I've had two interesting experiences in the past few weeks, and both concerned my car. The first occurred after Thanksgiving but before the Christmas rush really got started. It needs a little explaining...
I often wake up very early, particularly on weekends and sometimes when I do I just head over to the grocery store to get my shopping done before they're busy. Well on a Saturday morning recently this happened, I was awake around 4 a.m. so I decided to get my shopping done while Rick and the boys were still asleep. Because I had some non-grocery items on my list I went to Wal-Mart rather than Krogers (which is my normal place to shop). After I had finished getting my groceries I headed out to the parking lot, talking to Rick on the phone. (He had awakened and was wondering where I was) I approached my car and next to it was a middle-aged black man loading his own car. He gave me a very odd look but since I don't normally talk with strangers in parking lots I nodded at him and proceeded to load my things into the trunk of my car, still talking to Rick on the phone. The man got into his own car and drove off while I was loading. As I approached the driver's side of my car I saw something all over the driver's side door. I told Rick "I think someone threw up on my car" but as I looked closer I realized it was egg. Someone had egged my car! Quite recently too, as the egg was still running down the door and was completely wet. I came to the obvious conclusion, the man who I had just seen had apparently thrown at least two eggs at my car door. He wasn't a kid! I'm 46 years old and he was probably my age or a few years older! But, something you need to know is I still have my McCain/Palin stickers on the bumper of my car. It's pretty obvious that this man was somehow offended by my bumper stickers. That was number one, it continues!
Last week I was driving on FM 1960 and a large Suburban-type vehicle forced it's way in front of me and into the next lane of traffic. The traffic was atrocious as we were in a construction zone, near a busy intersection, just a day or two before Christmas and I didn't really think much of it. Anyway, my own lane moved forward more quickly but was about to disappear and I needed to move over into the next lane. The car that had just cut me off was slightly behind me and I tried to move into the lane in front of it. This woman (a black woman) gunned her engine, refusing to let me over and then looked over at me and with a HUGE smile on her face proceeded to give me the finger! Now, I did not get upset when she cut me off before, hadn't made any gestures or faces at her or been rude in any way so I was momentarily at a loss. Then....I remembered my bumper stickers. Oops! Someone else who belongs among the always ready to be offended!
What I find very interesting about these two incidents is the apparent belief on the part of some who voted for Obama that others don't have the same rights of free speech as they do. I'm not sure exactly WHERE they are coming from? Do they honestly believe that anyone who doesn't agree with them is automatically racist? Are they offended by free speech in the form of bumper stickers? Do they really think that not supporting a candidate is the same as not supporting a president or do they just not bother to think at all??? Is this an example of Obama supporters? I'm aware that Obama hung out with thugs in the Chicago machine, I just didn't realize how many thugs were part of his support base among ordinary people? I've heard of sore losers...but sore winners?
