The roads weren't too bad this morning, and I went on in to work. Most of the company did. I had carried a sandwich from home, just in case, and was glad I did, because the free lunch was either hamburgers, spaghetti with meat sauce, or pasta with chicken in it. Lovely. So I had my sandwich and some fries.
And those fries re-lit the fry lust in me. I have a passion for potatoes that frightens me at times, and I love fries like a fat boy loves cake. I blame it on my recently confirmed but long suspected Irish blood. So I had a (fried, of course) catfish sandwich and MORE fries for supper. Yummy. Glad I bought some fat pants.
The dinner was fun, and it was good to see everyone, as always. But of course politics came up. One of the guys was expounding on how he may not vote in the primary, just because he can't make up his mind, and I can sympathize. I still don't know for whom I'm voting. I have decided not to vote in the Republican primary for the least crazy Republican, because I don't like any of them. At one point, I would have voted for McCain, but he has spent the last two years toadying up to the religious right, after being so critical of them before. The reason I respected him before was that I thought he had the integrity to state what he truly believed. So either he was lying then to get attention, or he has sold out now and become just another politician. I'm inclined to go with the latter. Also, I heard him on his interview with NPR this week, and it was all war, war, war. He is as hell bent for leather as GW ever was. I just don't think what we need is another saber-rattler. We need a diplomat at this point.
During the course of the conversation, one of the guys in the group, whom I previously thought had the sense God gave a billy goat, came out with that jingoistic crap about how Obama is a closet Muslim radical, and how he was sworn in to the office on the Koran, and won't say the Pledge of Allegiance. These statements have been disproved over and over:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
Obama's father was a Muslim, and Obama was listed as a Muslim in his ELEMENTARY SCHOOL papers, because they listed the kids under the faith of their fathers. This was from grades 1-4!! How many of you even remember grades 1-4, much less base the rest of your life on them? Obama is a Christian, and has been a member of a Christian church for almost 20 years.
The sworn in on the Quaran reference wasn't Barrack Obama, it was Keith Ellison.
The criticism over the pledge comes from ONE photograph showing him without his hand over his heart during the national anthem. BFD. Have you never forgotten? I know I have been singing it and had to move my hand.
And honestly, are these really reasons not to vote for someone? It is just this kind of jingoistic bullshit that has given us 8 years of GW and a political process that values style over substance. Who cares if he WAS a Muslim? Would it be so terrible to have someone of Muslim faith in the White House? Why would this be such a tragedy? He certainly couldn't be as intolerant of other religions as the man we have in office now, and he has somehow managed not to destroy the country, although he has given it a damn good try. Painting all Muslims as bombing radicals is the same as saying all Baptists are snake handlers. There haven't been any diamond-backs in the White House yet. And IF he was a Muslim, it would be appropriate for him to be sworn in on the Quaran. Last, the Pledge thing. If I hear one more politician wrap themselves in the flag I am just going to puke. What we need is not more mindless jingoism. What we need is a man with ideas who can help put this country back on the right track at home, and restore our tarnished regard abroad. I am much more worried about where his brain is than where his hand is. I felt the same way about Clinton. If you give me a choice between a guy who wants to diddle a fat chick, and a man hot to start World War III, I'll take the diddler every time.
So if you don't want to vote for Obama, that's fine. But know WHY you're not voting for him, and make sure those reasons are real. Look at his voting record and his positions. Don't make a knee-jerk reaction based on a bunch of bullshit fresh out of the ass of the politicial distraction machine. Don't make it quite so easy for them to pull the wool over our eyes. Please.
And no, I haven't decided to vote for Obama. I am still torn between him and Hillary Clinton. But I'm going to make sure when I make a decision, it's based on real and valid reasons.
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