The Last Word
Nov. 4th, 2004 02:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
batskeetsThis is the absolute last post I am going to make about the election. I don't even really want to be making another post about it, but there are a few important things I would like to point out, in light of the what I've been seeing online.
And yes, this is totally a marathon-length post, but I'm not Lj-cutting it. So don't ignore it!
1. THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO END. Seriously, it isn't. No, I'm not particularly looking forward to watching Bush shoot out yet more horrendous foreign policy from his rectum, either, but the earth will continue spinning, and he won't be doing it forever.
And yes, Measure 36 is awful, and it sets a bad precedent. However, the very nature of the measure required amending the state constitution. So, if we can make that change now, we can also un-make it in the future. Nothing is set in stone. If it's the will of the people, it'll happen.
2. Fleeing the country is NOT the answer. Yes, you can joke about it. I do it, too. But in all seriousness, if you actually leave the country, then you're just leaving it behind in the hands of all the people you disagree with, so they can "screw it up" even more. This country is your home, like it or not, and you shouldn't allow anyone to chase you away.
If you're one of the people who is dissatisfied with the conservative platform, or the Bush platform, then YOU are one of the people who needs to stick around, stick up for yourself, and stick up for the beliefs in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that this country was founded upon. You need to stay and be that voice of opposition, the voice that points out the inconsistencies, and the problems, and the unfairness that you feel.
Change is a constant thing, and we are currently experiencing changes that some of us consider to be less than positive. But, it could easily be the other side having that experience, before long. It's the nature of society to swing back and forth on these issues over time, so rest assured that it WILL come back around. But, it can't come back around if you aren't there to provide that necessary voice of change.
3. People are still people, regardless of what they believe. We are not all going to agree with each other. That's a fact of life. And yes, some people are bigots, and some vote out of fear. But in reality, there's pretty much an equal proportion of Bad People in any given group, whether it's based on race, age, politics, social alignment, whatever.
So, don't generalize about the "uninformed rednecks." Don't generalize about the gays and lesbians. Don't generalize about the "hoity toity Yankee bitches," or the African-Americans, or Latinos, or Asians. For pretty much every label I've just listed, I have met at *least* one exception to the common perception.
Obviously, not all gays are perverts or child molesters. And as such, not all people voting against gay marriage are doing so because they want to keep "those dirty fags" from doing anything normal. We have to remember that a good proportion of people believe what they believe for reasons that may actually be legitimate, and we have to try and respect that. And that brings me to the next point:
4. We can't stop thinking. EVER. We have to keep looking at all sides of the issues. We have to keep making our own judgement calls. We can't just eat up whatever our designated political party feeds us, or go along with what our parents told us, or just agree with what our teachers taught us. Bush has polarized the people of this country more than anyone in my lifetime, and it's pitting us against each other. It's becoming more of a Two-Party fight than ever, and the issues are getting tossed by the wayside.
If you believe in a moderate approach to government, or if you believe that the two party system is doing us a disservice, then you need to think outside of party lines. You need to look at the issues and decide what *you* believe. You need to call the media and the campaign committees on their biases and their personal attacks and say, "well, okay, so he/she did such-and-such 15 years ago. But what's his/her stance on issues X, Y, and Z as of today?" You need to teach your kids to educate themselves and decide what feels right to them. You need to voice your dissent in an informed and rational way.
If we don't challenge both the Republican and the Democratic parties in their way of thinking, if we don't stick our heads up and say, "hey, there are actually more than two ways of thinking about this," then we aren't going to find a solution that most benefits everyone. If we continue to be one side versus another, then we may never reunite as a people. Do you really want to go around hating 50% of your countrymen?
So, please, let's calm down, and stop with the swearing and unbridled outrage. I know it hurts. If you read anything I wrote yesterday, then you know that I'm pretty terrified by some of this, too. But we need to keep things rational, and encourage some real discourse if we're ever going to make changes happen.
And don't just say it, either. Put it into practice. While you're questioning others, remember to take a good look at yourself, too.
... I need to stop abusing this icon so much. ::laughs::
And yes, this is totally a marathon-length post, but I'm not Lj-cutting it. So don't ignore it!
