You Never Can Tell

When I was a Manufactured Home Salesman in Central Florida back in the late 90's (Yes, I was a Manufactured Home Salesman, one step below a Used Car Salesman) I was repeatedly advised not to "curb rate" anybody. Meaning, you can't look them over and, based on appearance, guess whether they can actually BUY a home, or if they're just there to look around.

Over my months there (I lasted 5) that lesson was taught to me over and over through experience. I remember one very-upper-crust looking woman who came in and spent hours with me, looking at home after home, well past closing time, and when we were done, and I ran her credit, she scored somewhere south of 300. GAH- she couldn't have gotten a 1 cent loan on a 5 cent styrofoam cup if she put up the first 4 cents in cash.

I learned my lesson that day!

And yet, despite having had this lesson drummed into my head, I still do it.

We all do it, though, don't we? We look at a long-greasy-haired 18-year-old in rumpled-hemp-fabric clothing and think "hippy." In our minds, we know where that kid probably stands on a whole slew of issues- he supports abortion rights, he wants pot legalized, he's in favor of gay marriage, he hugs trees, he does yoga and pretentiously says "namaste", etc etc... all based on his look. And most likely, we're right- but more importantly, we can often be dead wrong.

I curb rated again today, at the supermarket, buying my breakfast. And once again, I was proven wrong.

I got in line behind a young black woman and her young white friend. They were discussing the Presidential race, rather animatedly. One was pro-Obama; one was adamantly opposed to him, and was excitedly expressing her decision to vote for McCain on Tuesday.

Guess which was which?

Yeah, the BLACK woman was pro-McCain. She was all upset with Obama for his "present" and "no" votes on the Illinois Born Alive Infants Protection Act. Bascially, it was a bill that said that any infant who survives an attempted abortion is entitled to, and will immediately receive, medical care. It came about because of a nurse who witnessed several such infants being left to die on the operating tray, sometimes being left there for 45 minutes.

This bill passed the United States Senate on a 98-0 vote. Kennedy, Boxer, Clinton, Edwards- all voted in favor of these infants receiving care. Obama wasn't a United States Senator at the time, though- he was in the Illinois State Legislature.

When the same bill came up in Illinois' State Legislature, Obama first voted "present" (which is a Legislator's spineless way of ducking a controversial issue) and then voted against it.

And this black woman in the grocery store was now voting against Obama, for his stance on that issue.

I guess you can't curb rate anyone.