As a compulsively polite Canadian I appreciate your calm, cool reply to the Q newbie (Qewbie?). You ARE the Long Cool Woman (in a Black Dress).
“ As a compulsively polite Canadian”
Better work on that before the swearing in ceremony!
And get a gun, please.
Lol! It doesn’t hurt to give a newcomer the benefit of the doubt, especially later in the evening when we’re all likely to be more tired, impatient and maybe a bit careless with our words. If the person thereafter self-identifies as a troll or agitator, then they’ll be asked to leave or will leave on their own after some well-deserved abuse from the guardians at the thread gate. I gave him an honest reply in case he was genuinely interested and just not choosing his words as well as he might.
Your oath will make you an American citizen in two weeks, but no oath will be able to knock the ingrained politeness out of you. It’s a stereotype for a reason, but I’d be at a loss to explain how most of us end up that way.
I’ve heard one person say it’s because we have weather that will kill you and we have wide open spaces of empty that will kill you. The thinking is that such things make strangers become cooperative, helpful, agreeable, patient and kind.