When I first came to this country in 1974 to live permanently I had a wonderful next door neighbour.  She and her family were very welcoming to us and the friendship blossomed over the period of years we lived next to each other.  We shared a many coffees and shopping excersions together her and I.  Our children went to school together, my husband and her husband enjoyed fishing and hunting together.  We went on vacations together, and a many Suns games as I recall.  We lived next door to each other until 1999, when they moved to another area of the Valley.  Though we remained in contact throughout the years, it had become incresengly infrequent.

Recently we had an unexpected encounter.  At a shopping mall, her car had broken down and we thought that a jump start might help.  Of course, after "encouraging" some men to help us, we found that to no avail, the car would be that easily started.  I used my AAA card to get her a tow to a garage, and I took her in my car so that she could deal with the mechanic.  After it was determined that it would take some doing to fix her car, I offered to take her home.  On the way home we began to discuss politics.  She asked me how I felt about Governer Palin being chosen VP.  I told her...trying to keep the conversation light...that we were seeing history being made.  Either we get the first African American as President, or we get the first woman as Vice President.  I said it was a win, win as far as history was concerned.  She kept pressing, I kept evading a direct answer...opps...I had a little sticker on the passenger side of my car my grand daughter gave me right in front of her.  She noticed it and began to talk about why "she was not supporting Obama".  It was the usual...he is a secret Muslim, his pastor, his association with terrorists, he may not have been born in the US...etc...etc.

Then she said something unexpected.  She said "I suppose that all of you Muslims will be voting Obama...right?  I told her I don't know what "all Muslims" are going to do.  I am just one, I know what I am going to do...just me, not them.  I tried to remain cool as she ranted on.  Then she said "I know that most Blacks will vote for Obama because he is Black.  Finally, I had enough.  I told her not to talk about politics anymore.  She kept going on...She said that "most Black people are too dumb...they don't pay attention to the issues...they are too busy tring to get drugs and listening to that rap music.  That most black people are "products of welfare mothers living in the LULACS (project) and they want to keep it that way instead of working for a living".  I asked her strongly this time to stop.  She ranted on.  It is hard to be stuck in traffic with a Sean Hannity you can't turn off...so I made an agressive effort, to the dismay of other drivers to get off the freeway.  I drove into a nearby QT gas station and told her that we could not continue on, and that she could use my phone to call someone to get her from the station.  She refused, and I drove off.

I lost a friend today, I remember the good and happier times we had, the many things we shared.  It was almost as if she died.  I don't know what happened to the lady I knew not so very long ago...or at least what she appered to be.

I thought long and hard about this, and it came to a deeper thought.  I like Obama mainly because he has high principles and ethical standards.  Yes, as a president he does not have the experience, but neither did any president before him the first time they are elected.  We don't say that a mother expecting her first child should not go forward because she has no experience, so why not give a new man a shot.  We need something different, someone forward thinking, and someone who has thought outside of the grip of fear that guided us these past 8 years.  Sure, he might screw up and we might regret it later, but we know that 4 more years of what we have now has had plenty of time to work, and it has not.

I thought...I would rather see Obama stick to his morals and ethical standards than to roll around in the muck with those who attack him.  If today he got on the TV and simply said "ENOUGH"...I quit, I would be a bit disappointed, but I would understand and be proud that no job is worth selling what your mother instilled in you that is good and right.  I know his mother would be proud...she would know that the things she tried to teach him come over and above the seeking of power, fame, and fortune...and the selling of one's self for it.

I don't think I can take loosing another friend.