I don't want this to come off as a big, preachy, political blog because what it really boils down to is having respect for one another. I have a friend I work with... let's back up... I wouldn't call her a friend. She's one of those people that you're friends with because of work, outside of work you probably wouldn't be friends with this person. I'm pretty sure she was brought up as the little princess who always gets her way and is never wrong and these traits have carried into her adult life pretty clearly.
I noticed a few weeks ago that she is sporting a fancy red bumper sticker on her car that reads "Read My Lipstick, Sarah Palin for Vice President". Ok, I am all for freedom of speech (I was a journalism major for God's sake) and I understand you can have your opinions but something struck me as odd in this situation. I really wanted to ask her why she is supporting McCain but I have come to find that political conversations can quickly ruin friendships. So, I let it go. Until yesterday when Palin's $150,000 wardrobe got brought up in our conversation we were having through instant messenger. This opened up a very large and ridiculously idiotic can of worms which I will now paraphrase for you...
Small-Minded Idiot: ... the only reason I'm really not voting for Obama is because he believes or agrees in late-term abortion and that makes me really mad that you could be 9 months pregnant and just have an abortion instead of giving it up for adoption. Makes me sick to my stomach thinking that (her niece and nephew) might not be here if (her sister-in-law) didn't want them. Plus, the huge tax increase that I can't afford. Believe me, I was all for Obama until I compared the record and the plan.
Kate: First of all, Obama doesn't believe or agree with late-term abortion. He has said specifically several times that he completely supports the ban of late-term abortions. Second, it's my body and my vagina and nobody, especially some government official who doesn't know me, is going to tell me what I can do with my body. Third, if your sister-in-law felt that she needed to have an abortion you have absolutely no say in the situation, it's not your baby. And lastly, he's not going to raise taxes unless you make over $250,000 a year, and I know damn well that you don't so that last statement was just dumb.
Small-Minded Idiot: Yeah, I guess... I really don't get into politics (yet, let's remember that she has a Read My Lipstick bumper sticker on her car...) I do agree with some things that Obama says but for the most part he doesn't have a lot of experience and the whole "terrorist" thing freaks me out too. The questions still hasn't been answered on why he started his political career in that guy's (William Ayeres) living room. I still think that's really odd. Keeping in mind that this guy wanted to bomb our country and was involved in terrorist acts.
I'm not really sure how I responded at this point besides laughing. And I remember being pretty angry because of how ignorant and uneducated some people can be. I felt like at this point it was useless trying to talk to this girl and our conversation kind of tapered off from there. Until I came into work this morning...
I am not even half-way through my morning coffee when Small-Minded Idiot sends me another instant message saying how bored she was and how she's sending me an email.... a "Muslim" email is what she called it. My initial reaction was that she just found something funny online, a forward or a YouTube video, until my "New Mail" icon popped up and the subject read "Can Good Muslims Be Good Americans". Good Lord are you serious!? She was NOT giving up! Even though she's "not into politics". Before I even opened this ridiculous email I messaged her back to inform her that contrary to popular small-minded, idiotic retard belief Barack Obama is in fact NOT a Muslim. It was her response which led to this post....
Small-Minded Idiot: Yes he is... look at his middle name.
Oh...... my...... god........... my response:
Kate: Oh my God, are you serious??? I could name my child Hussein if I felt so inclined, would that make him Muslim? Is it a law that in order to be named Hussein you have to be Muslim?
I was flabbergasted.
She didn't really say much after that, probably just pretended to be too pre-occupied with work to continue our conversation. So, I decided to open up this email and see what sort of propaganda had made it's way into her tiny head by, more than likely, her narrow-minded, Bible-thumpin' parents. (Ok, in fairness, I don't even know her parents. But judging by her beliefs and the comment her mom makes in the forwarded email, I can confidentaly say that my suspicions were correct) Thus reads the email...
This is very interesting and we all need to read it from start to finish and send it on to anyone who will read it. Maybe this is why our American Muslims are so quiet and not speaking out about any atrocities. Can a good Muslim be a good American? The question was forwarded to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years. The following is his reply:
Theologically- no... Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon God of Arabia
Religiously- no... Because no other religion is accepted by His Allah except Islam (Quran, 2:256)(Koran)
Scripturally- no... Because his allegiance is to Mecca, to which he turns in prayer five times a day
I can't go on. It's just too much nonsense. The email goes on to list other reasons why a "Good Muslim" can't be a "Good American" but to be honest I didn't even read the whole thing. However, I did notice a note at the end of the email that said:
Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. Call it what you wish it's still the truth. You had better believe it. The more who understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future... And Barack Hussien Obama, a Muslim, wants to be our President? You have GOT to be kidding! Wake up America! Obama even says if he wins the election, he will be sworn in on the Quran ---not the Bible! He was sworn in on the Quran for his current office and he refuses to pledge allegiance to the United States or put his hand over his heart when the National Anthem is played!
There really aren't enough words in the English language for me to describe how this forward made me feel. I was embarrassed to be living among people who honestly think the things that were said. Sad that people are automatically stereotyped just because of their religion. I felt sorry for the people who read that email, believed it and forwarded it on without doing any fact checking at all. Mad that these people are taking some stupid email that someone's "friend" who the people reading the email don't even know as law. Entertained at the thought that I could just write an email like this and forward it to a few half-wits and people will believe it. The list goes on....
I never understood why people (ahem.. Blinds) got so passionate about politics, but I realize now that it's because I was only looking at the big picture. I never realized that it's about people's beliefs and the things that their lives stand for. I am just realizing for the first time how seriously hurtful some people's narrow-minded and uneducated opinions can be. It's this that I am just embarrassed to know that it is 2008, yet we still have people who can't accept other people despite their differences. It's times like these that I think maybe I should move out of Missouri, but I'm sure they're everywhere. Maybe the only way to get away from people like this are to just live off of the grid. Instead, I take the high road. I know that the things I said to Small-Minded Idiot today are weighing on her mind. I know that after I disputed every single one of her nut-job claims that she questioned her "facts". And sometimes, that's the victory in itself.
1 comment:
Yes, having conversations with people and challenging them is helpful. There will always be the ignorance in the world. You're right, it's very sad and the worse part is that we usually feel fairly powerless in doing anything about it. I am sorry that you experienced that today :(
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