I am a real American
Last friday I took part in my first presidential election, and to be frank it was the biggest pile of bullshit imaginable. I got in line around 4pm and waited five hours in a long as line, in the cold. I would have waited even longer but I saw Sean G. in line ahead of me and he let me break in line. Not the coolest thing I've ever done, but it saved my sanity. Although the wait was pretty awful, the experience of actually contributing to the election process was pretty surreal for me. It feels like throughout my entire life I've just been sitting idly by, while everyone else contributes and everyone else's opinions matter. Now I am one of many. I am a voter, my opinion matters, and politicians have to work to convince me to vote for them. Its as if John McCain and Barack Obama are actually speaking to me, as opposed to my parents. I now have to take it upon myself to become actively involved in political issues and become informed on various platforms. For my entire teenage life, it seems like all this stuff has just been pounded into my head, without any application. Now its time for me to apply what has been reinforced to me throughout my life, and it feels pretty damn good.
Speaking of the election, I think that if John McCain wins this election I will probably lose all faith in the American people and the basis for which we make important political decisions. It so depressing to see people buying into assertions made by the McCain campaign of Obama's relation to Bill Ayers, his "socialist" ideals, and his "not loving his country." 1. He was eight when Bill Ayers and Weather underground planned their attacks, and since then, Ayers has not been officially convicted of any such crime and has a legitimate teaching position at the University of Chicago. 2. Modern economics is a hybrid of sociolism and capitalism, and besides that McCain supported the $700bil bail out, which is about as sociolist as anyone can get. 3. Who gives a flying fuck if Obama doesn't where a phony American flag button and hold his hand over his heart during the national anthem. We're in an economic crisis, people are dying over a failed war, public education in America is the worst ANYWHERE, our healthcare system is a joke, and unemployment rates are at a record high. The very fact that conservatives choose to point this crap out shows how desperate they are for votes.
Another problem I have with conservatives in this election is the way they've demonized certain terms in order scare people into not trusting Obama, and run to McCain. For instance, making allegations that Obama is a Muslim. Most intelligent people in this country probably heard that and said "...sooo?..." while the not-so-intelligent ones were saying "Oh my God, hes a got-damn terrist!" Can you blame them for thinking that though? Why else would McCain and Palin be asserting these type of allegations if there wasn't some kind of imminent threat to Obama's reputation (the answer being that they're desperate and are trying to play on the fears of ignorant Americans).
The other word they've been throwing around is "socialist." For some reason, people are truly appalled when they hear this word. Its like they're trying to make him look evil by associating him with any idea thats not capitalism. Their thinking is that socialism=communism=nazism, when the reality of the situation is that those three things are completely different. And aside from that, WE DO NOT LIVE IN A PURELY CAPITALIST SOCIETY. One could even argue that McCain's plan to hand out $5,000 to Americans to pay for healthcare (lol) is a socialist idea. The definition of the word is not limited to taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Jesus Christ, I mean open a fucking book.
My point is that regardless of political affiliation, everyone should recognize that the stuff being said about Obama is just ridiculous, and wouldn't even be brought up if he was white. Yeah, I said it. What? Wanna do something? Lets go right now. I'm ready ya racist pansy.
Seriously though, its fucked up.
Speaking of the election, I think that if John McCain wins this election I will probably lose all faith in the American people and the basis for which we make important political decisions. It so depressing to see people buying into assertions made by the McCain campaign of Obama's relation to Bill Ayers, his "socialist" ideals, and his "not loving his country." 1. He was eight when Bill Ayers and Weather underground planned their attacks, and since then, Ayers has not been officially convicted of any such crime and has a legitimate teaching position at the University of Chicago. 2. Modern economics is a hybrid of sociolism and capitalism, and besides that McCain supported the $700bil bail out, which is about as sociolist as anyone can get. 3. Who gives a flying fuck if Obama doesn't where a phony American flag button and hold his hand over his heart during the national anthem. We're in an economic crisis, people are dying over a failed war, public education in America is the worst ANYWHERE, our healthcare system is a joke, and unemployment rates are at a record high. The very fact that conservatives choose to point this crap out shows how desperate they are for votes.
Another problem I have with conservatives in this election is the way they've demonized certain terms in order scare people into not trusting Obama, and run to McCain. For instance, making allegations that Obama is a Muslim. Most intelligent people in this country probably heard that and said "...sooo?..." while the not-so-intelligent ones were saying "Oh my God, hes a got-damn terrist!" Can you blame them for thinking that though? Why else would McCain and Palin be asserting these type of allegations if there wasn't some kind of imminent threat to Obama's reputation (the answer being that they're desperate and are trying to play on the fears of ignorant Americans).
The other word they've been throwing around is "socialist." For some reason, people are truly appalled when they hear this word. Its like they're trying to make him look evil by associating him with any idea thats not capitalism. Their thinking is that socialism=communism=nazism, when the reality of the situation is that those three things are completely different. And aside from that, WE DO NOT LIVE IN A PURELY CAPITALIST SOCIETY. One could even argue that McCain's plan to hand out $5,000 to Americans to pay for healthcare (lol) is a socialist idea. The definition of the word is not limited to taking from the rich and giving to the poor. Jesus Christ, I mean open a fucking book.
My point is that regardless of political affiliation, everyone should recognize that the stuff being said about Obama is just ridiculous, and wouldn't even be brought up if he was white. Yeah, I said it. What? Wanna do something? Lets go right now. I'm ready ya racist pansy.
Seriously though, its fucked up.