So it has come to this.
Fear.
Do you think that Obama is a terrorist? Do you think he has enough experience? Do you think he hates whitey? Do you think he's buying the election because of his ties with Acorn? Do you think he's going to pull us out of the war and make us vulnerable to terrorism again? These are the hot buttons of America. We call ourselves a Super Power, when in truth we're just a bunch of chicken-shits.
The past eight years have prepared us for this. The campaign of fear. We don't talk issues anymore. No one really cares where anyone stands on the things that really effect us. We elected Bush in 2004 based on gay marriage and a war that had nothing to do with 9/11. We sit at home and watch our TVs and wait to hear what we need to hate and fear next. And then we eat it up and ask for seconds.
This is no way to live. And it's certainly no way to run a campaign.
Acorn, Marxism, Rev. Wright, Ayer, Muslim. It's all window-dressing for the real reason people fear Obama. He's black. He could be the first black president of the United States. When I step back for a moment and think about that, it's amazing. And I'm proud that we have come this far. Proud, that is, until I watch people call him a terrorist and yell "kill him" at rallies. But who ever thought this was going to be an easy road? I'm sure Mr. Obama didn't. And I think of the courage that all that must take. We praise John McCain, and rightly so, for being a prisoner of war and yet we recognize nothing of the sacrifices Obama has made to run in this race. And not once have I seen him get angry at this hatred. Not once have I seen him point his finger. Not once have I seen him call something unfair. Instead I have seen him rise up again and again and make this election about things that matter. That is because he is a leader. I understand that some people can't see that. We haven't had one for a good long time.
I had a conversation with a friend of my family yesterday. He is a wonderful man. He is kind and generous and I have not heard him say a nasty word about anyone. And yet, when it came time to talk politics he said he was voting for McCain because Obama was a Muslim. And once a Muslim, always a Muslim. I tried to argue the point with him - but he wasn't listening as I'm sure a lot of people aren't. It's easier to not listen. To fear. To hate. It's much harder to understand. To love. To embrace. Those are honorable things. Where we got lost on these issues I have no idea, but this is where we are.
It's no way to live life. And it's certainly no way to run a Country.
I am 37 years old. I have voted in every single election since I was old enough to do so and yet I have never felt like my vote counted as much as it does tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm not just voting for a black president. I'm voting for a different Country. One without fear.
Fear.
Do you think that Obama is a terrorist? Do you think he has enough experience? Do you think he hates whitey? Do you think he's buying the election because of his ties with Acorn? Do you think he's going to pull us out of the war and make us vulnerable to terrorism again? These are the hot buttons of America. We call ourselves a Super Power, when in truth we're just a bunch of chicken-shits.
The past eight years have prepared us for this. The campaign of fear. We don't talk issues anymore. No one really cares where anyone stands on the things that really effect us. We elected Bush in 2004 based on gay marriage and a war that had nothing to do with 9/11. We sit at home and watch our TVs and wait to hear what we need to hate and fear next. And then we eat it up and ask for seconds.
This is no way to live. And it's certainly no way to run a campaign.
Acorn, Marxism, Rev. Wright, Ayer, Muslim. It's all window-dressing for the real reason people fear Obama. He's black. He could be the first black president of the United States. When I step back for a moment and think about that, it's amazing. And I'm proud that we have come this far. Proud, that is, until I watch people call him a terrorist and yell "kill him" at rallies. But who ever thought this was going to be an easy road? I'm sure Mr. Obama didn't. And I think of the courage that all that must take. We praise John McCain, and rightly so, for being a prisoner of war and yet we recognize nothing of the sacrifices Obama has made to run in this race. And not once have I seen him get angry at this hatred. Not once have I seen him point his finger. Not once have I seen him call something unfair. Instead I have seen him rise up again and again and make this election about things that matter. That is because he is a leader. I understand that some people can't see that. We haven't had one for a good long time.
I had a conversation with a friend of my family yesterday. He is a wonderful man. He is kind and generous and I have not heard him say a nasty word about anyone. And yet, when it came time to talk politics he said he was voting for McCain because Obama was a Muslim. And once a Muslim, always a Muslim. I tried to argue the point with him - but he wasn't listening as I'm sure a lot of people aren't. It's easier to not listen. To fear. To hate. It's much harder to understand. To love. To embrace. Those are honorable things. Where we got lost on these issues I have no idea, but this is where we are.
It's no way to live life. And it's certainly no way to run a Country.
I am 37 years old. I have voted in every single election since I was old enough to do so and yet I have never felt like my vote counted as much as it does tomorrow. Tomorrow I'm not just voting for a black president. I'm voting for a different Country. One without fear.
Amen, brother.
ReplyDeleteHear, hear! I have never been more excited to vote in my life.
ReplyDeleteGreat post Piper.
