My husband and I set aside today to go and vote for Obama. Before going to the voting site, we went to the County Courthouse to complete a change of address. In doing so, we were following instructions given to us over the phone that we needed to change our address at the Courthouse. As it turned out, our information was wrong because we could easily change our address at the polling place - which we later accomplished. However, that is not the point of this diary. Please follow me after the fold for the main story.
By the way, even though I've been on this site for years and I check in with DKos daily, this is my first diary. I didn't think this would be the title or subject of my first diary but I couldn't let what happened today go untold. Since this is my first diary, I'll probably do something wrong, so please be kind and patient.
Anyway, back to the main point. Since my husband and I had been told to change our address at the Courthouse here in eastern Tennessee, naturally we went there first. We found the Elections Commission office which has a glass window requiring people like us seeking registration assistance to stand on the outside of the window in the hallway and talk to the Election Commission offical through the glass window. When we arrived, we had to stand in a small line as there was a group of people there before us. They had a lot of paper work and the official was running back and forth getting them information and notarizing the paper work. We stood respectfully back from the group and were quietly awaiting our turn when I overheard the name Obama mentioned several times. Natually my ears perked up and I edged just a little bit closer to the group - not so close as to be rude or obnoxious but just an inch or two closer. This is approximately what I overheard:
The Election Commission official was saying that she couldn't possibly understand why anybody would vote for Obama. Are they crazy? Then she said that she sure hoped that the people in front of us were planning on voting for McCain.
The people in front us said that they are, indeed, voting for McCain
The Election Commission official then says that it's going to be terrible if Obama wins. But,(she added) then again, we've been warned for over 1,000 years about the Anti-Christ coming and now he's here (referring to Obama).
The man diretly in front of us says that he would never vote for Obama and continues by adding that he just knows that, if elected, Obama will take his oath of office on a Koran. He knows, he tells the Election Commission official, because he's read all about on email.
The Election Commission official agrees with him, shaking her head and mutters something like "bad times, bad times."
Then the group in front of us left and she turned to us. We very politely asked our questions and then left for the polling place. We smiled and played nice but I really wanted to start screaming at her and create a total scene in the middle of the Courthouse. The more rational part of me took control and reminded me if I created a scene it might interfere with me casting my ballot for Obama. So I smiled sweetly and left and on the way out ran right into the Obama-takes-oath-on-Koran-because-I-read-it-on-email folks who stopped me and asked for directions to somewhere else in town. I smiled sweetly again and helped them out. I said nothing to the people at the polling place either but I'm posting here because I just had to tell someone. I wouldn't have believed this story if I hadn't heard it with my own ears. I was stunned. And I was incensed that a paid Election Commission official was using the strength of her office to campaign for McCain (and tear down Obama on religious grounds) all on the public's dime. I'm paying for her salary. It was disgusting!
On the positive side, I voted today! Boy, did that feel good. I also voted individually for every Democrat I could find. Which means I voted against Lamarr Alexander (that felt good too). I know I'm in a red state so my vote won't really count but it stll felt terrific to officially proclaim that I'm for Obama. Yay!
I'm going to end with a few lines from one of my favorite authors, Paul Lawrence Dunbar. This poem so aptly expresses how I felt today.
We wear the mask that grins and lies,
That hides our cheeks and shades our eyes
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts, we smile,
And mouth a myriad subtleties
Why should the world be over-wise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.
We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!