The Foreigner in the White House

It's a shock driving thru the magnificently beautiful Medicine Bow National Forest, the eastern end of Wyoming, and then rapidly descending into the boring barren, flat rolling hills of Nebraska. We stopped at the first rest stop/information center because I’m looking for the Nebraska peace monument I heard about a few trips back. The youngish maybe mid-thirties white womon behind the desk doesn't know what I’m talking about but we search anyway thru all her info brochures, maps and notebooks without any luck.

She asks me, out of curiosity or duty, where we are from and headed to. When I tell her we're on the road registering voters, she boasts, not all that sadly, she's probably not going to vote in this election.

She continues to assure me that she’s informed about bush – he is a terrible person – but she'd probably end up voting for him anyway because she hates that foreigner that other man is married to more!

At first I’m not sure who she's talking about until I remembered Theresa Heinz-Kerry is African-born. So, now we've got a new reason why folks can't vote for Kerry!

I remind Carolyn we are all foreigners on this soil unless we are Native American. She gives me an uncomprehending but friendly look, leans closer over the countertop and reiterates that she can't stand foreigners, especially those with an accent.

I respond wryly (I hope) she must hate Schwarzenegger and she actually looks at me surprised. "Why?" she asks. I mention the little fact of his accent but she remains blank.

I ask her if she doesn't think her attitudes about 'foreigners' is prejudiced. She states unequivocally without shame (and maybe understanding), nodding “Yes it is but I can’t stand people who live here without speaking ‘correct’ english.”

I tell her I believe english is Theresa's first language. I have totally forgotten that Ms. Heinz-Kerry is a linguist and is fluent in five languages which I will have to write a note to Carolyn to let her know.

To further reiterate her dislike for the candidate’s wife, she disdainfully reports that it is because of what Theresa said the other day about those poor people in Florida: "Those people can all go naked!" This just proves she is totally unacceptable as first lady.

I want to laugh but Rae has come in and points out that the media is often biased and twists the truth, besides giving much more positive coverage to george and laura than anyone else.

I tell Carolyn I think the real reason she doesn't like Theresa Heinz-Kerry is because Theresa is a strong, independent womon who speaks her mind and doesn't allow men to run her over.

Carolyn nods slightly then says our country is not ready for a such an outspoken womon as first lady. I step up and firmly tell her our country most certainly is ready. Another womon who has entered the center without my notice, pipes up strongly "Absolutely, we are not only ready but it is absolutely necessary that we have a strong first lady in the white house - in fact, she’s the one who should be the president!" Then she swiftly leaves out the door, with Rae fast on her heels!

Carolyn weakly offers that maybe Laura Bush is a strong enuff first lady. Trying not to choke, I point out “Well, yes, you have to be a strong womon to be married to an alcoholic and a drug addict and to take his abuse and finally stand up to him.”

Carolyn seems in agreement but before she can get too comfortable with Laura's strong lady image, I mention how I can't admire Laura the way I do Theresa because of Laura's behavior when her husband was trying to rally the country to war. I talked about the poet laureate and the reading that Laura cancelled merely because he was writing peace and anti-war poems which didn't support her husband's agenda.

Wide-eyed, Carolyn nodded again.

She reiterated that she really didn't want to vote for bush, listing his war, the young amerikkkan soldiers that are dying, and his horrid economic policies as reasons for her dislike.

I’m pleased she has mentioned these things and offer her Kerry's platform as an alternative.

Carolyn seems happy to hear Kerry’s list but once again has to reiterate “the foreigner in the white house” stance. I tell her again, she is a foreigner herself, we are all foreigners unless we are Native American. This time she hears me but claims that was such a long time ago, her great-grandmother was the foreigner, not her.

I ask her how her great-grandmother would feel meeting a womon like Carolyn with her prejudices.

Carolyn then apologizes for her comments. She says she really shouldn't have spoken, especially so harshly. She thanks me over and over again for helping her to think about things differently and promises she is really going to try to vote to get rid of bush.

I go outside to see Rae has been videoing Brenda, the forthright womon who says we are ready for a strong womon in the white house. We are all standing in front of the truck when the old white male janitor comes over to us and tells us we have to stop videoing and leave now. Poor fellow must be blind as well as stooooped! He tells us it is illegal to video at the rest stop!

We laugh and continue talking among ourselves until we hug and Brenda leaves. Rae and I decide to go try to video the janitor. We walk calmly up to the building, asking him to explain on tape what he has told us. He hotly decrees it is illegal for us to video and no, he won't say it on tape, even though he just did. He reaches out to grab the camera but I place myself in front of him. He threatens several times to call the state police, which I welcome.

After his last verbal threat, he instructs us in his strictest daddy tone: “Do as you're told” before he disappears into the men's bathroom!!! UFB! I’m tempted to follow him in there but I might have to pick him up off the floor or worse, resuscitate him. I ask Carolyn, who has been standing by watching with a great light dancing in her eyes, if he's always like this. She says she's friends with his wife, and yep, he's always like this!

Poor wife.