My One and Only Politcal Post this Election Season

I live in an area dominated by cornpone conservatives.  These are farmers, small business owners, and discount non-unionized factory workers.  Many still buy into the belief that the Republican Party is the party of small government, fiscal conservation, and family values. And the Democrats are all about big government, tax and spend, and killing babies.

The truth is, the Republicans are, in my opinion, taking us towards a fascist state in the Orwellian tradition.  They've expanded the government.  They've created a network of private armies and mercenaries that answer to the dollar and not the Constitution.  And they can spy without reason or warrant.  No, I haven't forgotten about 9/11.  And no, I don't feel any more or any less safe than I did on 9/10.  I don't associate with terrorists and don't personally know any Muslims. 

And the number of people I know that are honest to goodness convinced that Barrak Obama is the anti-Christ, a Muslim, or not really a natural born citizen is just insane.  Some of them even quote the chain emails that taut these "facts."  They are also convinced that Sarah Palin (who really isn't running for office by the way) is an intelligent, strong, and independent woman.  Again, their source is either Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, or another email.

I was convinced I was surrounded by idiots until I started to see the Obama signs springing up on lawns.  And a few people I work with started chiming about the Republican failures and that change has to come soon.  And then I saw this:

The truth is, most of the people I know supporting McCain are white males. I don't think that they are racists, I think they're scared. For centuries, white males have dominated American society. They've run the government and they've run the companies. Up until now, they've given token power and influence to a select few women and people of color. Usually they were selected for their ability to conform to the white male proto-type.

This year, we've seen a serious challenge to that power. These men are not scared that Obama is a Muslim or a black man or a friend of terrorist. No, he is an American that happens to be black. And the white male establishment is terrified that someone my want paybacks. Or, that the new America will no longer treat them as the chosen ones. They are scared that they now will honestly have to accept that women, blacks, Hispanics, and the other non white males are their equals.