“I’d never vote for a n*gger or a woman for President.“
That was the answer I received this morning when I asked a co-worker who he was supporting in our primary election. It might surprise you to learn that this is a person my age who normally votes for the Democratic candidate.
This election cycle has taught me that his view is fairly common in this part of the country. I’ve heard similar comments from several other people that I work with - conservative, “Christian” men who still haven’t moved beyond judging a person based on the color of their skin or what’s between their legs.
While I currently support Edwards and believe that he is the Democratic candidate with the most integrity (he’s the only candidate who doesn’t accept money from PACs or lobbyists), I can see how a win by either Obama or Clinton would be a kind of poetic justice for the people in this country who don’t seem to have evolved any over the last hundred years.
14 Comments
It’s insane how many people actually feel that way. I was having a discussion recently with a friend about Obama in which she said that if he wins the presidency he will probably be assassinated. It sounds crazy, but she is probably right. There have already been attempts on his life and would probably a “Christian” (I’m glad that you put it in quotation marks) that would do it. God forbid… but that is the world that we live in.
Stephanie, have we talked? That’s exactly how I feel about Obama being the President. If he lives to even see that day. That scares me about this country and how many “closet” African American haters there are in the US. *sigh*
Brian, where do you work that your coworkers so consistently come up with these remarks you post here? Grrrrrr….
people like that ought to have their voting priveledge revoked.
I hear it all the time, too “I’ll NEVER vote for a _______”
fill in the blank: African-American, woman, evangelical, divorced, mormon, atheist, yankee, southerner…
there is so much close-minded prejudice of various forms–no wonder there is so much division.
The other day I heard a man say, “I’m voting for the guy with the hottest wife.” I guess that rules Hillary out.
@ Stephanie: I worry about that, too. There’s still so much racism and hatred in this country.
@ FreeFromItAll: It’s scary, alright.
@ MBMQ: I work for a small company with less than 35 employees. Sadly, I don’t think their world views are the exception to the rule.
@ riverbird: I agree, but democracy doesn’t work that way. We all suffer when the majority is ignorant.
@ jimthomp87: It’s a shame that some people view this as a popularity contest, where the best looking and most likable candidates are on top. Shouldn’t it matter more who would make the best president? I think we’ve all been warped by “American Idol.”
I’m not entirely sure we don’t work at the same place, as I hear stuff like this alot too. Most of my co-workers are Republicans, and they say that the Democrats will lose if either Obama or Hillary get the nomination.
@ Alyson: That’s what I mean about it being the norm for this area and probably for the entire South. I’m not sure that I agree with the ones who are saying that neither one can win in a general election.
I agree. I think it’s the area too, and our work enviornments. I don’t agree with them either, but I’m outnumbered.
I lived and worked in the south for decades, and for the most part it seemed that the rule of thumb was “It’s okay to be an ignorant bigot, but keep it to yourself, m’kay?” When they didn’t, I had to say something to them, because I find that stuff as offensive as if they were describing John McCain’s nude body, in great detail.
Ewww.
Moonbeam: John McCain’s nude body? You need a new warning system for horrid mental pictures.
@ Alyson & MBMQ: John McCain is no catch now, but have you seen pictures of him when he was young? Alan showed me this one the other day that made me want to put him in a cage and poke him with a stick, if I ain’t being to subtle.
That’s Hawt. If only I were 50 years older. LOL.
@ Alyson: I know, I’m sorry. I don’t know where this stuff comes from. Even Brian’s picture of the younger McCain can’t erase that first mental image.