Of voting & Sara
2004-11-05 ~ 12:44 p.m.

Sara voted for the first time Tuesday. It was the first Presidential election since she became old enough to vote.

It's worth mentioning, that Sara worked as a volunteer for the ACLU for 6 months. An event that truly helped her understand the importance of knowing the issues... and the workings of politics.


I received this email Tuesday evening:

"I got accosted at the voting place... and nearly got kicked out for a mildly threatening comment toward a man who had the ball's to actually poke me in the chest and tell me to "Do the Right Thing" (vote Bush)... so I got to go to the front of the line and then ride home in a cop car!"

Sara is the poster child for psychiatric issues. She takes medications for this. It makes her functional. They actually make her more like the person I know.

Her email simply begged the questions I replied to her.. :

"How exactly does one get into an altercation with a Bush voter in line to vote? Did I not teach you to never discuss politics or religion in public situations?? A ride in a cop car??? were you arrested? or just being protected?? Or contained for fear you may lose your composure on some unsuspecting republican? I can't wait to hear this one..........."

She did send the extended story.. in a moment I will share that. I called her before I read the reply though... asking her questions that added to the visual. Sara's hair is currently a very dark red/maroon color - she was wearing light blue flannel pants and shirt (yes, essentially her p.j.'s) and her knee high boots - laced, not tied. Sara has several piercings on her face - she had all her metal in.

The Story:

I was at the voting place... which just happens to be over by the house on McKinley... so I was one of few english speaking people there... there were people there who were all up on me trying to influence me to vote for Bush... I didn't DO anything.. I was just standing there... then this guy who was yapping in my ear about how Kerry will ruin the country apparently starts poking me in the chest and telling me that I'd "better do the right thing" and I told him that he needed to back up or I would gut him right there.... well, these "Influencers" aren't supposed to be at the voting places... and definately not inside talking to people... so the volunteer people didn't get mad at me, especially after I told them that I am not what you'd call a people person and touching me is mildly dangerous. I take pills for it, so I got to vote and as i was leaving, a cop was waiting outside for me (I'm hard to miss ya know) and he was cool, "Causing trouble at the polls huh?" I just smiled and shrugged, mildly confused... "Well, did you get to vote?" Yeah I said... "Well let's get you home.." and he brought me home... I think they didn't want me to damage an unwitting republican who thought that laying their hands on me might make me more suseptible to their way of thinking..."


The "mild threat" was apparently said clearly but not loudly. She was escorted to the front of the line to have the opportunity to make her voice heard in regards to who runs the country.

The man who thought that poking my daughter in the chest to make his point was at the very least surprised to find that not everyone will stand quietly & be influenced. I am certain he didn't expect the response he got.

Sara will vote by mail after this. As much because being around people is difficult for her as because of the, uhm... possibility of being put in a situation like that again. She wasn't afraid for her safety. Really, his well being was more in jeopardy.

I have laughed every time I have told this story to friends. In many ways it's a very funny story.

In other ways... the more important ones, it isn't.

Only Sara...