I HAVE to talk!

Fixing to leave Atlanta early this a.m. and unable to find a biodiesel distributor here, I pulled into a CITGO gas station. A middle aged African-American womon drove passed my truck and parked.

She jumps out her car and blurts:“I HAVE to talk!” I smile broadly as we exchange bear hugs. “I’m a retired school teacher and just recently moved to Atlanta. I cannot tell you how happy I am to see righteous thinking in Atlanta.”

She had migrated from New York, has never lived in the south and didn't know if she was going to stay here, but for now, she was looking around. She loved the neighborhood and thought there were lots of progressive folks in Atlanta, which she appreciated!

When I went into the gas station to pay for my gas, there was a young man originally from Columbia collecting my money. He said he LOVED my truck, that he read every single side and every single word and he agreed with everything. He is voting in this election and is personally registering all his family and friends also!

Leaving the gas station and on the way down the street to get our fix at the local coffee shop, a white womon in her 30's stopped me, again loving my truck. She said she was working with the kerry campaign and wanted to talk with me about people's reactions to my messages. She was especially interested when she found out that I drive around the country. I told her that since my April trip this past spring – but really almost every trip I’ve taken with the exception of the first few days of the official bombing – the primary response has been overwhelmingly positive.

I shared with her how I figured out on my trip to Arizona last winter that even tho the count is always more yeahs to fuck-you's, it is the f.u.'s that tend to dominate, because they are so violent and so aggressive in their response. They tend to erase the gentler, positive, happy responses.

She related stories about the people she's met that are afraid to drive thru certain neighborhoods and/or parts of Georgia with a kerry/edwards sticker on their cars. Of how they tape the sticker on so they can take it off when they go somewhere 'unsafe': i.e. republican. She asked me if I thought republicans ever felt that fear.

“Are there republicans anywhere that are afraid to put 'bush/cheney' stickers on their cars or signs in their front yards?” she implores.

“Hell no, I haven't met one in all my travels around the country.”

“And why is that?” she wonders out loud.

“I think that is because these are white men who are most likely rich, straight, christian - or wannabes or believa-one-day-be's – at least that's what I’ve met and they are at least 90% of bush's support. Most white men do not know what it is like to face an oppression or violence - they are truly free to go anywhere say anything without fear.”

“Unless they’re gay, not able to ‘pass’, and/or out,” I add.

Talking with Rae later she also felt that republicans are not likely to go to neighborhoods where they might meet opposition and if they did, the opposition is not violent.

I continued to the coffee shop, which had large 'voter registration here' signs plastered out front and inside. The young womon behind the counter even asked me if I was registered to vote before she asked what drink I wanted!!! Go Atlanta!

On our way out of Georgia, I had to stop and get an oil change. There, we registered six people and handed out a couple of forms to folks who were going to get friends and relatives registered. Several men thought they couldn't vote because they had former felonies on their record. I will have to research this but believe there are 'only' 7 states which do not allow citizens who have been convicted of a felony to vote – Florida, of course, being one!

So what a great way to leave Georgia and get back on the road. By the way, the count today on the way into Alabama was about 25 yeahs and claps and peace signs and shouts to one little tiny ugly fuck you! and that's Georgia!