Saturday, November 08, 2008

a few words of hope

As much as I want to go on and on about how happy I am right now about the outcome of Tuesday's election I will refrain so as not to offend certain members of my family. I do not consider myself either republican or democrat, I vote for those I feel I can trust to make the best decisions and those who represent my values.

However, I just want to point out how stupid some alleged republicans are--the same people complaining about the possibility of higher taxes and socialized health care (and they say socialism as though it is a dirty word) are saying they are going to pack their bags for Canada. WTF? You're a bunch of idiots, I'm not even going to tell you why because you obviously have no grasp on reality and have about as much sense of the world as a certain hockey mom from Alaska.

I grew up with and maintained republican sensibilities most of my life although I always sympathized when it came to social issues because I have a hard time leaving fellow man and woman out in the cold. (And quite honestly, I feel the values I was raised with fall under liberalism.) Through my education and experience I have come to realize there are major systemic flaws in this country, a country which I love. I do not fault either republicans or democrats alone for these flaws. I have come to understand that I am not antiwar but I am for avoiding war at all cost. I am certainly not anti-military and I hold a deep respect for the men and women who devote and risk their lives for this country and know that they deserve way more than what they are given. My father was a Marine (joined by choice, not drafted), fought in Vietnam, underwent experiences I'm sure most of us could never imagine and I love and respect him with all my heart and soul for his decisions. To me, he, like all military members, is a true hero. I have always felt the two party society was necessary for checks and balances in our government, but hey I'm all for a third party to create an even greater sense of balance because at this point, neither party is working well in my mind. I've also come to understand why urban society swings more to the left and rural areas more to the right, and that it isn't just about good wholesome values.

I don't agree with the lack of regulation on large companies or the concessions allowed to them. In the mid 90's I watched as my parents' small business fell victim to a company that monopolized the flower business in Des Moines by buying out wholesalers and controlling prices and product. With the evolution of technology, economy and globalization in business and culture our government needs to keep up. Such lack of regulation is simply outdated. Our government was designed to evolve with us and we need a breath of fresh air to get that going.

One thing that I can't understand and cannot stand is when people are hypocrites. When people shame one man for straying from his wife, but ignore the same fault in another because he happens to be on their side. John Edwards strayed when his wife was ill. That's disgusting to me. But so did John McCain. His wife suffered catastrophic injuries while he was a POW, she did not tell him or want this to be public knowledge for fear it could worsen his conditions as a prisoner. When he returned he had extramarital affairs. That disgusts me too.

Another thing I can't understand and cannot stand is when people accept the usual rhetoric and do nothing to investigate on their own. (I don't care who you're voting for as long as you are educated on what and who you vote for). I feel the same annoyance with those who voted for Obama simply for his "cool" factor but have no idea what his ideals and views on policy are.

But the one thing I truly cannot understand or stand for is the disgust I have seen in those who did not want Obama elected. I do not expect them to be happy or be celebratory. But I do expect them to respect our new president. I was taught growing up to respect my president even if I did not agree with him because he is the leader of my nation. I admit, I have not agreed with W. I do not believe in the war we are currently "fighting," I have no idea why it is being fought or toward whom, it is a war that makes no sense to me. I do not believe in W's no child left behind policy, it has further stagnated our children, some of our nation's greatest assets. While I don't agree with W, I do not mock him and I certainly do not discount his efforts and I do recognize he has done a few good things. I feel he misdirected a lot of energy and did not use opportunities well. But I do not make him out to be a fool, (though I readily laugh and shake my head as I do at any human when he makes a fool of himself). What I have already seen though in the last three days is degenerate mockery of our president elect and it saddens me that all Americans cannot recognize this historic moment in our nation's history. It saddens me that there is such hate in people's hearts. That is sad. Very sad. All I can say is that I will do my best to hold on to my hope that this moment's significance is not lost on those who need it most.

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