There are election posts all over the blog-o-sphere today …
I’m afraid mine won’t be the exception. I’m so sorry, but I need to get this off my chest. This journal is something I would like my children to read someday – I want them to know how I felt about sensitive issues and why I did some of the things I did. But because this post is likely to piss off some people and I have no desire to get into a heated debate with anyone because this is how I feel, and what I’m thinking right now, I’m shutting comments off. Thank you for understanding.
I have to be honest. Since the hubbub of the election theatrics campaigns began, I’ve been reading more and more blog opinions, very strong opinions at times, about our country’s politics in general and our presidential candidates specifically.
And most of them have (eventually) pissed me off to no end.
And I’m not one to usually get too upset over what I read on blogs because come on, we all have opinions. It’s our right to have our own opinions, at least, the last time I checked we still have that right, that may change in the near future, but we’ll cross that bridge if we’re forced to.
And even though we might have been reading certain bloggers for any number of months/years and feel like we KNOW them, we don’t really. You and I both know that a lot of times what is written on our blogs is an exaggeration, or a condensed/diluted version, of real life due to the ever elusive attempt to entertain and/or make people laugh so they will love us and want to keep coming back. So you know, whatever man. Tit for tat. You take everything you read on blogs with a grain of salt; at least you should and I certainly do.
I’ve lambasted written before about how we ought not to judge bloggers simply because someone has picked one candidate over the other. After all, speaking for myself, I’m a Republican, to a point. I don’t necessarily agree with everything the Republicans stand for, but overall, they advocate less government and I’m 100% for that, so I typically vote Republican. Now whether that conjures up an automatic image of me in your mind, so be it. I am who I am, no one can take that away from me, and I will certainly not apologize for that.
But wow. Enough with the condescending I’m-better-than-you-are and what-I-think-is-how-you-should-live attitudes. It’s a huge turn-off. I respect bloggers who present a well thought out argument as opposed to those that nitpick appearances or lifestyles and ignore what’s really important – what they want to do with our country.
I was listening to Rush Limbaugh yesterday (*insert collective groan here*) and something he said really caught my attention – you can convince people to do what you want simply by wording what you want in a certain way. It truly is all about rhetoric – the art of persuasion. If you can master Ethos, Pathos and Logos, then you can be king of the world – or your slice of the world, at any rate. And people, politicians especially, are MASTERS of rhetoric. And if they are not, they are TAUGHT to be masters of rhetoric. They will say, they will act, they will do anything that is necessary in order for you to believe that they are the answer to your prayers. And if you step back and think about it logically, no one man, no one organization can ever be that to you (other than Christ, but you know). The only way you’ll have a better life is if you consciously choose to have a better life. WE, as individuals, are the grease that keep this country’s engine running. I’ve never truly understood people’s need to have someone take care of them, to guide them, to tell them how to think and what to do.
It angers me when people get sucked into something, not because they got sucked into thinking that way, but because the power-people who coaxed them there used their vulnerabilities, fears and desires to trick them into thinking that was the right path to take. I think it’s so cruel to prey on people’s weaknesses to gain individual power. And then when they have people’s trust, they use and abuse it to fuel their agendas.
I’m not referring to just politics now, I’m talking about nearly every aspect of our lives.
I guess the point of this post is to say, QUESTION AUTHORITY. It’s okay to take a step back and evaluate what’s going on around you. Don’t allow yourself to get sucked into the hype or into what’s popular. Think about all aspects of the issue and then ask questions, seek the truth, then make your decision.
The husband and I were talking at lunch yesterday and he said, “Do you think if people really stopped to think about what the Democrats stand for they would still want to be Democrats?” He was specifically talking about the need to support people who are less fortunate. On the surface, This sounds good. Who doesn’t want to help people out, right? So, we help them out. Then what? Do they take the initiative and turn their life around, or do they take the easy road and continue to stand in line, their hand outstretched and wait for another handout? Handouts that come out of OUR pockets because someone has to foot the bill.
Being human? We want the easy way out – it’s in our nature. Why work when we don’t have to, right?
But don’t you see the flaw in this? There’s no motivation for them to get themselves out of that situation when we make it so easy for them to stay where they are? So, in the long term, it’s sort of cruel to make them dependent on us, don’t you think?
It annoys me when people perceive Republicans as cold-hearted, that they are only interested in helping the wealthy and giving businesses tax breaks. Again, that opinion is not encompassing the big picture. Why is it cold hearted to want to give everyone the same chance to succeed? How is it our fault if some people do not choose to take that opportunity? Why is it our responsibility to support those that refuse to support themselves? Giving businesses breaks, and encouraging enterprise sparks competition, which sparks more choices, more businesses, more jobs, a better and stronger economy.
*sigh*
The husband and I rolled out of bed and made our way to the polls at six this morning. We arrived at our designated place and were SHOCKED to see about 75 people already standing in line. We didn’t have time to wait so we went home (he needed to get to work, I needed to get the boys up for school). But it was encouraging to see so many people taking an active interest in our country.
I went back to vote a little after nine this morning. The place was still busy, but nothing like it was at 6:00. I walked in and it was like a party was going on in there. People were talking to each other – complete strangers just shooting the breeze. There was laughter, there were many smiles and everyone was so friendly and upbeat. I loved it. It made me feel strong. It made me feel proud to be an American because we’re all in this together and we all just want to leave a better world for our children.
I”m sorry to get all preachy on you and if you’ve made it this far, thank you for sticking it out. I appreciate your time. I sincerely hope that this post has:
1. Given you a better insight into what I think and how I feel – whether that’s good or bad, only you can decide and
2. Given you something to think about. Because if what I write makes you think? Then my job is done and I can shut up now. 🙂
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