It's been a long time since I wrote about politics. I gave up. I couldn't do it. Time and time again I was shown how badly the system is broken. We have a president who was not elected. We have had 8 years filled with absurdly blatant lies from Washington DC. We have handed over our civil liberties in the name of an enemy who is paraded about as leverage to earn a few people a whole lot of money. We have become terrified, paranoid, and reactionary creatures just waiting for the next person to throw the word "terrorist" into a pitch so we can bite on the one, too. America is no longer associated with justice, freedom, liberty, opportunity, hope, or goodness. Thanks to our government, we are now associated with injustice, oppression, tyranny, and evil. There is no longer accountability. The government has been proven to be above the law. The hardest lesson of my adulthood has probably been that truth and accountability no longer have a place in our world.
I can't believe that our country is run by people with American interests at heart. I watched the commodification of American liberties and security . I can't believe in the ability of the American government to provide for its own people. I watched New Orleans left to drown. I can't believe that the American government works . I saw a rigged election lead to a devastated economy, the defacement of the American name worldwide and the utter dissolution of meaning behind the words "freedom" and "liberty." I believe in my country... but I don't believe in our government.
When I was young and traveling Europe, you could go anywhere and tell them you were American and they would smile and open their doors to you. Now, because of the actions of our government, when I travel the world I get foul looks and harsh retorts when I tell people where I am from. I want to believe again.
There was a time when our economy looked unstoppable. We had a president who pledged to better America and he did. Jobs grew, savings grew, and the deficit shrank. When our current president took office the budget was balanced and there was a surplus in the coffers. Now we are over $9.6 trillion dollars in debt... $9,600,000,000,000 in eight years!!! The vast majority of that money has gone into the pockets of businessmen with direct ties to either the president or the vice president. I want to believe again.
I'm not kidding myself... never has there been a time when Washington was totally honest. But the blatant lies, deception and trickery have got to stop! I want to believe again.
I want to believe in my government again. I want to believe in America again. Tonight, thanks to some good-natured heckling by a fellow American I work with, I broke down and participated in this election season for the first time. I watched Barack Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. I wanted to cry... not because I believe in him, but because I remember when I used to believe. I remember believing in change. I remember believing that the money and power that fuels Washington D.C. could be overcome by the American voter. I want to believe again.
I'm not pitching for one person or another... but I'm begging you... I am literally on my knees as I type and I am begging you to help bring our country back from this horrible place George W. Bush has led us. Get informed. Get involved. The last eight years only happened because too many people fell for campaign gimmicks and Orwellian marketing tricks. Only education and conversation can overcome those things. I have planned on staying as far away from this election year debacle as I possibly could... but if you'll get involved then I will, too. I'll participate simply on the blind faith that this time it may work. I'll participate if it helps convince even one of you to look past the traditional decoy issues like abortion, immigrant rights and gun control to find the actual pressing issues. There is a reason these three things are issues every election but never actually change: they're a distraction from real issues. This can only happen if we, as individuals, educate ourselves and then talk with our friends. If they, too, are educated then when we talk we will sharpen our ideas and our beliefs. If they are not, then maybe they will learn from you or, even better, maybe they will be inspired to go and learn for themselves. It was my friend at work, Charles, who told me it was my duty to be involved... even when I didn't want to talk politics. See, it works. We talked and now I'm involved. I wouldn't be if he hadn't talked to me. Please... America can't stand another 4 years like that past 8. Stand up... speak out... be heard.
Goodnight all...