1. THE WORLD IS NOT GOING TO END. Seriously, it isn't. No, I'm not particularly looking forward to watching Bush shoot out yet more horrendous foreign policy from his rectum, either, but the earth will continue spinning, and he won't be doing it forever.
And yes, Measure 36 is awful, and it sets a bad precedent. However, the very nature of the measure required amending the state constitution. So, if we can make that change now, we can also un-make it in the future. Nothing is set in stone. If it's the will of the people, it'll happen.
2. Fleeing the country is NOT the answer. Yes, you can joke about it. I do it, too. But in all seriousness, if you actually leave the country, then you're just leaving it behind in the hands of all the people you disagree with, so they can "screw it up" even more. This country is your home, like it or not, and you shouldn't allow anyone to chase you away.
If you're one of the people who is dissatisfied with the conservative platform, or the Bush platform, then YOU are one of the people who needs to stick around, stick up for yourself, and stick up for the beliefs in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that this country was founded upon. You need to stay and be that voice of opposition, the voice that points out the inconsistencies, and the problems, and the unfairness that you feel.
Change is a constant thing, and we are currently experiencing changes that some of us consider to be less than positive. But, it could easily be the other side having that experience, before long. It's the nature of society to swing back and forth on these issues over time, so rest assured that it WILL come back around. But, it can't come back around if you aren't there to provide that necessary voice of change.
3. People are still people, regardless of what they believe. We are not all going to agree with each other. That's a fact of life. And yes, some people are bigots, and some vote out of fear. But in reality, there's pretty much an equal proportion of Bad People in any given group, whether it's based on race, age, politics, social alignment, whatever.
So, don't generalize about the "uninformed rednecks." Don't generalize about the gays and lesbians. Don't generalize about the "hoity toity Yankee bitches," or the African-Americans, or Latinos, or Asians. For pretty much every label I've just listed, I have met at *least* one exception to the common perception.
Obviously, not all gays are perverts or child molesters. And as such, not all people voting against gay marriage are doing so because they want to keep "those dirty fags" from doing anything normal. We have to remember that a good proportion of people believe what they believe for reasons that may actually be legitimate, and we have to try and respect that. And that brings me to the next point:
4. We can't stop thinking. EVER. We have to keep looking at all sides of the issues. We have to keep making our own judgement calls. We can't just eat up whatever our designated political party feeds us, or go along with what our parents told us, or just agree with what our teachers taught us. Bush has polarized the people of this country more than anyone in my lifetime, and it's pitting us against each other. It's becoming more of a Two-Party fight than ever, and the issues are getting tossed by the wayside.
If you believe in a moderate approach to government, or if you believe that the two party system is doing us a disservice, then you need to think outside of party lines. You need to look at the issues and decide what *you* believe. You need to call the media and the campaign committees on their biases and their personal attacks and say, "well, okay, so he/she did such-and-such 15 years ago. But what's his/her stance on issues X, Y, and Z as of today?" You need to teach your kids to educate themselves and decide what feels right to them. You need to voice your dissent in an informed and rational way.
If we don't challenge both the Republican and the Democratic parties in their way of thinking, if we don't stick our heads up and say, "hey, there are actually more than two ways of thinking about this," then we aren't going to find a solution that most benefits everyone. If we continue to be one side versus another, then we may never reunite as a people. Do you really want to go around hating 50% of your countrymen?
So, please, let's calm down, and stop with the swearing and unbridled outrage. I know it hurts. If you read anything I wrote yesterday, then you know that I'm pretty terrified by some of this, too. But we need to keep things rational, and encourage some real discourse if we're ever going to make changes happen.
And don't just say it, either. Put it into practice. While you're questioning others, remember to take a good look at yourself, too.
... I need to stop abusing this icon so much. ::laughs::
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 02:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 02:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 02:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 03:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 03:27 pm (UTC)I think I go around hating 90% of my countrymen most of the time.
But yeah, big ups on the post. I've been thinking the same thing since yesterday and seeing everyone going crazy about it.
I am surprised there are no riots on the streets of Portland.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 03:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-04 09:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-05 06:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-05 06:43 am (UTC)