It is so easy to look on television and see this Democratic Candidate for president, Barack Obama, as a foreign entity, someone who doesn’t look like you or talk like you, or probably doesn’t sit back and open a Budweiser beer and talk about everyday problems the “regular” guy talks about. He doesn’t understand the power of southern religious values, the importance of owning a gun, community fears and job loss. So I decided go out, among the flock,  to talk to some of my neighbors, co-workers and people in the local Wal-mart and grocery stores, to get some reasons why I shouldn’t vote for this new shiny coin they call Barack Obama. You may relate with these people, or know someone with these views. I found it very enlightening. I got a bird’s eye view of my community, about this election and what they think about Barack Obama.

I found a co-worker of mine who carries the opinion that he is a Muslim pretending to be a Christian. That he hates white people and was sent here by Al Qaeda to infiltrate the terrorist’s agenda into USA soil. They know this because he received an email from a friend from church, or a co-worker who received this information from a reliable source. So this information is of course true then? Why wouldn’t it be true?

I also spoke to an older friend of mine, who I respected. She had kept up with the news and was vey informed about the issues against Barack Obama. She said, “He is a Chicago “slickster” who has a big “MTV Cribs” style house. You know the type, lots of cars (all too expensive, gaudy, and foreign made) and parties a lot with Hollywood, rappers, and low-life drug dealers, and Chicago sleaze. I mean come on, let’s be honest, he is black. His mother did marry a black man back when misagination was illegal in most states. He doesn’t wear a flag pin! He went to a madrassa in Indonesia. His mother was an atheist. He also went to Harvard; nothing good comes out of Harvard or any other Northeastern college except liberal lawyers and left-wing journalists. He had a crazy reverend that opened his mouth and spewed anti-white sermons to blacks in his church, to get them all worked up. He hates Jews, white working-class people, uneducated people, and just about everyone who doesn’t look or think like him.” I couldn’t stop her, she was on a roll. “And worst of all, his name!  Can you imagine having a president named BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA! Dear God…not on my watch! This is why he can’t win the presidency! This is why I will vote for John McCain and Sarah Palin, eagerly on November 4^th, 2008. I will sprint to the poles to stop this nightmare from happening! We have to save America!”

I didn’t get any logical reasons why so many were voting for McCain/Palin. I didn’t hear any policies or positions that were given to explain this passion to vote against Obama. But I decided to continue probing. I was hoping to find someone who could help me understand, if not Obama, then why McCain?

 I did find a lady at the grocery store who told me that “McCain was a prisoner of war and therefore could be trusted with the country”. I also heard a couple of young fellows in hunting gear tell me that “Obama wants to take our guns away from us and let Mexicans take over our country.” I asked him what facts they had regarding this position and they told me they heard this at the local VFW hall meeting.  

An elderly couple loading groceries in their shopping cart told me that “it’s just not right to have a black man as president, what other countries would think about us? Wouldn’t they laugh at us?”

I ran into an old friend I used to work with and he told me he was voting for McCain/Palin, because they want Hillary Clinton to be the next president. They felt the only way that could happen was to suffer through four years of the old man and beauty queen who shoots moose.”

As fascinating and in-depth this information has been I am beginning to think this country truly has not taken this election seriously? Does anyone care about our economic conditions? Are so many voters voting against someone because of race? Does a large portion of the electorate le really genuinely share these sentiments? My assessment, thus far is yes! The people I have spoken to agreed with some or all of the note-worthy opinions reflected above. So the question became, why should anyone vote for this guy? I mean not everyone I run into could be wrong, right?

As I began to go through my notes, I remembered that I had a few people that wanted to talk to me, but had previous engagements or were busy and wanted me to contact them at a later time. I remembered a young 35 year old, white woman, who had told me to call her in the evening because she had to get back to work her swing shift at Waffle House. I wrestled through my notebook to find her number. I felt compelled to speak with her. Maybe it was the way she grabbed my arm as I was leaving her in the Wal-mart parking lot. Or maybe it was the way she looked into my eyes as if to say, “please don’t ignore me, I am important too.” Whatever the reason, I began to panic because I couldn’t remember her name. It started with a “B“… I think….yes…it was Beth. I flipped through pages and found it on the bottom corner of my journal. I sat down at my desk, dialed her number and anticipated the call. After three rings she picked up the phone, “hello”,  she said with an exhausted voice. I introduced myself and her recognition of who I was lifted her tone. “I am so glad you didn’t forget me!”   She asked me If I was writing an article about the election and Barack Obama. I told her yes. Then she asked if she could give her opinion? I said yes. She became excited and began to tell me why she was going to vote for Barack Obama. I was shocked, of course, since I figured she was one of the eager many, who were voting for John McCain. I thought she just wanted to add to the list. But this woman had a different thought process all together. She grew up in a small town in Tennessee. She didn’t want her name or city publicized for fear she would be ridiculed by her friends and family. But she told me she is secretly voting for him and was proud to do so. I began going down the list of “why not’s”. She remained silent, as if it came as no surprise to her. As I concluded my litany of information, she said, “I don’t need to hear anymore. I thought you wanted to hear what I had to say.” Embarrassed, I let her speak.

“I am voting for Barack Obama because I am terrified for this country. I voted for GW Bush because I believed what my friends, family and clergy had told me. They said that GW Bush would restore all the values lost because of what Bill Clinton did with that intern Monica. They told me that GW Bush was like one of us. You know, Christian, a regular guy who would understand what it’s like to live the life I live. A guy you could drink a beer with. Well… they were wrong! He was nothing like what they said he would be. I believed in him and what I thought he stood for. I am paying the price now. And so are so many of my friends and family. They won’t admit it though. When I watch TV and see John McCain, I see the exact same man, except John McCain is scarier because he picked Sarah Palin. He chose someone who doesn’t know any more about running this country than I do. We are facing a mess here with this economy and with people who don’t like us in other countries. He was in Washington when all of this was going on! But he says he is a maverick? I looked up his voting record and it was like George Bush. He is a fraud! He knows how old he is, but he picked a vice presidential candidate with no experience. She sounds like George Bush, has the same values as George Bush. The only difference is she is a woman. I won’t be stupid this time. I won’t let someone who is wealthy pretend to understand my problems. Barack Obama may be half black, but he only has one house, one car, he has bills too, just like me. He didn’t come from money, and his family was poor. He had hard times growing up poor, just like me. I need health insurance for myself and my kids. I haven’t ever had health insurance. I don’t care what color he is, I won’t listen to the lies anymore. I just want help for me and my kids.”

Well, enough said. Beth’s voice is different but compelling.  She spouted talking points based on fact and she showed the courage to go against her own flock. She had spent, the limited amount of time and she had available, to find out more about the candidate. She decided to make a decision based on her family’s best interest not the interest of cultural norms. She needs help! Her future is getting darker and darker. She doesn’t believe a rich war hero, with 13 homes and 9 cars  could ever understand her plight, she won’t be conned this election cycle, and most of all, she won’t let color blind her to the gift she feels lies within the “vessel” that is Barack Obama.

This editorial piece is contributed by M. Richardson who is responsible for its content.  The views, information or content does not necessarily reflect the views of UCDailyNews.com, its owners or its staff.