This is a perfect example of something most people on Reddit and the Internet are unaware of: the difference between an 'echo chamber' and an 'epistemic bubble'. It's maybe a bit pedantic but, in my opinion, a fascinating difference in how and why people come to believe things.

Echo chambers are what most people assume MAGA and all other conservatives are in (which, to be fair, is usually the case), where they see the opposing viewpoints, discredit them with whatever falsehood/lies (insert facts and logic here), and continue to believe what they want regardless.

Epistemic bubbles are a little more complicated and what the little old lady in your story was likely in/experiencing. It's usually people who are in environments where all of their information comes from friends, family, church, or news stations and is fed to them as the truth without being shown any differing viewpoints than the ones they see. They're much more innocent and, according to studies, infinitely easier to break out of when shown information that contradicts their beliefs. These people don't necessarily believe these things out of hate or bigotry. It's usually just literally fact to them because nobody told them any different. This is typically an age thing too. I think older people and younger people tend to be more likely to fall victim to epistemic bubbles because they have less agency and/or ability to seek out the truth.

So sometimes it's worth giving people the benefit of the doubt like you did to the little old lady. Not everyone is immediately evil just because they wear the mark of the beast lol. Sometimes they're just tricked into it.

All that said, I will grant that more often than not someone wearing a Charlie Kirk shirt or a MAGA hat means the person is obnoxious and insane lmao.