We Go On...Hurting Each Other...

I have kept my mouth shut during the entirety of the Presidential Election of 2012. I haven't made a fuss on Facebook, or twitter, and have rarely even spoken about it outside of my inner circle. That was my choice alone and I don't regret it.

Now that the election is over I'm ready to express some of my own opinions. That's right; opinions. A definition of the word "opinion" is, "a personal view, attitude, or appraisal." Now, that's not the only definition, but it's the one that best represents the usage of the word in this blog. I'm not expecting you to agree with my opinion, because it's mine and mine alone.

1. I'm sick of politicians. All of them. The ones that run have enough money to do so, but I don't believe that they're the ones that should be running. Those who are progressive and honest, those who believe in something bigger than themselves, and those that can really "change" the country for the better are unknown or not running because they lack the financial backing. I predict that in the future this country's politicians will be wearing uniforms much like the ones that the NASCAR drivers wear, decked out (head-to-toe) with commercial sponsor patches.

2. Those people who have uttered the words (or posted them on Facebook), "I will de-friend/stop talking to/hate you if you vote for [Insert name of opposing Presidential Candidate]" should really think about what they're doing. Is this the way that we change America for the better? With hate, anger and intolerance? Chances are, the reason that you're voting for someone is because they support one particular issue (maybe more). Did you ever think that the other side is doing the same exact thing? It doesn't make that person evil, it just means they care very strongly about that issue.

3. The issue of Gay Marriage is not an issue. It's a basic human right. I was told, practically from birth, that when I grew up I could marry the person that I love the most. For me, I'll be marrying a man who treats me well, who loves me and who I love deeply. That's something that I get to look forward to. Are you telling me that my roommate, who was told the same exact thing all of her life, doesn't get that because she's gay? I've been thinking about this a lot. I was raised Catholic and am still comfortably practicing my faith as an adult. My parents taught me to love others and to respect them. I was told many times growing up that I was "the way that I was" because God made me that way. So is everyone else. I'm not going to hell because I'm spastic and they aren't going to hell because they're gay. There are many reasons, spiritually and scientifically, why I support gay marriage. If you'd like to discuss this further, let me know.

4. Bi-partisanship is breaking this country apart. I feel no ties to either party right now and I know that many people my age feel the same way. There is a lot of discontent among our generation with both sides. The way the two parties argue and cock-block one another, we'll never change anything. I don't want to support a government that acts like a bunch of school yard bullies and the candidates in this election were no better. It made me sick reading and seeing the bashing done by both sides. Have we forgotten that they are human beings too? Unless you know them personally, you should have no opinion about who each candidate is as a person. Leave their wives, children, and families out of it. If I hear one more person call, President Obama or Former Governor Romney evil, one more time, I'm going to scream. In my own, humble opinion I don't believe that there's a candidate from either party that wholly represents me and what I believe in.

5. The gloating after the election is even worse. I saw someone's post today that was something like, "I hope those of you who voted Romney, will support Obama now that he's re-elected."
Was that ever a question? Really? There will always be one winner and one loser. Half the country went to bed disappointed with the outcome last night. That's just the way it is. That doesn't mean that the disappointed half is going to go crazy and start the 2nd US Civil War or something. Be kind to one another. Both sides will have sore losers and sore winners. We just can't seem to leave well enough alone. It would have been the same if Romney had won.

6. I stopped believing victory speeches a long time ago. It makes me think of Beauty and the Beast: "Well, there's the usual things: flowers... chocolates... promises you don't intend to keep..." I don't believe one word of them. Ever. It's pointless. The next four years are going to go the same as the last four. Also, I don't like to hear the winning candidate ask the country to put aside our differences and move forward together. The winners always say that. It's condescending. Their campaign just spent the last year ripping apart the other's. It's not so easy to put aside hurt and disappointment and no losers (half the country) want to hear it from you.

I just had to get that off my chest. I'm not going to apologize for anything I've said here. I will not be defined by my political opinions and therefore, you should feel the same exact way about me today as you did yesterday. Also, if you read this whole blog, I applaud you. It was a long one and it didn't have pictures. Heck, if you let me know that you read all the way through it I'll reward you with a fortune cookie reading!

I leave you humming The Carpenters' "Hurting Each Other."