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I went in to get my hair cut. My hair stylist is a truly nice person who has had some hardships in her life. Just this past year she was injured and couldn't work. No health insurance so she couldn't even get the physical therapy she needed. She is a single mom, 2 kids in high school. Lives paycheck to paycheck and tips. Lives with a s/o. Anyway we are talking and she mentions the election. I am non committal and say make sure you vote Tuesday. She says she is unsure who she should vote for. I ask her which way she is leaning. She says well maybe Kerry, but doesn't know how he is going to be able to get other countries to help us get out of Iraq.
I tell her that Bush has burned all his bridges with European allies. Other countries in the middle east have contributed nothing to help stabilize Iraq and it's in their best interest to help us. I tell her I firmly believe John Kerry can get the cooperation of those countries. She says, how can he, HE'S JEWISH !!! They won't believe him. They will think he's supporting Israel.
I do everything I can from laughing. She is, after all, holding the scissors. But I say, John Kerry is NOT Jewish. I asked her where she heard that. She said just from friends and the radio. I tell her that Kerry's grandparents lived in Nazi Germany, they converted to Catholicism and emigrated to the US. She says, so he's Catholic. I say yes! She says, OK then I'm voting for Kerry.
There was no anti-semitism expressed in her comments. What she had heard was that because JK was Jewish, the Arab and Muslim countries wouldn't work with him because of his ties to Israel. But what truly amazes me is she was hung up on this issue, when all the other issues Kerry supports would be to her and her kids benefit. Well at least I was able to tip the scale in Kerry's favor.
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