or should I say, she lost me. I knew her political leanings were Republican and I have corrected her on racial issues over the four years we have known each other but I was totally unprepared for what happened last night. She is fairly well educated (an RN) and one would think smart enough to think for herself but apparently her family ties here in the Redneck Riviera have overrode her intelligence. Follow me below the fold for the story...
I arrived at the bar I work at last night at 6pm in a GREAT mood. I had promised myself I would not gloat, smile too much, or talk politics. I live in an area that went 70/30 for McCain, in fact; McCain performed better than Bush here and the reason should be fairly obvious, RACE. A lady I had registered to vote pulled me aside as soon as I walked in to warn me my "friend" was in a rabid state of anger. I know she is opinionated so I really didn't think it would be that big of a deal; boy how wrong I was.
She didn't speak to me for the first half hour of my shift and was busy talking with another patron for most of that time. It was unusually busy so I didn't think much of it, she had been fairly reasonable during the election and is well aware of my affiliation with the Obama campaign, she even told me at one point a few weeks back that she had decided not to vote at all. My first whiff of trouble was when she started getting louder and louder and the word "Muslim" was included in her tirade more often. She finally took to bellowing "Obama is a Muslim, a "F" ing Muslim". This tirade went on for about 45 minutes, thankfully I was quite busy as apparently everyone in town was out either celebrating or drowning their sorrows after the election. Her line of reasoning was that the doctors she works with at the hospital are Muslim and they were happy and smiling because Barack had won the election. That in her mind sealed it, he must be a Muslim and they have taken over the country! OH NOEZ!
I figured she would eventually burn herself out but no, she had more pearls of wisdom for us all. She then turned her wrath on Black people, namely all the lazy, fat Black people that would now get even more welfare. The sad part is her daughter is engaged to a Black man and my husband is also a "friend" of hers and is also Black. Worse yet, my husband had just arrived to bring me my dinner and overheard the whole tirade. He and his Union Brother high tailed it for greener pastures but he was visibly angry when he left. I tried reasoning with her so she then turned on me and went into yet another rant blaming me for the entire election because I had registered people to vote. She claimed McCain could have won but people like me got out there and told them they should vote (how positively unpatriotic of me trying to get people to vote). I knew she could be bigoted but last night was it for me. It became clear to me the only reason she behaved well during the campaign was she was secure in "her" knowledge that this country was as racist as she is and Obama would never be elected. She had planned on patting me on the back and telling me better luck next time while she grinned and watched our country get flushed down the toilet in the name of "Southern values"...I wish that were the end of the drama for the night but it wasn't.
When another patron and I finally coerced her into giving it a rest and going home I was treated to another round of even more chilling racism. A couple of guys had been sitting in the corner, they were probably contractors as they were dressed in jeans and pullovers with construction logos on the shirts. They had plenty of money and were drinking nothing but top shelf Vodka. A Black guy came in who is a major pain but basically harmless. It was pretty busy so it was hard for me to keep track of everyone but apparently the Black guy decided to chat up the two contractors for whatever reason. The contractor with the tab came storming up to the bar a few minutes later, visibly shaking in rage. He barked at me to hurry up and get his tab before he went to his truck to get his gun so he could kill him a nigger. He kept repeating it over and over again. For a split second a chill ran through my body that almost paralyzed me. I felt my hands start to shake and then the predictable rage rise up in me. It was all I could do to curtly inform him I would of course have to notify the police if he didn't leave the property immediately.
Keep in mind, these are successful, seemingly rational people that have completely LOST THEIR FRIGGIN MINDS! I've always been wary since we moved here to the Panhandle of Florida but for the first time, I am truly terrified for my husband's and my safety here. My husband removed his Obama sticker from his car yesterday, stating he didn't want to taunt them. I refused to remove mine even after he had his Dad call me to try and coerce me into it. I just won't! I'm sick to death of being brow beaten and bullied by mental midgets and bigots, hell bent on destroying this country. If they want to confront me about my bumper sticker they can consult my body guard, Mr. Colt. I am saying ENOUGH to intimidation! ENOUGH to bigotry and hate! We must stand together and tell them we are no longer afraid of them or their fear mongering and bullying. We are the MAJORITY. Yes. We. Did.