I never considered pledging a sorority when I was in college. I knew that I wasn’t sorority girl material for a myriad of reasons, the primary one being that I am not good at group think. I don’t follow along well, I don’t take orders (a pledge week requirement) and I ask too many questions. These traits have kept me from joining the military, getting along with all my bosses, and being a good parishioner of my church. It has also kept me a political independent-voting across party lines based on the issues and the individual rather than the plank. This election has been no different and I voted a few weeks back based on what I knew, didn’t know, like and don’t like about the candidates and their vision for this nation. I did my very best to make an informed, rational decision, saving my emotion for later. And now, election day is upon us.
Should my candidate, Senator Obama, and my really favorite guy Joe Biden, lose, I will be disappointed. I will truly believe in my heart that something went terribly wrong and I will worry about the fate of this great nation. I will worry about more war and death, poverty and a crashing economy, freedom of speech, the sanctity of the Constitution, the environment and lots of other things. Mostly I will worry about Senator McCain’s health. I will turn off the television and be sad, but life will go on.
But I really really want McCain to lose, and lose soundly. I want this to be over and for this country to send the McCain-Palin ticket packing. I cannot recall ever being this invested in an election in my entire life. And not just for my children, and for all that I dream for their future, but because I am angry, personally angry at John McCain.
I spoke to my mother on the phone yesterday to wish her a happy birthday and to begin discussions on the upcoming holiday season and who will eat where when. We talked about a lot of different things, but not the election. At least, that was not my intent. I don’t talk politics with my parents because we are on completely different sides of the universe on things. Not just the candidates, but the issues. There’s simply no need to go there, as it will be to no avail for either side. Sex, politics, religion, not on the table as far as I am concerned. But yesterday my mother made a comment that upset me. She threw it in there I assume in an attempt to sway me, bait me, persuade me-I don’t know. She made a comment to me that clearly indicated that she is afraid-truly afraid of an Obama victory. Personally afraid.
My mother. Afraid.
Now I understand much of her perspective. I understand her age, her upbringing, and how the issue of race plays in her thinking. Her lifelong prejudices run deep, and the idea of an African-American president is an anathema to her. But it is more than that. She has one news source, FOX-or the RNC. She has listened to everything and done no independent research, no verifying of information, no questioning. She has no interest in such. She has been fed a big heaping bowl of fear-and has swallowed it. John McCain and Sarah Palin have-without information, data, evidence, or anything to support such- told my mother that she has to fear Senator Obama-personally. Not that she need be concerned about her taxes, not worry about choice, education, the war. But fear. Fear that this man is a Muslim terrorist. Fear that she will soon be speaking Germany . Fear that Septemer 11 was just the beginning . Fear that she needs to stay home, stop traveling, and lock the door. Fear that Barack Obama is the boogeyman, the antichrist, evil.
John McCain, knowing full well that there is no reason to fear Barack Obama, has used scare tactics to win an election. He has not told my mother what he plans to do for this country, he has not told my mother why he disagrees with Senator Obama politically, he has told her to fear. Fear this man. Fear his skin color, his religion, his parents, everything.
John McCain has scared my momma.
Politics aside, that’s reason enough for me to want to take him out to the parking lot and beat the shit out of him. You-don’t-mess-with-my-momma.
My mom, your mom, countless moms and dads and grandparents. Scared.
For no reason at all.
Winning at all cost. That’s what this campaign turned into at some point for McCain-Palin. Winning at the expense of the truth. Winning at the expense of honest dialogue or debate. Winning by bullying and intimidating and frightening people.
Yes, it is the individual responsiblity of every voter to think, to analyze, to research. Everyone should look long at hard at both sides of every candidate and position. We are all called upon to be informed voters, to understand that we can’t listen to the pundits or make decisions based on lopsided information gathering. But,
that’s not the case. Most people listen to one side and then go with that.
And okay, so be it.
But this time that one side has gone to far.
That one side has pandered in fear.
That one side has my momma frightened and worried about her future-her safety.
And that’s why I am ready for this to be over. And that’s why I am holding my breath and hoping. And that’s why I am working the polls, making the calls, and driving the voters tomorrow. For the first time in my life, my election day won’t be my own-it will be Barack Obama’s, Joe Biden’s, my daughter’s, and
my mom’s.
My mom
who has nothing to fear.
1 Comment
November 3, 2008 at 8:12 am
[...] Tomorrow. Published November 3, 2008 Uncategorized Tags: McCain-Palin, Obama-Biden http://tammyr2.wordpress.com/2008/11/03/enough/ [...]