In case you’re wondering how divided this country is…

So about a month ago, I was here at the Indianapolis airport, flying to Denver via Detroit. I was working with the LaptopOfDoom ™, which is covered with a variety of stickers, the most important of which say “This is not my boyfriend’s computer.” and “Card carrying member of the ACLU”.

The first tends to make people laugh – they like it a lot.

The second people tend to ignore, mainly because it’s fairly small and inconspicuous. Indiana, however, is the only place I’ve had people growl at it. Two asshole businessmen were sitting across from me that morning 4 weeks ago, badmouthing one of their female colleagues. I wasn’t really paying attention, and certainly not obviously so, but all of a sudden, they looked at me significantly and lowered their voices, continuing their bashing sotto voce. A few minutes later, I saw the older one elbow the younger one, and looked up when they both stared at my laptop as one pointed toward the bottom part of the cover (where said ACLU sticker is located). One of them sneered, and the other shook his head with an expression just short of spitting. I hadn’t slept all night, so I didn’t have any smart remarks handy, but the facial expressions when I looked at them just screamed “stupid, ignorant bitch.”

Which leads me to wonder, yet again… since when are civil liberties disgusting? Since when are they traitorous? Since when are they, as a cause, worth sneering at strangers in airports over?

So now I’m back in the Indy airport, sitting in a hallway where there are outlets and lots of deplaning passengers. And I’ve gotten more than my share of slightly annoyed faces when people look down at my computer.

I wouldn’t have the sticker on there if I weren’t making a statement – but it amazes me what a different planet this place is. Then again, Indiana is the birthplace of the KKK. I shouldn’t be surprised.

Hate this place.