This is so sad. I used to be a librarian in a liberal city. Librarianship is still heavily female, so when I worked in the library with all other women, we took a lot of shit/abuse from patrons (men and women alike, but mostly men). If we had even one male on staff standing around, there was much less abuse. It was noticeable.

And of course I waited on many nice people, men and women included, and I very much appreciated them (and always went the extra mile for them). Sometimes your "decent person" award is just that you are a decent person and the whole world appreciates it.

Keep on keeping on, Lauren, personally, I am an American and support your right to free speech 100%, including your "bitching."