This past Saturday (Nov. 1) while entertaining at a restaurant in the Stockyards in North Fort Worth, I told my musical group that we were going to entertain at Luther’s table, a longtime customer and black gentleman who was dining with his family. Quickly, Luther asked me, "James, have you voted or plan to vote for Obama?’’ I told him that I was a Republican and that my vote had already been cast for Senator McCain. Unaware of my political leanings, my friend of several years and very generous to my musical group I might add was sort of dismayed with my answer as was his wonderful wife and son. He then told me that he always thought I was a Democrat because most Hispanics were. I replied that for more than 30 years I had voted for conservative politicians of either party, but that conservatives in the Democrat Party are now almost non-existent. I then told my black friend that if Senator Obama wins the White House, it would be because white voters overwhelmingly voted for him. I reminded him that black and Hispanic voters have a dismal voting record in Presidential Elections. He then told me that this year blacks in record numbers would vote for Senator Obama, which would guarantee him the Presidency. I then told Luther that I was aware that more than 90 percent of black voters were already poised to vote for Senator Obama and questioned who then were the racists in this year’s election. Luther then reminded me that the next time he’d see me he was going to make fun of my losing Presidential candidate, Senator McCain. Throughout our political verbal exchange, Luther and I continued making fun of each other’s presidential candidate. In one exchange he asked me to sing a song paying tribute to Senator Obama. I obliged him by singing the old country tune, Born to Lose.

Coincidentally, about 3 weeks ago, I ran into an old Hispanic friend, who is a lawyer, Catholic, and almost predictable, a Democrat, at Billy Miners, a sports bar and diner in downtown Fort Worth. My lawyer friend, Albert, and I soon engaged in this year’s presidential election. Through most of my voting life, I have found that Hispanic and black acquaintances who are Democrats can’t fathom as to why I’m a Republican. And to be honest about it, I can’t understand why most blacks and Hispanics are Democrats.

I’ll begin by pointing out that although Albert and Luther are about 15 to 20 years younger than me, and probably endured some discrimination in their lives, they never saw, nor experienced the brunt of and the denial of basic human rights American blacks and Hispanics underwent when I was a youngster in the late 40s until the 1960s.

Both never saw their family members return from defending our country after World War II and be treated as second-class citizens after putting their lives on the line for their country. They probably never saw black and white water fountains and black and white restrooms in most department stores. They never saw black kids driven or catching a bus to attend an all black school while having a public school only a few blocks from their homes. They never went to a movie house that had a special place for blacks and Hispanics in the rear of the theater. They never saw a restaurant that had a counter around a restaurant where blacks ate in the cold and while raining as white patrons ate and sat comfortably inside. They never saw sections of any given city that did not allow blacks and Hispanics to buy and rent a home there. They never saw a black or a Hispanic in a policemen, firemen, and U.S. Postal mail carrier uniform. They probably never saw a state or private college or university with blacks in their football and basketball teams.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are many more discriminatory practices I personally witness and endured in my boyhood, teenage, and young man days. However, enough said for now. And folks, I can’t recall many if any Republicans holding political office in the City of Fort Worth, the State of Texas and in the U.S. Congress and U.S. Senate during my growing up years. Yes ladies and gentlemen most politicians in those years were Democrats. Now Hispanic and black friends and acquaintances who are Democrats have the audacity to question my political affiliation? It is a proven fact that Democrats for many years were the oppressors of blacks and Hispanics in this country and now Democrat acquaintances are telling me that they are my friends! Please don’t make me throw up.

This Tuesday (November 4) we will find out who will lead our nation in the next 4 years. I hope Senator McCain will be victorious, but if he does not so be it. I guess I’ll just have to get use to be made fun of by Luther and Albert, my liberal Democrat friends. And ,I’m now wondering if I should have lied to them and told them that I was voting for Senator Obama to avoid any conflicts between them and me.