I'm not American.....but here's my 2p
Last night I caught up on little bits from the US Presidential Campaign. There's a reason I hate politics and its not because I can't handle it or I'm soft....it's the pure lack of respect for other human beings. They talk over each other, they fail to listen because they already have answers they wanna give in their heads anyway. They argue, they don't debate. I couldn't watch much of Clint Eastwood's speech because he just ripped apart the president and people were cheering that....?!
I was much more impressed with President Bill Clinton's speech because he advocated not only for Obama but for Republicans and Democrats to work together. Cooperation. Is that a dirty word? Is it a liberal word? Is it a compromise? Well how well is the current system working, I ask that?
I like that the American people have so much education and so much interest in politics because here in Northern Ireland it was difficult growing up to know what the heck was going on. However when Clint Eastwood said that the number of unemployed in USA makes him want to cry, the destruction of a man and his character on live television makes me want to cry. That, and the billions spent on campaigning, but that's another rant.
When Bill Clinton spoke about how a republican got put out of the party because 'he realised he didn't have to hate the president to disagree with him' I realised he was onto something. Cooperation isn't a dirty word, it just means you don't have to destroy a man to work towards what you want. But isn't that the way it's always been, I hear you say, that's just how politics goes. But don't you want it to change?
Both sides have their downfalls, it's not easy to say who I would vote for if I was indeed American, but if it went on attitude (and if they could put their money where their mouth is and carry it out) I like the Democrat approach. (This doesn't make me a Democrat.) Yes Obama isn't doing what he should in terms of the abortion issue but Romney fiddles his taxes and believes when God comes to reign, it will be from the centre of Missouri. Yes! Obama hasn't fulfilled many promises made but Romney doesn't want to actively look out for the poor in America. No man is perfect. No man is the complete package. No man is the Saviour of America. Because they are only men, whose hands are tied so tightly by a political system which advocates freedom as every person's right. The way it actually works out though, it puts enough power into the hands of the citizens to actually make a change instead of waiting for a Presidential messiah to do it for them. Will the people continue to tear apart a man and his character, his very family life and refuse to cooperate with the good things he is doing or will they advocate for the change they want in a better way? In a way which moves forward rather than stands still. In a way where change can actually be made in terms of abortion, jobs, climate change...
I can hear people dismissing me as naive, as a dreamer, as a bit mushy but Jesus said to love your enemies. He didn't say you must agree with them on all points and give over every part of yourself but He said to love. To me, that means to not hate a man because you disagree with him, to not spend the majority of your time slandering his character, to work towards something better, for yourself and for other people.
Cooperation is not a dirty word.
I was much more impressed with President Bill Clinton's speech because he advocated not only for Obama but for Republicans and Democrats to work together. Cooperation. Is that a dirty word? Is it a liberal word? Is it a compromise? Well how well is the current system working, I ask that?
I like that the American people have so much education and so much interest in politics because here in Northern Ireland it was difficult growing up to know what the heck was going on. However when Clint Eastwood said that the number of unemployed in USA makes him want to cry, the destruction of a man and his character on live television makes me want to cry. That, and the billions spent on campaigning, but that's another rant.
When Bill Clinton spoke about how a republican got put out of the party because 'he realised he didn't have to hate the president to disagree with him' I realised he was onto something. Cooperation isn't a dirty word, it just means you don't have to destroy a man to work towards what you want. But isn't that the way it's always been, I hear you say, that's just how politics goes. But don't you want it to change?
Both sides have their downfalls, it's not easy to say who I would vote for if I was indeed American, but if it went on attitude (and if they could put their money where their mouth is and carry it out) I like the Democrat approach. (This doesn't make me a Democrat.) Yes Obama isn't doing what he should in terms of the abortion issue but Romney fiddles his taxes and believes when God comes to reign, it will be from the centre of Missouri. Yes! Obama hasn't fulfilled many promises made but Romney doesn't want to actively look out for the poor in America. No man is perfect. No man is the complete package. No man is the Saviour of America. Because they are only men, whose hands are tied so tightly by a political system which advocates freedom as every person's right. The way it actually works out though, it puts enough power into the hands of the citizens to actually make a change instead of waiting for a Presidential messiah to do it for them. Will the people continue to tear apart a man and his character, his very family life and refuse to cooperate with the good things he is doing or will they advocate for the change they want in a better way? In a way which moves forward rather than stands still. In a way where change can actually be made in terms of abortion, jobs, climate change...
I can hear people dismissing me as naive, as a dreamer, as a bit mushy but Jesus said to love your enemies. He didn't say you must agree with them on all points and give over every part of yourself but He said to love. To me, that means to not hate a man because you disagree with him, to not spend the majority of your time slandering his character, to work towards something better, for yourself and for other people.
Cooperation is not a dirty word.