Yesterday, I was given dirty looks and snide remarks in a restaurant for wearing a Barack Obama t-shirt. Granted, I live in District 22, Texas, former home of Tom DeLay, but this is ridiculous. To top it all off, this is the body of an e-mail that I received from a life-long friend after I sent her an Obama fundraising e-mail. It was accompanied with "Over my dead body".
Keep in mind that I love the person who wrote this and I am at a loss on how to have a conversation with her about it without screaming out,"Are you stupid?!?"
I don't like the affiliations that he and his father have and have had with people that were not just Muslims, but the extreme sector. I don't like his preacher and don't think he suddenly changed after 20 years, though I don't hold his actions responsible on anyone but the preacher. But surely if you go to church for 20 years, you would want to go somewhere else if you had this guy every Sunday?? I don't like that he WILL NOT wear an American flag, the one YOU fought for in the service. His reason that he gave on Jay Leno did not satisfy me and I did not believe that he just thought it was overused. I don't like that he is Muslim. I know other people are all Christians and I respect that, but I do want one running the country ... one that was founded "In God We Trust". It may sound silly, but there is just something about this guy that makes my stomach tighten in fear ... and my gut has never been wrong when I have felt this strongly. I know (and risk) that this may sound stupid to you, but in the Bible is talks about a man or being coming to power out of nowhere and that the world will be totally absorbed and think he is great for 3 years, and then they will realize it is too late before he starts assigning 666 just to eat. There is a movie about it that really puts it in perspective and it was similar to this guy. I have read that a million times, but seeing it was really weird. Makes me wonder and I was surprised that I was not alone in my thoughts. I realize it may make me seem a little crazy, but that gut feeling I get can't be denied. He also will not put his hand over his heart while they say the pledge of allegiance. Don't get that either. He just seems like he is a good talker, smart ... but maybe a little too slick at times.
I am a stranger in a strange land here in Texas because I live too far from Austin, I guess. I just want to round up all my friends and tie them to chairs and make them watch Obama videos until they understand. It is hard to stay friends with some of them who refuse to listen to logic, and some who are closet racists. No one is perfect, but my patience is wearing thin. If anyone has any suggestions or is in a similar situation, please let me know what you think.