The election season is revving up into high gear, potential candidates are dropping like flies, rhetoric is flying, what more could a political junky ask for?
This campaign so far has been mild for the most part, the rhetoric tame, but it is clear to anyone paying attention this is simply the calm before the storm. Aside from the standard jabs at fellow prospective candidates and the man sitting in the Oval office things haven’t been too crazy yet. Unfortunately I do not foresee things staying this way. The first signs of the coming ruthlessness were first exampled in the treatment of and witch hunt to destroy Herman Cain. I find it quite ironic, no make that extremely hypocritical, that the Democrats were all over Cain like white on rice for the very same behavior they not only condoned but worshiped to a point in Bill Clinton. It was eye opening to say the least, that is if your eyes weren’t already opened to the so called party of tolerance. Now don’t get me wrong, the Republicans are just as bad when it comes to hypocrisy, especially when it comes to their attempts to enforce morality on others when they themselves have been less than stellar examples of it. How can someone claim that gay marriage defiles the sanctity of marriage when he himself has three marriages under his belt and countless episodes of cheating on his partners? Unfortunately though, Americans are so divided that they are only able to acknowledge the hypocrisy of those they oppose while turning a blind eye to the very same behavior in those they support. It shouldn’t be that way, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Hypocrisy, bigotry, moral degeneration, none are bound by partisanship, none are exclusive to one so called team or another. Constantly pointing out the foibles of those you oppose while condoning the same in those you support is the epitome of hypocrisy. How can you claim to be tolerant when you refuse to accept others right to hold a different opinion than you? How can you claim to have the moral high ground when you without fail condemn anyone, except yourself, who fails to rise to your personal standards of morality? How can you claim to be accepting, yet chastise those who refuse to believe in your personal form of what is fair, what is equal? If you are going to be outraged, so be it, just make sure your closets are clean before going after those you apparently feel are your mortal enemies. When you refuse to see the bad in those you support, while failing to acknowledge the good in those you oppose you do nothing but expose yourself as an ignoramus, a hypocrite. Nothing positive whatsoever is accomplished by this never-ending blame game, it’s nothing more than a circle jerk of epic proportions. Putting yourself above others in your own head simply because they refuse to kowtow to your narrow world view actually lowers you below them in reality. But people can’t see that, they are far too blinded by emotional rhetoric, pretty words and empty promises.
Americans need to stop looking at the world, the nation, the economy, anything and everything, through red or blue glasses. The political spectrum is wide and varied, positions come in all shades of red, blue and even purple (gasp!). Very few people can actually truthfully claim to be a liberal, a conservative, a Democrat, a Republican. They simply do so because it is ingrained behavior. Whether it is easier to affiliate than stand alone, or they are simply following the example of others they share characteristics with, they are doing a grave disservice to not only themselves, but the nation as a whole. When one refuses to take the time to educate themselves to the realities, instead relying on the opinions of their leaders, in order to make a decision, it can, and more likely than not will, have disastrous consequences. People need to stop bleating like sheep and realize that the glorious party is NOT all knowing. They need to realize not only is it possible to hold true to views which fall all over the spectrum, but normal, rational, and intelligent as well. Why we allow ourselves to be limited in our choices for whom we elect to lead us is beyond my comprehension. We as Americans would never tolerate being told we can only purchase that blue four door or this red four door, so why do we allow ourselves to be dictated to on a matter of much greater importance?
Our nation is facing a crisis few of us have had the misfortune of experiencing before, thank god. However this lack of real life experience has led to astonishing levels of ineptitude, misplaced anger, and outright gullibility. People have become so damn passive and apathetic in the good times they have forgotten that the truth is often not as it seems. This apathetic culture has led to the downfall of logical reasoning, independent thought and intelligent discourse based in actual facts rather than meaningless hearsay and opinions. It is a truly sad commentary on what was once known as The Greatest Nation In The World. We have allowed ourselves to become a nation of sheep, a nation of followers, meek, to be seen but not heard, nor taken seriously. We make excuses for everything from crime to poverty rather than working to eradicate them. We use straw men like the race card and moral outrage to further enhance our status as a laughingstock. Why? Why do we allow this to continue? Are we truly the stereotypical lazy Americans so many foreigners portray us to be?
It’s not too late, we can still turn things around. We can once again reclaim our place as Super Power, economically, socially, humanely. It’s going to take work though, hard work, difficult choices, and most of all cooperation. No more blaming the other guy. No more refusing to acknowledge views that do not march in lockstep with yours. no more pitting the reds against the blues, minorities versus majorities, poor versus rich. We are all in this together and it is far past time we started acting like it. Our elected officials as of late have prospered due to their reliance on the age old strategy of divide and conquer. As long as they keep us fighting, tearing each other down, no one gets built up, aside from the wallets of the puppet masters pulling the strings. Is that what you want? To go down in history as a once great nation which dissolved into a squabbling flock of sheep? I for one do not. I refuse to allow those elected to SERVE us to continue on this path of destruction. Thankfully I know many others like me. While we face a long and tough fight, we won’t give up, not until we change things. The question is, will you join with us or continue to mindlessly follow the flock?
This will not change until our youth are taught to be proud again. In our classes we tear our nation down, appolgetics weep over deeds done hundreds of years ago. Appolgetics demand “equality” via statistical representation in the work force. Appologetics trade a position of strength for one on their knees. Until our children are taught a fervent nationalistic pride, until our children stop appologizing, we are lost. The best hope for this country is a resurgance of pan Americanism. We are better, simply because we are.