This sticker is on the drive through ATM at the Well's Fargo on Los Angeles Avenue in Simi Valley.
It has been there since at least Saturday.
The hate of one person doesn't define a city, or at least it shouldn't. This one incident isn't important. Someone's writing below it isn't the point. The progress of America is important. The truth that in America it doesn't matter who you start out is much more important than random racial screeds. We should be more proud that we are willing to be critical of ourselves and change when we are wrong. That is revolutionary in world history. It is one of our core values.
Barack Obama has been attacked for his race, his ethnic heritage, and he is the victim of countless email hoaxes which deny that he is a devout Christian.
But just like the internet at times unleashes the worst in people, other anonymous forms of communication bring out the evil in people.
People argue that it is a part of the process. They point to the smear tactics deployed against his rivals and past politicians. But that doesn't have to be a fact. If we responded with moral conviction when a friend, coworker, or family member passed on these contagions, if we shut down the vectors of infection, our political immune system would be stronger for it.
I am not discouraged by the racism in America, because racism doesn't define the American soul. That battle was fought and America won. I have hope that our children will grow up in where race is not a barrier to achievement and the walls will continue to tumble down as they have been doing for generations.
I have The Audacity of Hope in my heart that sustains me even when facts don't encourage us. Hope that a flawed human has the gift to uplift us with a sermon. That we will overcome past injustices to build a better world. I have hope in my heart that we are bigger than our problems.
To quote Barack Obama:
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been
anything false about hope.
I will pray that race will not stop Barack Obama from being president. May he be judged on the content of his character. May we continue our work for that to be true for all Americans.
Will you join me in prayer?
( A friend of mine had his car vandalized in Simi Valley for putting a Barack Obama sticker on his Prius. These type of attacks will only encourage Barack Obama's supporters to work even harder for change.)
Also, a side note. You probably shouldn't be putting stickers on a bank's ATM. It is their property and just starts people writing on it.
It is disgusting that people are doing this. Bigots.
Not sure what you were asking to join you on, but I will! Barack Obama is the only choice for the Democratic nomination.
"I will pray that race will not stop Barack Obama from being president."
This one incident IS IMPORTANT; as is the fact that Wells Fargo did not have the racial slur removed immediately.
As for your friend's car, if the paint was only on the window and could be readily removed, this is no big deal for me. I liken to high school rivalries. A bit of mischief without permanent damage is acceptable to me. In a way, it may even be healthy because it shows political interest.
I'd rather have a little paint on my car window and a battle over ideas than apathy and no action.
Anywhere there is ignorance there is racism and Simi Valley has proven that point over and over.
Yeah, that's pretty sad. There are a lot of disturbed people out there. That's all I gotta say...
Disturbing photos, Brian. Yes, pretty sad. I'll join you in praying for Simi and for our country, and for future generations. I'm curious: if Obama *doesn't win*, are you going to blame racism? That's kinda baiting the issue, isn't it?
My prayer is pretty simple. May his race not be something that stops him. I think that we should agree on that ideal.
The campaign should be about who is best for our future.
Will it be about competing visions? Only time will tell.
There isn't a candidate running for President with their gender, race or age being the deciding factor. Sooner or later one of them is going to say something that resonates with the American people. That will be the deciding factor. We haven't seen it yet but when we do you'll know.
I'll join in. Thank you for this post.
I keep thinking that there's nowhere I'd rather be than right here, in Ventura County, and right now, in 2008.
And it's thanks to people like McCain, who fought for our freedom, and Obama, who fights for our hope.
No matter what, this election will be *so* much better than 2004.