Red Room Where the Writers Are

Today while my partner, Stephanie was at the grocery store she had three people, senior citizens, all ask her if she was voting for Sarah Palin. Not John McCain, Sarah Palin. Now, after I get my tongue out of the back of my throat, let me explain why this is so mind boggling.  First, we just moved to an area of Tucson where there are a lot of senior citizens. Second, Stephanie is 41, very pretty, very feminine, very charming and, oh, she has long brown hair. She has been in the healthcare field for years and has a passion for geriatrics. She is like the pied piper for all animal creatures and apparently now Sarah Palin loving senior citizens. 

First, she had two people ask her in the frozen food section if she was voting for Sarah.  Something about the unnatural state of preserved raviolis and cold arctic air.  Then, after helping an elderly woman find something in the drug store, the woman asked Stephanie-“Oh, are you a Sarah Palin fan?”  

 After Stephanie almost swallowed her tongue, she said “No, I am not. Why do you ask?”

 “Well, because you are so nice and helpful.”  the woman answered. Needless to say, Stephanie spent the next fifteen minutes explaining all the reasons why she did not support Sarah Palin and why she does support Barack Obama.  Then when the woman  found out Stephanie was a lesbian she was even more confused- “And you are still voting for Obama? I’ve never met a lesbian before.”

Can I say, Oh my God-  I know I am not the only person awake out there, but is our country on a lengthy acid trip or what?  Yes, it takes some work to scour through the endless barrage of print medias and television networks to find a sliver of real truth, but how can you possibly live in this country and not at least try to challenge your brain.  Quantum physics says the universe abhors a vacuum. If there is a hole then it will be filled.  It’s like a bad episode of the X-Files and someone is replacing our people with pods.  Elmer Fudd was right, we need to be “very afraid.”

We have less than a month and like locusts, our country will be filling the voting booths. Democracy at its finest.  I just pray that before people vote they consider what is truly best for our country and not just what makes them comfortable.  When I was selling cars in Sacramento, after all the guys got to know me and reasoned that I was just an average gal, that being a lesbian did not make me a psychotic pedophile, they all assumed that my partner and I were married. They were actually completely ok with it.  I had to find humor in the fact that they truly were clueless that California had just voted again to ban gay marriage.  I think that there is hope for America and in time we will all face our fears about people who are different than us and grow; evolve even.  Making funny jokes about someone’s ethnic background, their religion, their sexual preference, even their gender does not bother me.  I grew up with three older brothers and sold cars for twelve years.  I like to laugh.  But assuming things about a candidate without all the facts and then perpetuating serious fears that could lead to the proverbial fire in a theatre is dangerous.  And assuming that every woman with long brown hair is a Palin fan is well, like being Sarah Palin.