Abandon Ship!

[Nightjock]

I love stories about former bush supporters who now see the boy king has no clothes. Here are a few examples I have experienced from a very republican area of New York in the last few months.

There is a wonderful bagel shop near my home. Every Saturday morning I got up a 7a.m. and went to get breakfast for my family. Then on one rainy morning before the November election* (and I use that term loosely) I noticed the store owners car had a bumper sticker that read “Support the Troops and President Bush.”

Which IMO, is one of the most offensive bumper sticker you can display. When I see it I want to scream, “F*** YOU!!! I don’t have to support bush to support the troops!”

I did not yell at the store owner, but he lost my business and I turned around in the parking lot to never come back.
Or so I thought!
Last month I needed some gas and I was at the station right next to the bagel shop. I noticed the owners car and my eyes went to where I saw his bumper sticker last year.

It was gone. But not just gone …………….
It was replaced with “Support our troops-Bring them home now!” and an “Impeach” bumpersticker!!!!
You could have knocked me over with a feather!

Then there is the case of a man I have known for 30 years. Paul is a registered Republican. He thought about voting for Al Gore because he liked Clinton but he believed all of the bush lies in 2000.
But September 11th changed everything for my friend. It scared the ever loving shit out of him and he fell into that trap so many of our fellow Americans slipped into. Ignore the evidence in front of you, watch the corporate controlled media give bush a free pass on EVERYTHING, and believe the best people to keep us safe are the one’s that may have been able to stop the terrorist attacks.

Over that long period I tried to show him that bush is facist, phony, lying, scumbag. I sent Paul emails, printouts, news articles and much more on the absolute corruption of this illegitimate White House.
What finally turned the tide was when I sent him the link to Loose Change 2.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8260059923762628848&q=loose+change+2nd+edition

I know the film has some detractors here. And I‘m not saying it‘s all true. Personally I think it just makes you think and realize we were not told the whole truth about many things.
But for Paul it opened his eyes to what bush really is. Not only that, but he believes they flat out lied to us about almost everything on 9-11.
Now PAUL sends ME articles, opinion pieces, etc. exposing this administration accompanied by phrases like “Do you believe what that f***ing a**hole is doing now?!”
And now he is a registered Independant.

I have quite a few examples of people FINALLY seeing the light but I will end with this. I ran into a born again Christian I have not seen in a while. After a tedious 30 minute discussion of why I should go to church with him on Sunday, I turned talk to politics to politely change the subject.
I asked him, “Do you believe george bush is a good christian?”
“No,” he replied, “He broke the commandment of Thou Shalt Not Kill.”

I only know one other born again man and last year when I asked him that question he told me THE EXACT SAME THING! And BOTH men voted for Kerry.

[babylonsister]

1. I love these great personal stories-thanks! nt

[kstewart33]

2. A great post.

Accounts like this are very encouraging. Thanks for posting them.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. I think you should go back to the bagel shop

and let them know why you are back. :)

[Ignacio Upton]

4. He's one of many who are opening up

BTW, what area of NYS do you live in? Do you live in the Hudson Valley by any chance? With the exception of Westchester, the valley counties north of me all voted for Bush (although Dutchess is gradually becoming blue.)

[Nightjock]

5. I live on eastern Long Island

in an area where almost 70% of voters are registered republicans.
Bush-Cheney bumper stickers used to be VERY popular. I haven't seen ANY in months!

[Ignacio Upton]

6. Suffolk County is realigning

They have voted Democrat for the past three Presidential elections. Democrats also did well in both Nassau and Suffolk this past November.

[Nightjock]

10. It's very encouraging isn't it?

Now we have to get rid of the local corrupt republicans the majority keep voting for.
And that is starting to happen too!

[neoblues]

7. Good to hear...

Good stories--it's always good to hear that just because people are hoodwinked, even for years, doesn't necessarily mean there's no hope for them. By the way, in the interest of making your writing even more effective, I though I might be so bold as to mention just one modest suggestion... You appear to be consistently using the word "than" when the word you're searching for is "then". Anyway, thanks again for the stories.

[Nightjock]

9. Thank you

Wow.... My face is beat red! I fixed it. I guess it's not as bad as the Freeperland writing of "HUGH" instead of "Huge."

[JohnnyRingo]

8. I saw my Republican cousin at a funeral today

We had it out a few times before the election without much headway on my part.
Since then he lost his healthcare, and I'll just point out that his wife works at Delphi.

Today he apologized and admitted he made a terrible mistake.
I didn't mention it. but he only changed his mind when Bushonomics affected him personally. A bit too late for the rest of us I'm afraid.

[acmejack]

11. Yes, there is nothing to be gained by rubbing salt into the wounds.

They know all too well how badly they were snookered on this one and they will be reminded for a long, long time to come. As will we all, day by painful day, for a time which some smart person, the name of whom escapes me at the moment, said was likely to be four or five generations, if our Country was to even recover at all.