It’s been a hectic couple of days since the election. I worked, I finished a sizable assignment, I spent half a day at a class, I got sick. I haven’t been able to react here, which means all that commentary sort of got ditched without a conclusion. Although, in truth, there’s won’t be a conclusion for a long time. There’s much more news to follow, appointments to be made, a transition from the Bush administration to the Obama administration.
As I was doing my usual surfing today between bouts of vertigo, I checked on MySpace and Facebook and was heartened to see lots of positive, celebratory comments. Then I started to notice the hateful ones. The comments about Obama being the anti-Christ, impeachment planning, and my favorite was a bulletin titled “F You Obama”–a sarcastic thank you letter to those who voted for him and an assurance that Americans will lose all their civil rights shortly. Most of these comments and scriptures were posted by women (girls?) I went to high school with, and with whom I have little in common anymore. They invite me to drinking parties occasionally, or I run into them in a grocery store, or they pop up in one of my English classes at the college. For the most part we lead different lives, don’t talk, but “see” each other online.
While I admit to loathing and despising the Bush administration, I don’t recall ever calling him the anti-Christ (not out loud anyway) or publicly throwing a hissy fit that involved rampant cursing. I didn’t vote for John McCain and I’m not fond of Sarah Palin (to say the least), but I didn’t call him a Communist or her a whore.
A couple of commentators on some news channel or other were talking about the difference between the people and the politics. That’s something I need to keep in mind, as do many others. I can disagree with someone’s politics without being ugly to them. Instead of writing back to my former girlfriends whose beliefs are so far removed from mine, I came here to talk it out with cyberspace and whomever might drop by. This is the way my unfinished bulletin started:
If you’re thoroughly confused and upset that so many of us could vote for Barack Obama, check out this latest post from Heather B. Armstrong of Dooce.com. In the latter part of this latest letter to her daughter, Leta, she explains what happened in the ‘08 presidential election, why it’s important, and what drove her to vote for Obama.
http://dooce.com/2008/11/05/newsletter-month-fifty-seven
Aside from the issues that liberals and conservatives will never agree on, in general what’s wrong with voting for a man that urges Americans to be accountable for their choices, urges us to roll up our shirt sleeves and dive into the job of fixing our problems, is educated, well spoken, calm and collected under pressure? At least let him take office before you plan the impeachment.
Knowing full well that this wouldn’t do any good I decided to just let it go. The point is, I’m sick of hatefulness. It’s hard for me to take these women seriously–who so openly advertise their Christianity–when they’re so willing to spew their filth without so much as a nod toward the reasoning for their political decisions or even an even-tempered discussion of the scripture. I wonder if they ever watched a debate or if they did, whether they listened. I’m not saying they should agree with me, but it would be nice to have a civil conversation at the very least.
Alas, I know it won’t happen, and I know those pods of angry people will exist after any election. At the end of the day I can’t let it put a damper on my own joy and celebration. Politics is hard because it’s directly tied to who we are as people. It is an outward expression of our personal ideologies. I hope this election makes me a better part of the political process–more tolerant, more open, more willing to discuss the issues with those who don’t agree with me.
While I can’t claim to have always been perfect, or even close, in these regards, there comes a time to stand up and talk instead of screaming. I’m glad to say that I’ve had a number of civil, informative, intellectual discussions with McCain supporters throughout the course of this election, and for that I’m grateful. It makes me hopeful that those who are willing to talk are a larger number than those who choose to hate.
One of the many reasons I voted for Obama is that he makes me want to be a better person…to strive to be more responsible, more active in making the world a better place, and increasingly more informed and reasonable. It’s an important lesson and, sadly, one that needs to be continually rediscovered.
