I voted for Barack
Obama because he was black. I thought, by electing a black leader, we could end
racism. (How ironic – hypocritical, naïve – is that?) I thought other countries
might see the gesture as progressive and forgive us for being dicks throughout
the previous administration. I might have voted for McCain had the soccer mom
he was saddled with for a running mate not been an illiterate nut job. I could
have punched the hole (again) for Nader, or could have written in Wavy Gravy or
Willie Nelson - not that my vote counts; I live in Palm Beach County. But, Obama was eloquent and charismatic and, unlike candidates
of color in previous years, he seemed to actually have a chance at claiming The
Job. I thought he had courage. He promised change, and I believed him. I also
believed, if he followed through with his promises, he’d be shot before the end
of his first term. That could have made him a saint – at least a martyr. We all
saw how that turned out.
I didn’t vote for
him (or anyone) again, because he didn’t change a damn thing. As our country’s
first POTUS of color, he certainly had the attention and the opportunity. Turns
out, the political “Divide and Conquer!” mentality of R’s and D’s is much
deeper, wider, and more convoluted than I thought. Our politicians are puppets at best. All are liars. Some are criminals. Maybe Obama knew, if he made the
important, unpopular decisions, he really WOULD be shot. Maybe it was fear that
kept him from changing the world. Or maybe the perks of playing along really
ARE worth the sacrifice of a nation. Not that it matters; until “None of the
Above” makes it on the ballot, I’m considering staying home on election day.
Some say I’ve
grown cynical. Personally, I think a more accurate description would be
disgusted. Our country is being run (into the ground) by greedy corporate dirtbags, and we just keep slurping our Frappuccinos and gnawing on our Big Macs and Cheesie Poofs and letting it happen. WE, the people, with a little
research, ingenuity, and sacrifice, have the power to regain some balance and
stability here, we just don’t seem to have the interest. Why is that? Are we
truly so self-absorbed with fantasy football and/or busy prepping for “the big
one” we’ve forgotten to take precautions to ensure “the big one” doesn’t hit? Don’t
get me wrong; I see all the Facebook and Twitter posts about rights and freedoms and Wall
Street and Benghazi, so the bulk of you are neither ignorant nor dispassionate.
I worry, though, that we’ve taken ourselves – specifically our political and
religious beliefs – too seriously, and to everyone’s detriment. For example: While
we debate about climate change (global warming, cycles of the earth, whatever
it’s called today), ice caps are melting, islands are sinking, snow is falling
in the desert, and drinking water reservoirs all over the globe are drying up.
Instead of debating its existence, whether because it goes against God or
Republicanism, we SHOULD be scrambling for ways to deal with it. Not everything
is a debate; sometimes the truth is just the truth.
Here’s another
example: We say we love our country, but we keep electing Republicans and
Democrats – two parties PROVEN time and again to be narrow-minded and corrupt. As
evidenced by that first sentence up top, I’m just as guilty as the next guy,
partially due to lack of research (i.e., laziness), partially due to the fact
that there’s not often an alternative. As I get older, however, and as I watch
our country sink further into the cluster fuck of no return, I’m thinking
there’s gotta be a better way. Instead of blindly supporting a color – be it
red, blue, or black – maybe it’s time
we support our country and its people by electing leaders who won’t cater to
whichever special interest group offers the biggest perks and will actually
lead us out of the mess we’re in.
“How do we do
that?” you might ask. And I’d be glad you did. For starters, you can go hate
Darrin Willhite. He’s tons smarter and more informed than I am. He’s also a
dear friend and former next-door neighbor who recently started a political blog
that’s straightforward, intelligent, and bound to piss someone off. You can
also make a pledge to yourself to start using this Internet thingy for more
than Facebook and Words With Friends and, maybe once each week, Google a new
question like, “Who are my choices for Governor/President/District Court
Judge?” or “How can I make a difference in my community?” Most importantly, use
your head; look around you, talk to your friends and family, ask yourself
what’s wrong, and get involved in the efforts to make this a better place.
Change starts at
the bottom - that means it starts with you.
C’mon: Be the
change…
~ Dawn
