Can you stand another amazing convert story?

[grace0418]

I was at my in-laws' house over the weekend. My husband's sister was in town from Kentucky with her family, so we were having a BBQ. My husband's brother was there as well, with his family.

My husband's family is very traditional, very straight-and-narrow, very conservative. My husband's parents are a lost cause because they are uber-religious (to the point of being cultish), superstitious, and terrified of their own shadows. But I was AMAZED to hear the rest of the family start ripping into Sarah Palin over dinner! They think she's a total idiot. My sisters-in-law are exactly the kind of women the GOP was trying to appeal to with the choice: suburban soccer moms who think of themselves as fairly modern but are pretty traditional, and don't really take time research the issues. And guess what, THEY were the most vocal of all in their disdain for Sarah! They truly cannot stand her!

There wasn't too much discussion of McCain, but I'm pretty sure if McCain had picked a better VP candidate, they all would've believed all the maverick, straight-talker BS about McCain. Instead they ripped Sarah Palin to shreds and actually had several complimentary things to say about Barack Obama- which of course my husband and I reinforced with facts about his platform and his character. My husband made a special point of telling his family about Barack coming from a humble background and studying hard to graduate from a top-notch school, and generally working his butt off to get where he is. He knew how much his family would value that story, because good grades and hard work are everything to them.

We even stopped to turn on the beginning of Saturday Night Live so we could laugh at the Sarah Palin skit. I cannot tell you how pleasantly surprised I was. I never expected this in a million years from them. In fact, I was half-expecting my husband to ask that I not bring my messenger bag in the house (with Obama buttons all over it), because he really hates conflict. I would've ignored him anyway, but the coolest thing was his family actually commented (positively!) on my buttons!

At worst, I think they will not vote at all, but I actually have a feeling there will be some votes in Kentucky for Obama. My husband's brother lives near us in Chicago so his vote would just add to the landslide for Obama, but still, it's encouraging.

[boobooday]

1. I never get tired of these stories

Thanks for sharing yours!

[grace0418]

10. Thank you

for reading it!

[stuntcat]

2. nice!

I guess the Republicans aren't all bad! Well some of them are ok, I mean :)

I had to go to diNner the other night with a woman who said she liked Palin :puke: I lost my appetite.

[grace0418]

3. Ugh. I'm sorry. I'm amazed at your restraint at not puking all over her.

Like Sarah Palin? *shudder*

[Matariki]

4. Women see through her. We've all known her brand of slimeball.

What a great miscalculation on McCain's campaign.

[grace0418]

7. It's so true. Unless we *are* that woman, most women know what it's like to be

screwed over by a woman who knows nothing and cares about no one but herself, so will flirt her way into getting whatever she wants.

[Arugula Latte]

5. Stand? I LOVE these stories!

I visited extended family in Colorado over the past few days and we watched the debate as a group. We were just SHREDDING Palin, and my 11-year-old son and his cousin were mimicking her perfectly at dinner, to everyone's great amusement. Even my former Republican brother in law (still registered as such) is a big fan of Obama (and even cried watching the Denver acceptance speech on TV, according to my sister in law :) ). Nobody can stand McCain, but they actively LOATHE Palin with an intensity I've never seen before.

Thanks for this, grace0418 :hi:

[grace0418]

9. Thanks Oregonian! Your story sounds like it was a blast.

I feel a great hope welling up within me. I'm afraid to admit it though.

:hi:

[David Zephyr]

6. We win one person at a time. Thanks for your story. I like your "messenger bag".

Messenger. Hmm. That's what we are. I like that. My front yard is a "messenger" with the Obama signs. My neighbor's too.

For way too many years, Democrats have been too polite to push back, to speak back when family members or co-workers repeated what they'd heard on Rush Limbaugh's show or on Fox. Our team would be quiet while they ranted. And then there was right wing radio and the intimidated news media.

First came Salon, then came the DemocraticUnderground, Buzz Flash, Moveon.org, the Daily Kos. Air America cobbled its way on to radio and Keith Olbermann stood up to GE's former CEO and a new MSNBC began pulling in millions of viewers.

But most of all, it was people like you with your "messenger bag" pushing back, talking back, correcting the lies and rightwing myths...one person at a time.

Thank you for being a patriot.

[grace0418]

8. Aww, thank you! I call it my "Barack Garden" because the front flap of my bag has somewhat

abstract fabric plants/flowers on it. So I placed the buttons where they'll look like flowers on the stems. But thank you, I never thought of the messenger bag as truly being a message! That's kind of you to say. You brought tears to my eyes.

You, sir, are a patriot and a gentleman.!

[grace0418]

11. End of day kick.

I'm still amazed by this. If you knew my in-laws, you would be too.

[CitizenLeft]

12. there can never be too many of these!

:thumbsup: for the in-laws! :applause: