Robopoll
So I answer the phone and it's a robocall, a "poll" on our upcoming local elections.
We're pretty sure that it's not being done by anyone supporting our candidate, seeing as how she and her campaign team actually know how to pronounce her name. The robo "voice" mangles her name in such a fashion that listeners get the clear message that her family probably did not originate in northern Europe.
Are they pandering to a racist element? Much as I hate to consider the possibility, this town loved McCain/Palin's "he's not like us" approach, and also went for Tancredo. And we have the sheriff and DA who have a very unsavory record of heavy-handedness toward the Hispanic community, sufficient to get themselves smacked back by the state Supreme Court. Our state senator has been very vocal about his "English only" stance, never mind that he lives in a state with a Spanish name and is surrounded by places named by the Spanish and French long before English-speaking settlers arrived.
The "poll" mentioned her name several times, each with the emphatic mispronunciation. It was blatant. And disgusting. And, sadly, not at all surprising for this place. Disappointing, but not surprising.
To that campaign I say, "Si se puede!"