Always Bet On Black!

The title of this article comes from Wesley Snipes’ somewhat famous quote in the movie Passenger 57. More on that quote later.

One of my neighbors, an ultra-conservative member of the Georgia Tea Party sent me an e-mail last night in response to an earlier e-mail I sent. His message was funny and illuminating. I’m not going to say much more since the e-mail speaks for itself (header information edited for privacy):

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From: XXXXX XXXXXXX [mailto:XXXX.XX@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2011 11:05 PM
To: T-Steel
Subject: RE: Who’s your 2012 Repub Champion?

Dammit dammit! Pres. Obama should be ripe for the taking. Instead I have to choose from jokers, loons, weirdos, rich snooty bastards, and whatever. I mean look at them T! Got Newt taking crap about being Pres. Guy has all kinds of skeleton and debris in his closet. Obama looks like Michael Landon compared to ol’ Newty. I like Palin’s spirit but whatever. Santorum and Bachman?!? You got to be kiddin’!! I HATE PRICKS LIKE SANTORUM AND BACHMAN! Preachy SOBs want to get all in our business! Ain’t that why we want Obama out? At least Obama ain’t preaching to me about moral stuff. My morality’s fine thank you very much. Romney? Please. Many folks I know look at Mormons as cultists. Guess there’s some other whatevers throwing their names around. But you know what T? I’m about to do what alot of black people did in 2008. Yeah yeah I know we been around that topic but I’m jumping on board. I’m gonna listen to what Wesley Snipes said in that Passenger 57 flick – ALWAYS BET ON BLACK! Herman Cain 2012! Time for some real change in the Republican Party. A black dude T! Two black guys duking it out for Pres. Almighty lordy! Probably make some heads explode but Herman Cain’s my guy cause he’s black. And dammit I think a Republican black dude like Cain would give Obama pause. Cain’s a southerner, Navy man, former business owner, etc. I’ve heard in speak around these parts and he impresses me. Alot of other conservatives better give Cain a serious look. Including you my wonderful brown friend, even though your not a conservative or liberal. LOL!

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Always bet on black, eh? Hilarious! It’s amazing hearing him say anything like this. When I first met him, he was a “proud and kiss my butt” (his words) stereotypical conservative Georgia white man. But after being laid off, after 18 years, from a private contracting firm (who replaced him and others with Mexican workers that the owner picks up from a local strip mall parking lot – a fact that we both saw and still causes him pain), his wife’s working hours getting cut, almost losing is house, losing one of their cars, and assorted life stresses, he’s now much more introspective. He would have never sent me an e-mail like above three years ago when I first met him. Now he e-mails all the time with his evidence that “corporate America seems to have a contract out on American workers”. Just amazing to hear him talk like this.

I don’t know much about Herman Cain but I wonder how much of a chance he has in the Republican Nomination Olympics?