My home and native never-fucking-leaving-Canadia-land.
I sometimes feel like either a very naive person or a very young child when I'm reading about things to do with American politics, particularly during election time. We just had a federal election here, and the whole thing was over and done within six weeks, pretty well. I'm sure we wasted our share of money with all the polling and campaigning and such, but still. Six weeks. Hell, you guys have been putting up with this since before the series finale of Gilmore Girls, where Rory's off and puttering about the campaign trail with Obama and the team. Weird, thinking about that now.
Anyway... I'm going to stow my wide eyed confusion about the American election process for the moment and just start with saying this: to all of you who've voted already, or are planning to vote, thank you. I'm serious--thank you, very much. It's sometimes very strange being Canadian. We're glued right to America, but we have absolutely no fucking say in what happens. Which, y'know. Appropriate. We're not Americans after all. But it's scary sometimes to have all these global changes happening, and be stuck right to you, and absolutely powerless to do anything at all to affect the course of change.
So if you've voted, or you're going to vote, thank you. Thank you even more if you've done your homework, really looked into things, and made informed choices. Not just for President, but regarding your local representatives. I know enough about American politics (ie: I've watched enough West Wing *snort*) to know that the President can't do everything. He needs a House and Senate who he can work with.
If you haven't voted, or aren't planning to, I won't nag, I promise. But I will say this--please do. Please inform yourself, please take the time and get involved. Your vote matters. No, it really, really, really fucking does. Even if you're in a state that's tattooed red, even if the vote you cast won't change the status quo. Every vote is a voice speaking out in the darkness. It matters. If nothing else, do it for the rest of us living out here in the world whose fates are so tied to the fate of America, and who can't vote. And if that doesn't help? Remember: If you don't vote? You can't bitch. No, you really can't.
Okay. End lecture/praise from the Jay. I'll be holding my breath for the next few weeks. Good luck and God speed to all of you.
Anyway... I'm going to stow my wide eyed confusion about the American election process for the moment and just start with saying this: to all of you who've voted already, or are planning to vote, thank you. I'm serious--thank you, very much. It's sometimes very strange being Canadian. We're glued right to America, but we have absolutely no fucking say in what happens. Which, y'know. Appropriate. We're not Americans after all. But it's scary sometimes to have all these global changes happening, and be stuck right to you, and absolutely powerless to do anything at all to affect the course of change.
So if you've voted, or you're going to vote, thank you. Thank you even more if you've done your homework, really looked into things, and made informed choices. Not just for President, but regarding your local representatives. I know enough about American politics (ie: I've watched enough West Wing *snort*) to know that the President can't do everything. He needs a House and Senate who he can work with.
If you haven't voted, or aren't planning to, I won't nag, I promise. But I will say this--please do. Please inform yourself, please take the time and get involved. Your vote matters. No, it really, really, really fucking does. Even if you're in a state that's tattooed red, even if the vote you cast won't change the status quo. Every vote is a voice speaking out in the darkness. It matters. If nothing else, do it for the rest of us living out here in the world whose fates are so tied to the fate of America, and who can't vote. And if that doesn't help? Remember: If you don't vote? You can't bitch. No, you really can't.
Okay. End lecture/praise from the Jay. I'll be holding my breath for the next few weeks. Good luck and God speed to all of you.