I attended the Asheville Civic Center on Thursday evening to watch a local Mitt Romney Rally and I have to say it was a unique experience. Having debated here for years I wanted to share that experience and get some feedback. My neighbor and friend Kiffin let me borrow his digital camera so I was able to get some photographs and videos that I'm going to share here, he's not much into politics but came through for me that morning. I found out about this event Thursday morning because someone I admire very much actually told me about it and printed out the ticket I needed to get inside yet she's not a fan of Romney at all.
As far as this debate goes I'm going to get to the guts of it quick. I had a good time but the bitterness I saw at times was surreal and this being a very liberal city hosting a rally for Mitt Romney the bitterness I saw came from the left. That, and negativity abroad effecting the election will be the focus of this debate. Some of the things I saw on Thursday solidified what I already knew. Anger and frustration can consume and defeat anyone who lets it and politics sets the stage for high amounts of disgust.
The worst thing I saw that day was on my walk back home. One lady hung out her window and flipped me off as I got a couple blocks away from the Civic Center. Like an idiot I told her I'm being nice over here the best I can, but I should have ignored her. She cursed me out so I kept on walking. A couple blocks further down a group of young guys snickered as I walked by. The red "Dan Forest for LT. Gov" sticker I had on my shirt probably gave me away. That and walking from the direction of the Romney rally.
I didn't record these things so you'll have to take that on scouts honor. I was being as civil as I could given the situation and for the most part I kept my mouth shut.
I uploaded all the things I did record to Youtube but the camera angles and quality could have been better. I had a 4 gig memory card so I had to cut down the quality a bit and I couldn't record everything. The entire event can be viewed here in higher quality ...
http://www.youtube.com/user/BuncombeCountyVideosFirst video....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi74LT4ME5kI was just getting close to the entry point and approaching some of the protesting. 5:55 seconds into this I start talking a bit to put my opinion out.
Me: "Everybody's out here smiling, this guy's really upset......." I go on a bit from their before I enter the building, but anyone here can conclude what they want from this. For a protest in Asheville for a Mitt Romeny
rally it really wasn't all too bad. It was after I left that a couple people took it over the line, at that point I had the camera off and was just walking home.
Before I show the rest of these videos I'm going to get to the point about why this is going to effect this election and how it could lead to Mitt Romney winning this which is something I would have never thought last month. I'm sure everybody saw the VP debate. Look at this compilation of Joe Biden just snickering and grinning at Paul Ryan throughout the debate, Biden didn't take him seriously and it showed.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3MNzmaAzjoI think liberals have always held many great beliefs. Open mindedness, acceptance, or living in peace are great examples. The problem I've had with warming up to the left is that in large part the behavior exhibited, at least by many, is in direct contradiction of the beliefs they hold. I've seen this so many times in both my personal life and in prior politics as well....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQalRPQ8stIThe video Above was composed in 2008 during a Pro McCain rally in New York. You see enless streams of middle fingers, insults, ugliness, and IMO childishness. At that time politics was already shifting for Democrats no matter what so it didn't really matter but this time around it very well could. Mitt Romney is pulling ahead in the polls and if things keep going like this, for the first time I'm feeling like he might win. Some are even predicting a landslide victory but I don't think it will be by a large a margin if he does pull it off. I predict He'll win NC which went to Obama in 2008, and Florida is now looking promising for him too.
Do Conservatives or Republicans act hateful or stupid too? Right now there's positive energy on the right side of politics but the obvious answer is absolutely. Stupidity is a human trait not a liberal or conservative trait. That being said I think something has happened to the left wing since the Bush era in that the positive and open minded message they hold in such high regard has been lost.
More videos I took....
(VID2) In the Still of the Night...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KSJCsItFv0This is when I first walked in, you'll hear some of the song in the still of the night performed by Ronnie Milsap. The civic center was full of positive energy that day and Mitt Romney supporters were really pumped up.
(VID3) Star Spangled Banner...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvOiFyhgFYQAgain, sorry for the camera angles at moments.
(VID4) Congressional Candidate Mark Meadows (great speech and not long if these are getting boring).......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S2vcqFMRPI(VID5) Mike Huckabee speech and introducing Mitt Romney...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sYRO1GdCzgHuckabee is my favorite politician on the scene today and has been since the 2008 elections. I voted for him in the primaries at that
time.
(VID6) Last bit of Romney's speech and Romney shaking some hands of supporters....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5ZvVETsUnM(VID7) More protesting on the way out....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dh0RxHa9_cThis another look at the protesters and me making some comments to a Romney supporter standing next to me.
Me: It's Just negativity
Him: It's pretty sad when just 10 people show up ((probably more like 30 protesters but it wasn't much))
Me: Yea that's what Im thinking, in Asheville? It's amazingI go on from their a little and the guy next to me goes on a bit about Big Bird and the guy dressed up like Big Bird. I didn't see Jim Henson though
As a side note the Civic Center seats 8000 people and it filled to the max which I didn't expect either.
(VID8) This last video is the one I like the most of the ones I caught of the protesters, not because it was negative, quite the contrary this woman was respectful....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhgobHaHLhc I ran out of available memory halfway through this one.
I looked for the most approachable protester I could find and initiated a conversation here, It was like a short debate. She was a self proclaimed independent but I could tell she was left leaning when I started talking with her. Out of respect I didn't point the camera at her but you can hear her pretty good.
This video is important because it's exactly what I'm looking for from anyone who is political. All the crazy things people say when they are worked up tend to be the things I've pointed out. I do this on debate sites like this and in my personal life sometimes because I'm tired of hearing it. None of this is worth losing sight of why you held your beliefs to begin with, whatever it is you do believe.
Anyway I guess that's enough of that.
Questions For Debate....
1. Has the left wing lost touch with some of the values they hold in high regard such as being accepting or tolerant?
2. Is campaign negativity going to effect President Obama's chances at getting reelected?
3. Could we be looking at an upset here? I know that it's still early but I'm seeing a major shift in support right now toward Romney.
4. What can president Obama do to redirect the momentum here?
This post has been edited by net2007: Oct 16 2012, 06:30 PM
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