I (39 f) have a roommate (36 m) who is big into a few social media influencers and vloggers.
Last night he announced that due to the first amendment (we’re not American) he could walk into a government building, start recording and say, "You want me to stop recording, move me to the front of the line."
Now I know that our laws are similar to the US, but there are distinct differences that can be very subtle. As an example if you own a firearm here you need to keep them unloaded and locked in a safe, keep the ammunition in a separate safe, also locked and not with a key with a numeric code. That’s one example of the differences between us and the US, so with that in mind I suggested "you might want to double check that’s legal here."
He started going off calling me a stupid liberal K name, and told me that I’ll end up on one of the vlogs he watches one day for being a k name.
I looked at him and asked, "I’m a k name for suggesting you fact check what you see in videos to make sure it applies to our laws?"
"You’re too stupid to understand any of this," he continued.
I put my headphones on, realizing he was probably intoxicated and not wanting to continue the argument, he kept raising his voice, hitting his fist against the table, and started yelling about how his girlfriend who was trying to calm him down and let him know I was trying to look out for him. He kept going off about how she’s always siding against him. To be fair, she does side with me sometimes, and sometimes with him but how she addresses things and how he addresses things, I tend to understand her side easier than his. He thinks he can just say ‘no because I say no’ and that’s that. 1) he’s not my parent. 2) I’m not a child. 3) even my Dad didn’t talk down to me like that, my mom did, and I’ve been no contact with her for about 14 years now.
He kept going on, the dogs got scared and hid from him. I’ve been battling with some kind of bug/chest infection so I didn’t have the volume or lung capacity to match or best his yelling or even try to, but any time I tried to talk calmly he’d yell over me, called me names, etc.
So, Reddit, AITA for suggesting he check our country’s laws before he tries recording in a government building?
NTA but you should probably find another living situation.
NTA But what you should probably check is your rental agreement. Don’t argue with stupid. You’ll never win.
I agree. Time to find a new roommate or time to move.
NTA
NTA, but definitely find a new living situation.
There’s no reasoning with those people.
NTA – and he’s the type of person that ends up in viral videos with the whole world laughing at him. I would start looking into a new living situation sooner than later.
NTA. You’ll fix the situation though if you suggest that he brings a gun when he visits the government building. Second amendment, after all.
Just as a small side note. In the US you can film in most areas, not all, of public buildings. But the minute you make a demand such as what you outlined (i.e. blackmail to move to the front of the line) you are making a public disturbance and they can trespass him or arrest him for that. He is an idiot
NTA
It literally doesn’t matter because they aren’t in the US.
They clarified they were talking about the US, knowing OP is not in the US, and it is relevant because OP’s roommate seems to basing his rational on misinterpreting US laws.
NTA. Let him FAFO and save yourself the trouble of trying to make him be rational. When he gets himself arrested, someone else will correct his misconceptions about your local laws.
That’s not even how the First Amendment works if you actually live in the US, nevermind places that aren’t covered under the US Constitution, like every other country in the world that isn’t the US.
NTA but going forward I wouldn’t bother to try to correct him if I were you, seems like he’s pretty invested in his ignorance.
And don’t bail him out when he gets arrested. He needs a time out to think about consequences.
What’s k name
He’s physically trying to intimidate you by hitting his fist on the table. Add alcohol into that behavior and you’ve got a great recipe for future violent responses when you irritate him.
You need a new living situation. Get out of there.
NTA