I typically don’t write about my daily life as I Am a relatively private person in that regard.  However, in the last month I have had an experience I would like to share.

It all started about a month ago on my 30th birthday weekend.   My wife borrowed the car and told me that she had noticed the heat gauge maxing out.   This car is a 2007 Honda Element that I purchased new in early 2007.  I Am not mechanically inclined so the next Monday I called the local Honda dealership for advice.   The dealership was very friendly and told me it would be in my best interest to have it towed to the shop to be looked at.  Sounded good to me.  I thought to myself, “hopefully my warranty will pay for the towing”.  Little did I know.

A couple of days passed and I received a call from the dealership explaining that my vehicle needed some repairs, but my warranty would not cover them as it appeared there had been a collision.   Knowing that I had not been in an accident they assured me that it was most likely a large rock that had skipped off the road and into the front of my vehicle.  Being a collision my warranty would not cover the damages, but they recommended I contact my insurance company.   Makes sense.  Thankfully I have insurance!

After calling and starting a claim with State Farm, I waited for the call from an adjuster.   One week passed and finally someone gave me a ring.  “Mr. Robison, my name is Craig Kingdman and I have had a chance to look at your car.  Would you be able to come to the dealership so I can show you my findings?”  Seemed strange, but I made my way to the dealership to see what he had found.   As I approached I could see in his eyes that he was not looking forward to our conversation.   As we walked to my car he began, “Mr. Robison as I was looking at your vehicle I found a few things that concern me.”  Oh shit, I thought.   He continued, “as I was examining the damage I noticed a couple of spots on your vehicle that appear to have been repainted, and it is my belief that the entire front end of the vehicle has been replaced.”  WHAT!?!  I explained that I had purchased the vehicle new and that I never been in any type of accident let alone replaced the front end.  “Well, I hate the be the bearer of bad news but it appears your vehicle has had major repairs done before you purchased it.  Most likely at the dealership.”

I could not believe what I was hearing.  I DIDN’T believe it.   Craig told me he would call me with his final report the next day.   I was furious.   My insurance company was trying to get out of covering my car, and I felt it was BS.  I immediately called State Farm and asked to speak with a supervisor.   They listened to my story, but without Craig’s report were unable/unwilling to do anything further.  I was told “just wait until tomorrow and Craig will give you a call”.   Easy for someone else to tell you “sit and wait” while MY car sits un-drivable at the dealership, but what else could I do?

A day passed and I get the call back from State Farm.   Craig informs me that the findings he reported to me in person where what would be going into his report, and that State Farm would not be covering the repairs.  I couldn’t believe it.  I asked to speak with a supervisor.   The supervisor spoke with me on the phone and mixed in with extreme rudeness told me, “There is nothing further we can do in this matter.  We have reviewed the findings with several team leaders and each person has reached the same conclusion”.   This is where it gets interesting.

I asked for a copy of the findings and was told they would be unwilling to provide them to me, and proceeded to immediately hang up.  Thank you State Farm!!! (We will be moving ALL of our coverage by the way)  At this point I was forced to contact the Department of Regulatory Agencies and complete a form to FORCE my insurance company to explain what they felt happened.   I also had a body shop manager and the general manager of the local Honda dealership to look at the vehicle.   After looking at my vehicle, I was surprised when they both reached the same conclusion as State Farm.  My vehicle’s front end had been completely replaced and repainted, and seeing as though I had not had this done it was concluded it had happened before I purchased the car NEW.

Wow, I was shocked.  I had been sold a vehicle that was involved in an accident, and I had been told nothing about it.   Every person I told said the same thing, “call Honda and the dealership.  Someone will help you get this taken care of.”  Thus began the next two weeks of calling/faxing/calling Honda America (310.783.2000) AND Bob Howard Honda in Edmond, OK ((405) 478-0368) where I had purchased the Element.  While I was able to speak with Honda America my 15 calls/VM to Bob Howard were left un-returned.  Both the Service Manager Jeff Sullivan AND the General Manager Dennis Davis would not speak with me.   NICE CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

At first Honda America assured me that they would act as a “go between” for me AND would help me resolve the issue.  They asked me to be patient and allow them to do a little research.  I asked if they would like copies of my documents to which they refused.   Another week or so passed and yesterday I received THE call back.  Honda America had reviewed their records and found that the vehicle had not been reported to have any damage before being delivered to the dealership.  They then informed me that they would be unwilling to do anything further to help me.  Wow.  Thanks Honda!

