Thank God For Patience

So for those who haven't heard, early voting started today in North Carolina. Between people eager to vote for someone they believe will deal with the economic crisis or those who just wish to avoid the sardine-style lines at the polls on November 4, there was a decently sized turnout by any count.

Here I am, wearing a polo shirt, khakis, and my work shoes, just wanting to get home and into some comfortable clothes when I see these two women wearing McCain/Palin paraphernalia. T-shirts, visors, buttons, the works. Thanks to my Nana, I am (most of the time) unfailingly polite to people older than me. So when these women ask me if I would show support for McCain, I didn't follow my first instinct and laugh in their faces.

Me: I'm sorry ma'am but I do intend to vote for Senator Obama when I actually get to the polls.

Woman #1: Sir, all we ask is that you listen.

Me: I have no problem with that Ma'am.

Woman #2: Did you know that Obama supports abortion?

Me: No Ma'am I did not know that. I thought he just supported the right to the option.

Woman #1: They are the same thing in God's eyes. He doesn't care about an unborn baby's right to live.

Me: And a child born of rape or incest, or what if the mother is not physically capable of bringing the baby to term? What then?

Woman #1: That is not the child's fault. It should not be punished.

Woman #2: Do you support abortion Sir?

Me: The idea makes me ill Ma'am but I support a woman's right to choose. I believe, like Senator Obama, that supporting the decision in Roe v. Wade is the only way to avoid the back-alley abortions and needless deaths stemming from that.

Woman #2: I suppose you support marriage for gays as well?

Me: Fully. I believe in the line of the Declaration of Independence that says we are all entitled to the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I would proudly stand beside my friends as they say their vows and look forward to the day they won't have to travel out of state to do so.

Woman #1: But God declared marriage should be between one man and one woman. How can any God fearing Christian support anything else?

Me: I don't fear God Ma'am, any God I should fear seems petty and thus I will not put my faith in him.

Woman #1: Sir, you must see that Obama will run this country into the ground.

Me: Ma'am, you must see that we've been run into the ground for the last 8 years. It's time for a change of pace.

Woman #1: You're young though, what do you really understand about politics?

Me: If I were supporting Senator McCain and Governor Palin, you would not ask me that question so please do not subject me to double standards.

Woman #2: So are you voting for Obama because you're black?

Me: No, prior to his dropping from the race I was supporting John Edwards. Are you voting for Senator McCain because he's white?

At this point, they both got offended and walked off. Sometimes I have to marvel at how much patience I have.

It's sad but I'm ready for this election to be over.

I'm tired of mudslinging and name-calling. I'm tired of listening to my mother say only a racist white person would vote for McCain and I'm tired of hearing the only reason a black person would vote for Obama is because of his skin colour. I'm tired of hearing Obama called a terrorist. I'm tired of hearing about Palin's family (especially her daughter) in the news. I'm tired of all the pettiness and all the stupidity. I'm tired of often feeling ashamed of my country. I want to not care anymore. But I know myself well enough to know that isn't going to happen.

I'm just tired.

Ralph Nader in 2012 anyone?