August: Dog Days of Summer

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Hate all the hate

Not too much to say tonight....

I will say this: I took my kids with me to vote this morning. Pete and I explained to them all about how we are so lucky to live in a country where we are free and have the right to contribute our voices and influence our own governance. That there are so many places in the world where people don't have this freedom or right. That voting is a privilege and by voting, we are exercising our constitutional rights and freedoms and how important that responsibility is. Sounds really heavy for five year olds, but I think they really got it. They got the idea that in other places in the world, women aren't allowed to pursue an education- much less vote. They got the idea that our individual vote is important and purely private- that whoever we vote for is not only our own private business, but also that whoever or whatever we vote for should be a reflection of our own convictions and principals- that we should always vote our conscience. I'm really proud of them. I'm really proud of our country, regardless of the election outcome- I'm proud that people get out there and vote and exercise that right.
Here's what I hate about the election: I hate all the hate. I hate that this country has become so divided and polarized. I hate the assumptions on both sides of the fence that the people on the other side of the fence are assholes. I hate that people are hating others because of their political views, religious views, ANY views. I hate that people are so polarized that intelligent discussion can't even happen. I hate that there is so much emotion on both sides, that there seems to be no meeting ground. I hate that politics has created such an intense and dangerous rift between people in this country. I hate that relationships that happen between people these days is based on political conviction, and conversely,  that relationships are also broken due to political thought. I hate that politicians- ALL politicians are like snake-oil salesmen: they charm, and sleaze, and promise. And not a whole lot ever really changes.

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