Now I Am left with a vehicle that requires $1500 dollars worth of work to fix damages that incurred BEFORE I ever purchased the Element.  My warranty will not cover it because it was a collision that caused the damage.   State Farm will not cover the cost because the car has a replaced front end from damage that happened before my purchase.  Honda America will not help because their records do not show any damage towards the Element while in their possession, and Bob Howard Honda will not return my calls.  Wow.

What am I to do?   Should I bow down and pay the cost of repair?   I live my life in a way that does not include allowing anyone to walk all over me, but what are my other options?  I could hire a lawyer and fight the dealership through the courts, but it would cost me more than the repairs.  I could quit paying on the vehicle and allow Honda to repo it, but that would in turn ruin my credit for the next 7 years.   In short, I Am fucked.  You would think buying a new vehicle would protect you against such things.  You would think purchasing extended warranties and full coverage insurance would also protect you.  You would think that someone would be willing to help find a way to force the dealership to at least talk to me.   In all of the cases you would be wrong.

DO NOT USE STATE FARM AS YOUR INS CARRIER.

DO NOT PURCHASE VEHICLES FROM BOB HOWARD

DO NOT PURCHASE ANY HONDA

AND

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!

Feel free to call and harass any of the below contacts…

State Farm Insurance Contacts (Claim #06-6076-171)

Local Agent: Tom Erickson (303) 447-2048

Supervisor of Claims: Nancy Shanklin (970) 395-6514

Honda America Contacts (Case# N012008-10-2700494)

Case Manager for Honda America: Morris Lynn

Honda America: (310) 783-2000

Honda Finance: (800) 448-9307

Bob Howard Honda Contacts

Telephone: (405) 753-8700

Fax: (405) 753-8786

Service Manager: Jeff Sullivan

General Manager: Dennis Davis
Damn, this pisses me off.  Oh well.

After the election Karl Rove said something that really hit home for me.  When discussing how cultural changes have allowed the general population to feel comfortable with an African American in the White House he said, “We’ve had an African-American first family for many years in different forms. When ‘The Cosby Show’ was on, that was America’s family. It wasn’t a black family. It was America’s family.”  Wow.  Karl Rove said something intelligent, insightful, and in my view correct.  Who would have thunk.

After reading this I began to think of my own upbringing.  Born in Oklahoma and raised in a rural area with a population of 3,000, I never encountered African Americans in my daily life.  Even with this fact, I was never someone who was uncomfortable with other races.   I Am sure this is partly true because of my upbringing, but I also think the Cosby Show played a vital role.   Each week my family would gather around the television to watch our favorite TV family.  When the music would start a smile would always creep onto my face.   With each season ending I would immediately begin to look forward to the next year where we would get a new opening and possibly a new rendition of the popular theme song.  It was great.

I have seen every episode of the Cosby Show, and recently re-watched them with my wife who was raised on a PBS only television diet.  It was great to watch them again with fresh eyes and see how my views of family life were shaped in part by this great show.

The Cosby Show represented a shift in American culture.  Previous shows always represented African American families as dysfunctional groups who were VERY different from Caucasian families.   While the Cosby Show remained true to African American culture it also showed how there was no REAL difference in a family simply because of the family’s race.   The Cosby Show has always held a special place in my heart, but I believe it also holds a special place in the history of our country.   Without art there is no progression, and without Cosby there may have been no Obama.

A few of my favorites (at least favorites I can find on YouTube):

Do you love the Cosby Show as much as I?  I hope so!

California has voted to be the first state in the history of the United States to change its constitution to take away rights from individuals.    After a court decision a few months ago, California became yet another place where loving couples of the same sex could join together in marriage.  With Prop 8 passing these couples may now have their marriage licenses revoked.

Thank God for the ACLU.

The ACLU has filed a lawsuit with the state of California in an attempt to halt the changing of the state constitution. Citing regulations that require state legislators to approve any such change before it an take place they hope to defeat the proposal within the governing body.   I, for one, hope that the ACLU prevails.

Maybe I Am a strange person with strange beliefs, but I can not wrap my head around the fact that people have such a huge problem with homosexuality and gay marriage.  WHY?  It is baffling.   Why should a person in love with another not be able to join together in marriage?  Because they are the same sex?  WHO CARES.

I have an interesting study that shows people who scream and yell the loudest about their disgust of homosexuals are actually much more likely to hide similar feelings.    Ted Haggard for example.  While this is a fun fact to throw at any homophobe I meet, it still does not explain the widespread fear of homosexuals.   I would love to have an intelligent discussion with someone who opposes gay marriage AND is against the homosexual lifestyle.  I need to understand your point of view.  As of now, I can’t make any sense of it.

I thought California would defeat this measure handily.   Especially with the liberal shift we experienced on Tuesday.  But they didn’t.  I need to understand the thought process of the other side so that I can become a more informed activist for gay rights.

We are all people, and we can not control who we love.  This I know.

Our country has made a decision.  A decision to chase after hope instead of being paralyzed by fear.   The pendulum that had swung so far to the right has finally changed course, and I could not be more happy.  It is now the job of the American public to make sure promises made are actually kept.   I Am curious to see the decisions that will be made in regards to positions within the administration.   It is my hope that it will contain people from all parties so that we may come together and fix the huge problems we are facing.

As I look at reactions from around the world, I feel immense pride.  A pride I have not felt in many years.  We are once again a shinning example of what can be.  We have transcended what we were to once again become the beacon of hope our planet needs.

Amazing!

In 2004 we heard from the Republicans that John Kerry was a liberal.  They repeated it every chance that they had.   They used the word to describe Kerry AND to scare the right into voting in droves.  This tactic was VERY successful, and in my view this label (along with bogus gay marriage votes in many states) helped drive the vote that “won” President Bush his second term.

Luckily, people have woken up.  The term liberal no longer drives fear into the hearts of the general population.  After living under a “compassionate conservative” for the last 8 years people think a liberal couldn’t be that bad.  So what word could the Republican Party use to scare people away from the ideologies of the left?  Socialism.

From Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary

SOCIALISM:

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

Has ANYONE advocated the end of private property?  No.
Has ANYONE advocated for all production/farming/industry to be controlled by the state?  No.
Has ANYONE advocated for the government to own everything and distribute it equally?  No.

Someone has advocated that the tax rate for the wealthiest Americans should RETURN to the rate it was before President Bush.
Someone has advocated for tax breaks for those less fortunate.
Someone has advocated for more programs for the poor, our children, and the working class.

That someone is Barack Obama.  He is not a Socialist.  Anyone who says so is deliberately trying to stoke the flame of fear OR is an uniformed dolt.

“Hate is more lasting than dislike.”
Adolf Hitler

For me this election is about hope, but for many it is about fear.   Everyday I speak with friends and family who are literally fearful of an Obama presidency.  I Am not speaking about fear of his policies as my friend Chappy might have.  I Am speaking about fear of a man.   Fear of an African American man.  Fear of someone other than an old Caucasian sitting in the Oval Office.  This is the fear that turns my stomach.

You can hear it in their voices as they speak of Ayers, Wright, and of Obama’s Muslim faith.  You can see it in their eyes.  They do not want a African American in office.  Most are too PC to ever say this, but it is a hint of racism I see in their spirit.  They fear what they do not know.

Over the next 7 days we are all going to be flooded with tactics with the sole purpose of raising YOUR fear level.  It will be done with code words, associations, and subtle phrasing, but the goal is to allow this fear to grow.  You think woman do not deserve a choice?  Vote McCain.  You believe that tax breaks for large corporations really do help the American economy?  Vote McCain.  You believe that Obama is a terrorist?  You are an idiot.  You believe that Obama is a Muslim?  You need slapped.

Think on your reasoning for voting this election.  If it comes down to associations, inuendo, and mischaracterzations you are a racist.  Pure and simple.  I can’t wait for this thing to be over.

Q: Brandon Garcia wants to know, “What does the Vice President do?”

PALIN: They’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.

I Am speechless.  In charge of the Senate?  Someone is running for the second highest position in our country and they don’t have a clue what the job description is.   3rd grade civics class anyone?

Article 1 of the Constitution states: The Vice President of the United States shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

They break ties.  That is it.  They are not “in charge”.   People are actually excited about this woman.  They are actually praying that she is our next VP.   The fact some feel this way scares the shit out of me.  Actually scares me more than this idiot being in office.