ReplyDeleteAllow me to also join in the praise for this post... Sadly, without anything useful to add.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone.
ReplyDeleteNeil, I'm a simple man. Praise is good enough for me. Thanks for the comment.
Piper, I hope you're right about the prospect of a new country with a turn of the election tomorrow ... but my cynicism is muting my enthusiasm. Recent history has shown repeatedly that the current method of government has mutated away from the principles of the Founding Fathers.
ReplyDeleteFor true and lasting change, we would probably need American Revolution 2: Electric Bugaloo. Of course, Americans have gotten too lazy to turn off American Idol, put down the remote, and fight for their freedoms anymore.
I' sure Thomas Jefferson is spinning in his slave right about now.
Ooops ... I meant grave.
www.therecshow.com
Nice little slip there.
ReplyDeleteRay, I think you're probably right.
I'm hoping that when all this is said and done, the 'true' Republicans get so fed up with their party that they become libertarians and we start to look at a landscape that involves more than 2 parties.
Avoid further contact with your family friend. Anyone who thinks simply being a Muslim is a "bad" thing is just not worth spending time with...It's not the specific religion or belief system, it's the people who take their beliefs to the far side of a spectrum - the orthodox folks and those that think that everything is black or white ("your with us or agin us!").
ReplyDeleteOf course, I probably know several people just like your family friend too, so who am I to say anything...
The reality of it we have become a nation of pointing the finger rather than pointing the thumb. Unlike you Piper, I will not be voting for a black man tomorrow and it has nothing to do with his skin color, his religion or his associations. It does, however, have everything to do with his policies. I could not agree with you more. Living in fear is not a way to live life or run a country. I think George W. Bush has been, at best, a bad president and at worse, the worst president in modern history. I think the Iraq war has been mishandled. I think Bush's economic and foregin policies have been a disaster. But then, I'm not voting for Bush. I am, however, voting for someone who I don't agree with all of his policies, but I do agree with more than Obama. Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. I think Obama may well be one of the best speakers around. I think he is highly intellegent. I feel he is a great leader. I also feel his support of things such as Card Check, Freedom of Choice and Tax policy are not only foolish, but also reckless. What scares me more than his policies, however, is that fact that if the Senate becomes "fillabuster proof" with 60 in the Senate, the brilliance of our checks and balance system are out the door. If you look back through modern history, our economy and our country has done the best when you have one party in power in the executive branch and the other in power of the legislative branch (See Regan and Clinton)
ReplyDeleteI believe Obama will be the next president and the fact that we will have a black man as president is a thrill and very exciting to watch. Any time we are standing the midst of history being made, both good and bad, I think it is a wonderful thing. In times of bad (see September 11th) I can only hope we learn and in times of good (See the Berlin Wall falling) I can only hope we can repeat.
I truly hope that when Obama wins he governs from the center, like Bill Clinton and Regan did rather than from the fringe like G.W. and Carter did.
Anon,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments.
It's wrong of me, and I didn't mean to imply that if you're against Obama, you're against the fact that he's black. That would be as narrow-minded as the people I'm writing about.
It's refreshing to hear you speak of issues. What has kept leaning more democratic has been strictly social issues. In truth I'm much more conservative fiscally, but that seems to be the flavor these days.
I, like you, do worry about a Democratic President and Senate. We need those checks and balances and the pendulum will swing back as it always does.
Thanks again for your comments.
"What scares me more than his policies, however, is that fact that if the Senate becomes "fillabuster proof" with 60 in the Senate, the brilliance of our checks and balance system are out the door."
ReplyDeleteIf that does become a reality, and if they do overreach, that would be GREAT for the Republicans. You could vote them all out, and the tide would turn once again.
The problem with the current system is that Congress doesn't do anything, they are so gridlocked. Nothing gets done.
I'd rather see one party in control, and finally try to do something with health care, and Medicare reform, rather than just talking about it.
If they do the wrong thing, the Republicans can elect Sarah Palin in 2012.
And unlike what Fox News wants you to believe, Obama IS a moderate. He was the most moderate of all the Democratic candidates. The poll that said he was the "most liberal Senator in the Senate" was, essentially, a joke because there was only a one vote difference between him and Hillary (about a very non partisan issue).
Bob,
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't know my friend to be a very good man, it would be easy to dismiss him. He's 90 years old (not that that should really matter) but he's pretty damn set in his ways. What disturbed me is that he really wasn't concerned with the fact that he was wrong on Obama being a Muslim.
Piper,
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the political blogging party. Your post is more serious than many of mine have been, and I feel the need to applaud you.
I'm 20, and this is my 1st time voting. I've never felt more American than at this particular juncture.
Paul,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. Glad you're voting. And thanks to Acorn, you can vote as much as you like.
I kid, I kid.
LOL ... I love you, Piper ... LOL ...
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ReplyDelete