#the road to hell is paved by white middle-aged nice ladies?

[shadowfromthestarlight]

Gonna say something kinda harsh but I think it needs to be said.

Republicans, conservatives, libertarians, and especially moderates and normies who are thinking of voting Republican in this election, need to stop worrying so much about offending their friends and family and being seen as "not nice," extreme, bigoted, or what-have-you. And need to stop backing down when people who should know better, and probably do know better, accuse them of ridiculous things like being racist.

If someone who's known you for decades can't see that you're not a xenophobe for wanting to make sure that terrorists and gang members don't get into the country, maybe, just maybe, that's on them. If they can't see that you're not a homophobe who wants to set society back 70 years because you don't want children reading graphic books about sex and receiving dangerous drugs and surgeries, that's on them. If they can't see that you're not a racist just for not supporting the racial minority candidate, that's on them. And if they pick a fight with you about it, they should be the one to apologize, not you.

Normies are also too afraid to speak up when they feel like they're not thoroughly educated on a topic, but you know what? Who cares? If someone believes actual nonsense like that Republican governors want to ban the word "gay" and that Trump wants to institute a nationwide abortion ban that will kill women, they're bloody ignorant themselves and you have every right to shut their bullshit down.

We say we could literally lose this election because of white suburban women who just want to be perceived as good people, and it's no joke.

[jacks-tracks]

Saigon

The 13 hour bus ride was actually 16 hours long, leaving on time at 11 pm, and crossing Cambodia in the night. Probably safer in the dark as headlights showed the oncoming traffic, and the day time fleets of motorcycles all went home. The “flat” seats were reclined to 30 degrees, padded, and made for people 5 feet tall. My feet slid under the seat in front everytime the bus braked, and I would weasel my way back up the incline, drop off to sleep again, and awake with the next slide. And it was not a through bus, but stopped in Phnom Pen to change to a day bus, and load a bunch more people. Both buses were spacious, double seats on one side, single the other, with the night bus double decked by bunk beds. Little blankets, bottle of water, a tasteless bun.. luxury! 3 hour layover in PP, totally boring like all bus stations, trying to stay awake to guard bags, despite having taken a “U Dream herbal pill”. More flat land, more overcrowding, one hell of a lot of rice. We did cross the mighty Mekong river, as wide as the Fraser  but slower and muddier. The Vietnam border was better organized, only 1 hour to process all the passengers.  And so into Saigon (aka Ho Chi MInh city) at 5 pm. Endless urban sprawl, but we left behind the drifts and mounds of plastic, all kept clean here. I even recognized some of the places from last trip, but soon swept past them to a new area closer to the river where the bus stopped curbside and dumped us all on the sidewalk. Yes Saigon has sidewalks, not all filled with pushcarts and vendors. Indeed some walkways were 20 feet wide and posed an impossible temptation to the motorcyclists, who simply jumped the curb and barreled  along the cement. Bit brain dead, but I changed some money at a dealer, and found the bus office had a travel agent. Now most travel agents are hacks who sell packages and tours. This fellow actually knew how to book buses and planes, spoke good English, and spent an hour getting my ongoing tickets. Absolutely no train seats, and all the buses were full, no tickets at all. Against my principles I had to buy a plane ticket to Quoy Nhon. Got my cheap red eye flight to Manila in February, and a train sleeper ticket from Hue to Saigon at the end of this run26 hours but lower berth with a window. So I do get a train ride after all. My own efforts to buy tickets were stymied by having no printer to produce a pass, and no phone to show the ticket on. I am the last person in Asia to not have a phone, and for tickets and pictures it would have been a good choice.

Saigon is safe but the sex trade is hot. Next to the agents stand five scantily clad women had blocked the sidewalk and were literally grabbing passing men. No takers while I was there, it was early, but the travel agent assured me that sitting there long enough he saw everything possible happen on the street. I’ve been hit on by some girlyboys, and called to by dozens of massage girls, nearly walked into a place falsely labelled a barber shop( the lady barbers were in night wear), and seen some blatent come ons. I do not approve of sex for sale, degrading women. It’s quite normal here with women fromfarm villages coming to town for  couple of years to put kids through school and support familys. Laughable to see middle aged white guys with 20 something girls holding hands as they amble along, he with a blissful smile, her checking her phone on the off side lining up the next pigeon.

    Taxied to my hotel ( the agent got me a “Grab Car”) Asian version of Uber, and could not find the correct Soi(alley) but I got out a hoofed till I found the entrance, a little paved path between buildings, lined with closed shops, and tiny hotels. Mine had a code lock door, no staff, and  a coded lock box for the room key. Lovely little room, maybe the nicest yet. AC, hot shower, big window on second floor, very quiet, TV, fridge and nice queen size bed, all for $14 US. A brief excursion back to the street got me a french roll filled with chicken salad, and so to bed, exhausted. My plans to tour the parks the next day were overeaching. I did find a cart on the street selling Pho, that delicious chicken soup, noodles sprouts and cilantro slurped on a tiny stool right on the sidewalk. The couple selling the Pho did a terrific business with office workers lining up for take out,  motocyclists driving up to get soup in a bag, and what I thought were dozens of flashily uniformed security guards, who actually were the guys who park the motorcycles in 3 deep packed rows outside the businesses, for a parking fee of course. I wanted a hait trim but the shop across the alley from my hotel was permanently busy and the “barber shop” was selling more than a trim.  After a lunch baguette I found a legitimate salon and got my split ends nipped off. I bought some takeaway for the next days travel, wandered the side streets, overarched with big leafy trees, and got lost in a maze of alleys. My internal compass works and I found the Main drag in a bit. Seemed a short day, still sleep deprived, so early night.

More Pho in the morning(repeat customer gets bigger bowl, still $1.50), the packed (crammed )  my packs and taxied to the airport 3 hours early. Did I say that everyone in Vietnam goes home fotr Tet? Well half of them were at that airport! One hour toget checked in, through surging crowds, pushing grannies, and squealing children. My flight gate got changed 3 times, was 1 hour late, and surprisingly I and My bags mad it to Quy Nhon. As I’d hoped there was a shuttle the 20K to town, and a toothless pirate on a cla

pped out Honda bike rocketed me to my destination.  We nearly got blown off the longest bridge in Vietnam, gale force winds, coughed into the gas station on fumes ( I paid for the gas) and thanks to good online directions found the beach here.

 This really is the little fishing village at the end of the road, maybe 6 tourists in a town of 500. The hotel is right on the beach, almost no English spoken, but plenty of goodwill. I have a 16  bed dorm to myself ($5) hot water, AC,power at my reading light, and after 9 just the sound of the surf. AHHH! So for 2 days  i have been eating delicious seafood, piles of tropical fruit, and doing my onward trip planning. With Tet this weekend all stops, so I will lay over till next week.  The staff invited me to a cermony here. Table laden with food, offerings and joss sticks. The all women staff brought in a guy to do the service, and he burnt the paper money, old bills, and joss sticks.Poured oil and high test booze on the flames(in a bucket), whoosh away goes the old, and room is made for the new and good fortune. A brief prayer, and we ate the food(practical). I thanked them profusely for including me.

   My twice daily beach walk collects a string of little kids, and saying Hello. We trade names, giggle and carry on. Even the dogs are friendly. Of course I say hello to everyone who will meet my eye, and try my fractured Vietnamese. Hilarity. Caused a stir when I went to the morning market and bought fruit and veg for the layover. Shy women, cheap food, good variety. I even found little packagesof yogurt! So all’s well, Beach time....