o_O

I mean... dude. DUDE. I'm voting for Obama, but I don't think that just because someone is voting for McCain/Palin, that automatically makes them racist.

Although I know that racism is still an issue in the US, I LIKE to think that at least the majority of voters will look past the color of the candidates' skin and look at the issues and experience of the candidates. I'm voting for Obama because I believe he will be the better leader. Not because he's black and I'm trying to make a statement.

Between all the political nonsense and the state of the economy, I'm about THIS close to buying 20 acres of land in VT and starting a self-sustaining commune. You & Marilyn in? ;)

Eek! HATE roaches. Good luck with that.

Those articles made me ALMOST as angry as the comments that the idiotic voting public made after it. Seriously, it makes me want to mandate an IQ test for people to be able to vote. I am so, so tired of the same people who cry about racism and discrimination are the ones who constantly divide the nation and identify themselves politically solely on one part of who they are. Do they not realize how racist it is to infer that all blacks think alike? That all jews think alike? That even all Christians have the same political views...it's ridiculous. We're all people, all influenced by many factors, not just race or religion. I'm soooo tired of it.

Silverstah -
Yeah, I think we're up for the commune. After countless months of election mania, I'm about ready to withdraw from society.

I'm not voting for Obama, but my decision has absolutely zero to do with the color of his skin (about as much as my decision not to vote for Clinton had anything to do with her gender). I think racism is an issue that merits worthwhile discussion in our country, but statements like Rep. Hastings' actively detract from that discussion by framing the entire subject as something ridiculous, a catch-all bogeyman that people of color can whip out to baselessly villify any given opponent. It seems a lot like the effect that Pat Robertson has on legitimate Christian political concerns - it frustrates those of us that want to have the discussion, and makes everyone else think we don't have anything worthwhile to say.

Christina -
I generally avoid those comment sections, because I know that if I wade into those fever swamps, I'll just get angry and be unable to stop ranting to myself about it until I type up some lengthy response. Which immediately gets swallowed up in the mire. It's a waste of time that is nonetheless disturbing.