"Obama - I love him, man!"

Just thought I'd share a recent experience I had while walking through the old city of Jerusalem while wearing a "Barack Obama for President" T-shirt. A gift from a friend, I am probably the only person in Israel who has such a shirt. I'm not American and I hold Israeli citizenship, but I'd support the candidate who would be "good for Israel". So I decided to wear it and see what reaction I would get...

In the Jewish areas I was met by indifference and light criticism; but in the arab quarter I was suddenly overwhelmingly welcome. Thumbs ups everywhere for Obama; smiles of welcome in restaurants, and top notch service.

The comments tended to go along these lines:

"Barack Obama! Barack Obama! Cool man!"
"Obama! Barack Obama! You vote him? He's good!"
"Obama - I love him, man!"

All this stood in sharp contrast to the times when my Israeli girlfriend and I walked through the same streets and ate at the same restaurants: we were met with surly, simmering, indifference. Service was grudgingly given and while we may have been smiled at in welcome, a sudden about-face showed those same waiters glaring at us with hatred.

Makes ya think, doesn't it?