Insights from a tremp

I got a tremp a few days ago from side of my city to another, which was great because i was standing in the sun waiting for the bus for an hour. it was one of
moments you'll read about once a year in a cheap Jerusalem post article in tribute to independence day--like "60 reasons why I love Israel and its so great...blah blah".

the driver was a woman in her 50's who said something like:

"Ohh I ALWAYSSS pick up religious people (datiim)...i just looked at you and it was like i received a message from Gd or something that i should pick you up because you are a dati. (I think i mustve  felt something  like a black person must feel when being patronized by a pretentious white person...she went on for a minute or two:) "oh, i mean, I'm not religious, but i was raised in a religious home...its not for me but I think they are good people so I will try to pick up a dati when I see one waiting or something...how do you like living in Israel?" (Its good I say, its not always easy, but that seems to be our lot as Jew's). she went on "well, i would leave this country right now if I could...i would get the hell out of here and let everyone else go to Azazel...I lived in new Zealand for 12 years and it was great...i don't know how I got back here sometimes...blah blah blah...religious people like you are good...you work and are productive...not like hareidim...blah blah...i mean i dont always agree with people who ware a kippah like yours but...i mean what do you think of all the arab workers in our city?...i think they are terrible and thats why they need a state of their own...you know them there us here and thats it...i dont discriminate against anyone...even people who are very religious...I think everyone should live together but each mind their own business and save their opinions for themselves...who do you support in politics...probably bibi, right? (I dont answer the question) ...oh thats a little extreme for me...but i also thought sharon was extreme once and...at least he was strong and knew how to lead...you know............ok have a Shana Tova..."

She went on and on barely pausing to look and see that I was totally disinterested...spewing her provincial Israeli yokelist nonsense. I just kept thinking, "you are such a retard, stop talking". She probably thought that she and I had something in common due to the fact that I am from abroad and she lived abroad for some years...yet again another Israeli yokelism.

Please note...this wasnt a crazy person. in fact this was just your regular average Israeli. most of them will ramble on like this forever given the chance if you get two of them together in the same room. anyone who doesnt resemble this person by dialogue is fringe.

Now, Im not smart enough to extrapolate all of the deep psychological and existential problems this attitude of hers elicits...and the stuff i can point out is too obvious to merit elucidation.  the political consequences of even 3 million people like this voting and having children inspires me with pure terror. i think this is the "middle Israeli" amotz asael is always writing about in the Jerusalem post--such a stupid column.

If you disagree--i hate to burst ur bubble, but--you are out of touch with this country entirely.

This isnt news to me...but im taking a guess that it probably is for you.