Uncle Sam Wants You

[clevermanka]

Or, more specifically, Uncle Sam wants to use your FAX machine.

Here is the conversation I just wrapped up:

Young man approaches my door
Me: Good morning! Can I help you find someone?

Him: Yes, I'm looking for--I need--I'm doing a recruiting drive for the United States Marines and I need some signatures from the English department.

Me: Excuse me? Signatures? From English?

Him: Yes, I need a signature from the Dean of English.

Me: We don't have a Dean of English...our department has a Chair. Is that what you mean?

Him: looks at a piece of paper I need a signature from KM and I need to speak to an English student named LS.

Me: KM is over in Strong Hall, across the street. Can you say the name of the student again? I didn't recognize it.

Him: L. S.

Me: types the name into KU People Search. Oh. He's in the History department. Not English.

Him: I need to receive a fax for him to sign. Can I use your fax machine?

Me: No. We only allow use of our fax machine for teaching or direct departmental issues.

Him: Well, this is related to teaching.

Me: I thought you said you were recruiting for the military. And the student you need to contact isn't even in the English department.

Him: So you're telling me you won't let me use your fax machine.

Me: Yes. Why don't you go ask History for the student you want and see if you can use their fax machine.

Him: gives one of those eyerolls that says "I can't believe how unreasonable you're being" You're not going to let me use your fax machine for federal government business.

Me: No, I'm not.

Exit Young Man in a huff.

What the hell?

Comments

[adammaker.livejournal.com]

Ok, that was really creepy.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

It was more annoying than creepy, but yeah. Again the refrain:

What The Hell Is Wrong With People?

Even though you can not see me...

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

I am clapping and cheering really loudly!!

Bravo!

Re: Even though you can not see me...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Well, I wasn't exactly doing it as a political statement or anything. I wouldn't have let Greenpeace use the fax machine, either. Although if the Dalai Lama asked to use our fax, I think I'd probably be ok with that. =D

I just couldn't believe the sense of entitlement that was coming off this kid. In waves. It was crazy.

I admit it didn't help my attitude that my supposed "democratic" representative, Dennis Moore, yesterday voted to condemn the MoveOn.org anti-war ad instead of actually doing something that matters. Fucking prick.

Re: Even though you can not see me...

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

Those yahoos actually wasted time VOTING against MoveOn?

Seriously. Less people would know about the add if you just fucking ignored. Omg. God forbid stuff that actually, you know, MATTERS goes up for a vote.

Re: Even though you can not see me...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Those yahoos actually wasted time VOTING against MoveOn?

Yes.

Article here (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5icjoZfw9cxthDHzemr2CBJn0hSQg).

Re: Even though you can not see me...

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

revolting.

Re: Even though you can not see me...

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

I stopped writing to him after the whole torture fiasco. I got a letter back from "him" detailing all the reasons he needed to vote the way he did. Three pages of justification for the use of torture.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I left a message at Moore's Lawrence office saying I would vote for a hamster before I would ever vote for him again.

Yes. I did.

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

A hamster would do a better job.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Hamsters Against Torture (HAT) is an international group condemning the use of torture against all mammals. Join today.

Re: Even though you can not see me...

[funky-peacenik.livejournal.com]

The Big DL may take the fax machine apart- as he is known for taking things apart to see how they work. :) Then you can just tell everyone that wants to use your fax machine that the Big DL took it apart, and it is now not functional. You should also call him the Big DL, I hear that he like it, and it even makes him giggle. :) So then you could have a giggling Dalai Lama in your office!

I understand equality use or non use in this case, of the fax machine. Currently I am a student at Ghetto U and there are recruiters at the campus all the time. They all have that very egotistical attitude, very entitled because they have on a uniform. So I am clapping because I have yet to find a way to put a block in their path, no matter how small the block. Make sense?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

It makes complete sense, yes.

I have a problem with campus recruiters because they really feed people a line. The money people get for college doesn't even cover four year tuition at a state university. Might as well take out a loan and save your life. You're going to have to borrow money, anyway to pay for books and living costs. Might as well borrow the tuition money and not get blown up before you finish your degree.

