Goss-Anon

I have to ask this question. I am completely vexed by how to handle gossipers. Through my work, my relationships with others, by extended family, and now by others that really have no involvement with my life or that of my immediate family's.

At work, I find it easy to handle gossip. The easiest way is to confront the person directly. The fortune I have is being their supervisor, and if they want their job, they stop immediately. Luckily my workplace has ridden itself of these types of people since I have been there.

With extended family, I seem to throw myself into the confrontation. I just think back to when I was at Thanksgiving at my aunt's house when my dad's other sisters were talking on the sly. One thing I was blessed with was an acute sense of hearing (which my co-workers often find themselves wishing they were in Milton just to have a private conversation), which of course they were ignorant to......HELLO.....I'm a music major.....Yes, I was the one at the dinner table to loudly ask why they were discussing their subject (that they didn't want everyone to know about) and throw the spotlight on them. Mind you, in my opinion, these two sisters are somewhat hardscrabble, so I wasn't surprised seeing them sit there with their pallid, shocked expressionless faces when confronted with my verbal spotlight. I got great satisfaction watching it....let me tell you, and the situation ended.

With close friends and immediate family, I usually don't have an issue, since I seem to just make a mindful correction to set records straight. After all, they're all very important to me.

But to others, especially people I don't really know, I have no problem relishing the sight of their extreme uncomfortableness when they have been caught in spreading rumors, innuendo, or flat out wrong information. The sight of them squirming, turning white as a ghost, nervously listening to your confrontation, and the sheer "not so fresh" feeling they get really is something I enjoy. It probably isn't very Christian of me, nor is it probably the nicest aspect of my persona. Then again, who can stand a liar. And basically, gossiping is one step before lying in my opinion. And I have no time for it, and there's nothing better than catching someone in the act, and watching them writhe their way out of it.

Recently I was made aware of someone shooting her mouth off about my family without having correct information. In this situation, the subject and content of what she was talking about was completely inappropriate and unfounded. Yet this person, a "Christian" woman in a position in her church (the largest protestant church by the fairgrounds in my hometown), felt the need to spread information to others without having any of the facts or even permission. What's even more annoying, this person isn't even involved with my family, aside from knowing who each other are. Furthermore, this person has a habit of doing this, to the annoyance of everyone.

I don't know what to do. I have some ideas, and believe me, I'm formulating words that I may say. I can assure you that if I EVER run into this person, she'll get more than an ear full. In the aftermath, she won't know whether she should scratch her watch or wind her butt.

I typically try my best to avoid people like this, but this situation has me so riled that I'm compelled to say something, and won't regret ANYTHING I say to her when the time comes.

Is it too late to bring back public shaming like the stocks?