Political Football

I am quite discouraged and a bit dumbfounded.  I’ve been talking with various members of my family – all women whom I consider to be savvy and intelligent.  Yet when it comes to me – I think they all think I am nuts and not discerning enough to know why I am supporting McCain– and that I believe everything that I read that is negative about Obama.  Last night even I was asked if it were possible that I am racist!  Me, racist?  I have been called a lot of things –stubborn, too sensitive, sarcastic, manipulative (not one I am proud of certainly), quick to speak my mind without editing, a trouble-maker and a whole long list still BUT I have never once been called a racist or even questioned until last night.  I once walked away from someone I was with in a Caldor store (remember Caldors?) when I heard the N word used.  After being given up by my biological parents I was cared for in a hospital for the first year + of my life and most of the caretakers were black women.  I have always felt innately comfortable with them.  Admittedly in my small town and growing up we didn’t have many black people but my family was never prejudiced.  My grandfather, after suffering a devastating stroke, was cared for by a black woman – Hilda.  And when Hilda herself was gravely ill my mom and aunt went to see her in ICU and told the nurses they were Hilda’s sisters.  I went to a college where there were women of all colors.  I worked with black people at my dad’s law office.  A dear, dear friend – Demola and his wife Karen are two of my favorite people.  I went to Grad School and met many more people – some of whom are black and whom I have hung around with and in public no less — they are all great people: Caroline, Donell and Cynthia to name a few.    When the person who asked me if I were racist – she also asked me who of color I admired or liked besides Colin Powell and Condi Rice (because I had already said I admired both of them) — and I drew a blank — because I don’t think of people I like in terms of black and white.  I finally came up with Willie Randolph on the spot.  My guy Willie -former Yankee Great and most recently the fired manager of the NY Mets. 

I am a student of History — American History specifically and of the American Presidency.  I was raised by politically active parents and have participated myself in local politics.   I don’t support Obama this year because there are t0o many questions about him and surrounding him.  He has little to no experience on the executive level.  He has been running for President since virtually the first day he stepped into the US Senate.  I don’t approve his stance on partial Birth Abortion and babies born in botched abortions.  I don’t agree with his tax policies.  I need small businesses and big businesses to be able to thrive and expand and offer more job opportunities since I will most likely not be their first choice candidate.  If Obama has stayed in the Senate — built up more of a record — I would have looked at him with less apprehension over his lack of experience.  Years ago I would have loved for Colin Powell to have run for President.

 And yes, I do question Obama’s associates in the past and present.  One is known by the company one keeps.  This is a truism we are raised with from the playground.  Why do you think bullies are usually friendless?  Because other kids innately know not to around hang around with a bully.  Don’t parents of teenagers care about who their kids pal around with ?  They want to make sure their kids are not friends with those who use drugs or drink — right?  This is quite simplistic but it figures that who we are friends with later in life also says who are as people. 

And I want to know why the media is so hands off giving a fully unbiased critical review of Obama – the man and his background.  Why is his background so shrouded in mystery?  Warts and all, divorce and all, fooling around and all, Keating 5 and all, lobbyists and all, skin cancer and all …McCain is an open book.

Casey Anthony was just arrested for allegedly murdering her missing daughter Caylee in FL.  Most people question why she would not contact police as soon as her daughter went missing — why wouldn’t she call for help.  This is common sense.  Why wouldn’t she still tell Police everything she knows if it would help find/save her daughter should she still be alive?  So — why wouldn’t Barack Obama just fork over his birth certificate since a respected attorney has requested to see it in a court of law.  Why go to the trouble of all the legal harranging to have the suit dismissed if you could just present the birth certificate?  Again, this is the most basic of common sense.  More people believe Casey Anthony is involved in the disappearance of her daughter than are concerned about why Barack Obama is not more forthcoming — and he is running for President of the US! 

So, ironically – because I don’t support Obama – I do feel as though I am the black sheep of my family.  Ironic, isnt’ it?

~Libra Girl

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