[auroraceleste.livejournal.com]

IF you get your money. And IF it's the total they promised you. And IF they can manage to let it stay in your account for more than a week without taking it out again. And a huge IF - IF $1000 a month for nine months even begins to equal out with the costs, not including that the money is paid out AFTER your time in college - so you have to pay your bills at the beginning of the semester, then the military pays you back after each month of attended school and you PROVE you attended that month.

Gah. If only the money we actually got was enough for hiring a lawyer, Lou and I would be much richer . . .

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Wow. I had no idea it was that bad. What a fucking racket.

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

You're such a Communist.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Pinko Liberal!!! Pinko Liberal!!!

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

Though, I suppose if you *were* a Commie, you'd have HAD to share your state funded fax machine with the agent of the federal government...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

That's why I'm a libertarian socialist (kinda). But "Pinko Liberal Socialist" doesn't have the same ring as "Pinko Liberal Commie."

[adammaker.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, a Red Hot Communist.

[slinka.livejournal.com]

I can't believe you didn't let a stranger use educational property for military purposes regarding a student not in your department. Who are you anymore?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I know. This job at a liberal arts university has really changed me. Sometimes I worry what being in such a hotbed of liberal activism will mean for my political future.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

You are the most awesomest. <>

[poincaraux.livejournal.com]

I saw this while I was driving around the other day



and I obviously just reported you.

Thank God they put those signs up!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Don't people realize we're just a few steps away from

[tessagratton.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yay, snark. At least we'll go down laughing.

[slinka.livejournal.com]

Domestic Terrorists are the new black.

[scary-manilow.livejournal.com]

Way to piss off THE MAN. Guess I'll be seeing you in Guantanamo!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I wonder if that kid ever noticed my ACLU sign on my office door...

[ka-ni.livejournal.com]

Okay, this made me howl, thanks for sharing...

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I figured the story needed to get out. In case I disappear tomorrow, check the recruiting centers...

[ka-ni.livejournal.com]

As if anyone I know would ever walk into one of those...you'd be stuck, sorry!

Lydia suit!

[nataliesee.livejournal.com]

When I audition for "Who Wants to be a Superhero," I'm making a Lydia suit.

Seriously.

I just hope I can pull off the black hair...

Re: Lydia suit!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Feel free to borrow one of the Yaks.

=D

[grnvixen.livejournal.com]

So first Shrub took our phones, now our fax. Sheesh!

haven't they heard of just say NO!!!!!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

just say NO

That was a totally different breed of Republicans. And I never thought I'd see the day where I actually missed them.

[adammaker.livejournal.com]

Wow,
that's a powerful thought.
-=-
They were only pesky, not evil.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mac_/]

Dude, that so reminds me of this time back in ACS when this dude came to the help window and asked if he could use a phone in one of the back offices. I told him that there was a campus phone next to the scanning station. He asked again and told me it was urgent business and needed to be private. I was like, sorry, I can't help you. I had to go out and help someone in the lab and then when I came back Barb had let him into Sue's office. Then she told me that he was a undercover campus police officer. I was like "psssht" whatever, not my problem. But, I do not think that dude was five-o.

Fight the power!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

When I left the I/O window, little did I know I'd still be dealing with campus crazies fifteen years later.

Good times, good times!

At least I don't have to stay at this desk until two in the damn morning.

[geekmom.livejournal.com]

That reminds me of the time, every year for four years, I'd get a call from recruiting just for being enrolled in a class. Yay!

[kalinobeche.livejournal.com]

All I can say is WHAT A DICK WAD!!!!

There all better.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

There all better.

If only!

[jjgalahad.livejournal.com]

So, why do you hate America?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

And jjgalahad comments for THE WIN.

[jjgalahad.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Wow, this was so unexpected! Really, it was an honor just to be nominated alongside these other incredibly talented commenters here today. *music comes up* Thank you! *bows*