My 73 year old Dad, a former Republican, now Obama supporter, blows a gasket at Rethug "friends"

[powergirl]

My dad, white guy, a former Republican who grew up in segregated schools here in Texas, is voting for Obama - yes hell has frozen over. He gets frequent email crap from his retiree friends which is a bunch of recycled Rush Limbaugh crap talking about how the Democrats love terrorists, the Democrats criticize and don't appreciate our troops, and we shouldn't complain about torture, etc. etc. Anyway, my dad blew a gasket and here is his response. I thought I'd share it with you b/c it is great and it shows that people can and do change. My father also told me that he feels that if he votes for Obama he can help cleanse the stain or racism in our country. So here it is:

"Dear friends:
It is interesting to me that disagreement with the management of the war and the treatment of the "detainees" is twisted to be a criticism of our individual soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. With the exception of a few bad apples, I have heard no one say anything negative about our troopers. Yet slanderous crap like this keeps circulating.

"The propagandists for the Bush administration are genetically incapable of admitting they screwed the poochie in Iraq, so they must defend to the death their actions there. John McCain plans to ride that mule as far as it will go.

"For the record, I think this administration's middle east policy is a catastrophe, and the conduct of the war in Iraq is a disgrace. Our country continues to be the greatest ever, but we have a bunch of incompetent leaders. They worry about gay marriage while the Taliban regain strength in Afghanistan. They get all hot and bothered over Obama's flag pen while car bombs go off in Baghdad. They are beating the drums about Iran while our armed forces are stretched to the limit in Iraq and Afghanistan. Could it be because George W. Bush has the military expertise of a toadstool? And Senator McCain, whom I respect as an American hero, thinks this is all just hunky-dory. Jesus H. Christ on a crutch! Wake up and smell the coffee!

"And don't anyone say I am not a patriot. I'm too old to be a soldier now, but I was once a long time ago. I know that a soldier overseas thinks about one thing more than anything else - going home - even when there is no fighting. Senator McCain says that's not important. Well, he's dead wrong on that.

"Everyone in this great country is entitled to his or her own opinion, but not his own facts. You have heard my opinion; what's yours?
All of you have a glorious Independence Day; it's important. The guys who put it on the line on July 4, 1776 did not agree on everything either, but they managed to put together a pretty good organization."

An "in your face" from my Dad.
:patriot: