--- /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.9.1/optparse.rb.orig	2008-10-09 08:21:42.000000000 -0700
+++ /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.9.1/optparse.rb	2008-11-07 15:27:19.000000000 -0800
@@ -1073,8 +1073,28 @@
         end
       end
 
+################################################################
+#
+# author: keith cascio, since: 20081107, keith@ucla.edu
+#
+# fix necessary because Ruby 1.9 Symbols respond to :match
+#
+# 1107140223> /usr/bin/irb
+# irb(main):001:0> RUBY_VERSION
+# => "1.8.5"
+# irb(main):002:0> :keith.respond_to?( :match )
+# => false
+# irb(main):003:0> exit
+# 1107140240> irb
+# irb(main):001:0> RUBY_VERSION
+# => "1.9.1"
+# irb(main):002:0> :keith.respond_to?( :match )
+# => true
+# irb(main):003:0> exit
+#
+################################################################
       # directly specified pattern(any object possible to match)
-      if !(String === o) and o.respond_to?(:match)
+      if (!(String === o || Symbol === o)) and o.respond_to?(:match)
         pattern = notwice(o, pattern, 'pattern')
         conv = pattern.method(:convert).to_proc if pattern.respond_to?(:convert)
         next