Ran into an old friend at the polling place today -- we went to college together and he married another very good friend of mine (I hosted the dinner party that served as their first "date".) We chatted a bit, catching up with family details and so on, and as would be expected, talk turned to election nonsense. He, like most of the people I know 'round these parts, is a conservative Republican -- our conversation was polite and very surface-level, which was nice. However, he said something that made me laugh -- he called me "everyone's favorite token liberal."
Yep. That's me. Glad to know that I'm being of service.
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Was privy to a conversation -- actually, I was on the outskirts of it -- between two new acquaintances talking about the election. They made the standard assumption that because I am a church-going Christian, that I was automatically a conservative Republican. (We're very brand new acquaintances. Obviously.) They were expressing concerns about rioting in the predominantly African-American areas of the community, should Senator Obama lose the election. "You just never know what they might do," one said. The other was so concerned, she was thinking about not sending her kids to school on Wednesday, "just in case."
I was conspicuously quiet, mostly because I was trying to formulate a tactful yet pointed comment -- plus I was trying to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. One woman then turned to me and asked me what I thought. I simply pointed to the Obama/Biden bumper sticker on my car (we were standing in a parking lot.)
"Oh."
Subject changed -- although I'm sure I was the topic of conversation once they were alone.
I know it shouldn't surprise me, but I'm still shocked at the narrow-mindedness and presumptuousness of people regarding racial stereotypes and religious/political compartmentalizing in the 21st Century. People I know.
We've come a long way, but damn, do we still have far, far to go.
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Went to the grocery store after picking Will up from school -- still wearing my VOTE OBAMA t-shirt. The store we went to is in the downtown area and tends to be very multi-cultural with its shoppers. I lost count of the number of Obama stickers/buttons/shirts I saw while we were there. As we were leaving, the guy bagging our groceries, with whom I always exchanged a GO RAYS! comment during the playoffs, looked at me and said GO OBAMA!
You betcha, buddy.
Best moment of my day. So far...
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Last but SO not least, I leave you with a quote that is my mantra for the day (thanks to my pal bronsont for bringing this to my attention)
Sport teaches you to be a modest winner and a good loser.
3 comments:
I love this post, it just made me think that this exact thing would make a great book. My Conversations While Waiting To Vote. I enjoyed reading this post very much.
Loved both your posts today CJ, super stuff!
I believe in our system, and regardless of the next office holder, I'm ecstatic over the turn out for this election. The only fly in the ointment for me is that it took, (according to CNN), 3 BILLIONS in television advertising dollars to get it. How much good would have been done by the eighty five thousand Habitat for Humanity houses which could have been built with those funds, or for how long could the medications for all the HIV positive patients in the world been supplied?
Such a waste to create hype. Why can't we be interested enough to inform ourselves and responsible enough to vote without the waste?
Sorry to be a bummer on your night CJ, but I'm bummed.
I can still shout GO RAYS though :)
No apologies necessary, bronsont. I agree -- the spending and the finances for this campaign were out of control. I suppose it's the cost of doing business in the political world these days -- and it's also where people chose to put their money as well via donations. Our media-driven society practically demands that people pay attention -- and most aren't conditioned to inform themselves. They require the information to come to them.
Thoughtful response and great comments, my friend.
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