It's January 15th. In any normal year, this would mean that, yet again the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday is going to prevent my Dad's birthday card from arriving on time. This year, it means we're a handful of days from Obama's swearing in. Sitting in my apartment tonight, Sarah Fisher and I spoke for a while. About life things, school things, and about Barack. We both have the feeling that we really can do anything. And part of that feeling comes from the energy that has come from this most recent campaign's result. I'm so hopeful and so happy, I know I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight because I'm all geared up again. While I want to keep the negativity to a minimum--in general and in the next few days in particular--I will say this:
I watch videos of Barack's speeches, confessionals of his supporters, and celebrity campaign tributes, and I feel so privileged to have the particular set of values and views that I do. Charles meets Barack is a video of an elderly campaign volunteer who gets to meet the now-president-elect. I don't like Barack Obama because kind, elderly men have nice things to say about him. But I like Barack Obama because I truly believe he cares about kind, elderly men. The bitterness and hate that comes from the mouths of Republicans today blows my mind. How can anyone--politically involved or not--be happy with themselves harboring so much weight on their hearts. I am not one for roses and cake, but come on. Can you conservatives/republican/neo-cons/Palin-lovers out there honestly tell me that being whatever of the previously mentioned things you claim to be makes you happy? It's all so depressing and mean.
Hateful is really the best word. And all this bullshit about personal responsibility. Give me a break. While personal responsibility might go out the window when people manipulate that bargain to their own advantage and screw their middle managers out of a livelihood past age 55. Of course individuals must be held accountable for their actions. I love that this is the argument most conservatives now cling to, because they think they can pin it on us welfare-loving-pot-spoking liberals. No. No. No no no no no. Just THINK for a moment about the fact that you live in a country. A country with borders to protect, roads to pave, electricity to distribute, food to keep safe, and business to keep honest. What else do you think the government is for? But really, it all gets back to hate. Why do you find it appealing to hate gays, hate poor people, hate Muslims, women who would rather be allowed to choose and those who support them, the UN, healthcare, the French! for god's sake. And truly, oftentimes in God's name.
It just sounds so terribly exhausting to me. I don't care for bad drivers, the Olive Garden, or people who dress inappropriately for their environment, but those are minor, forgivable offenses that will not spark a race riot or class war within our borders. They are also personal decisions that I have made and for which I take responsibility. I do not intend to force my own driving etiquette on others, nor do I protest my friends going to the Olive Garden or dressing poorly. Well, I protest but only because I love them. How one could be comfortable harboring so much hate towards specific groups blows my mind. I can't even say I hate republicans. I will concede that some I count as friends, and others I might understand their positions (if well researched and defended), but the inability for anyone to not be overwhelmed with hope when it is more necessary than anytime before in our lives baffles me.
Stand up and say that you disagree, table the destructive hate and God-speak, and understand that things are worse than the boss has been telling you. And know why we're all so excited. Finally--FINALLY--the (almost) boss can pronounce 'nuclear'.
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