as you sow, and all that!

That said, it's gross behaviour and the message will be utterly lost on this group of people, who will just see it as further evidence that they are right and the pro choice people are wrong and unreasonable in their behaviour etc.

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HeadfirstForHalos · 29/01/2013 11:41

I had a little google, and I can see why some people would get so angry and snap. So I do have a little sympathy, but poo smearing is just animalistic and just gross! Especially when there are so many other ways to protest.

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