Let's talk politics...

First... politics on Facebook... I've been disheartened by what I've been seeing on Facebook lately.  By the articles and news stories it seems that most of America is afflicted, not just my circle of connections.  A friend recently posted that she couldn't take all the negative, hateful words anymore and was going offline from Facebook until after the elections.  I was bummed by the thought of not having any regular interactions, as she is one of my daily peeps, but totally empathized with how she was feeling.  Rather than abiding by proper manners and etiquette, Facebook has empowered users to put at big 6 ft. sign in their front yard by means of cover/banner photos, profile photos and no pause to censor oneself on status updates.  Don't get me wrong, I have, and will continue to, post my political opinions, Like pages of specific politicians or causes, and RSVP for events for said politicians or causes that I believe in.  I'm an open book and not embarrassed by anyone knowing my views.  I will also readily engage in politic discussions.  The thing is, I do so in a respectful  manner that appreciates that everyone is entitled to their own opinions.  What has become of issue is the diatribes people are posting in which they accuse the party they aren't supporting as being evil, against our country, un-American, etc. and then go on to personally attack anyone that disagrees with them.  I've had friends threatening to unfriend other friends because they just can't believe the viewpoints said person has.  When did we become a society that values only one viewpoint.  I grew up believing that all people are different and each has a right to their own opinions.  I have many friends, and in-laws even, that have very, very different stances on some of the issues we are faced with voting on this year.  While I don't agree with them, I totally respect that they come to the booth with their own personal history, values and conscience.  That makes it okay.  We can disagree without it ending our relationship.  Seems to no longer be the case on FB.  I also believe that passion behind your beliefs is awesome, as long as you still respect that not everyone is the same and not vilify them for it.

Now let's talk about those actual 6 ft. signs.  Well, no...not really.  I have no issue with the 6 ft. signs.  A  friend actually has several in her front yard.  I completely disagree with a couple of them (particularly one that is an issue up for State Constitutional Amendment) but think she is a great location for it to be placed as it is in full view of the freeway.  I only hope she charged all the political parties that saw the amazing possibility her yard presents!  Little Miss Sassy Pants and I got into a heated discussion of this when she made the mistake of saying to me that the person was wrong.  I emphatically explained to her that it is absolutely ok to say that an issue is wrong, but not the person.  Every person has a right to their own view - no matter how warped and twisted we think it is.

And then there is the nastiness that surrounds the normal sized yard signs.  At a cross section where I get off the freeway after work daily, the political advocates have been placing signs.  Good location, well thought out.  Except then the shenanigans started up... it started with a Vote No sign being placed there.  Shortly after the Vote Yes sign was up and the Vote No was gone.  That didn't sit well with me.  Next day, Vote No was back up and Vote Yes had not been touched.  Then the Vote No sign was gone again.  This kinda ticked me off as it was obvious that Vote Yes was removing Vote No's sign.  Next day the Vote No was back and the Vote Yes was gone.  I was no longer ticked, I was now livid - the Vote No people had sunk to the Vote Yes people's underhanded dirty tricks.  Seriously... why can't we all have our viewpoints without the nastiness?  After several back and forth now it appears that both are gone.  I'm thinking it would be nice if it stays that way!

Finally, let's circle back around to the Facebook your party vs. my party issue that is going on.  This is really flippin' simple.  Stop thinking in a mentality of a two-party system.   As long as you think in that mentality, your only option is this guy or that guy.  Ugghh!  How sickening is that?  There are not only two parties.  There are not only two candidates.  There ARE other options.  I personally have been more aligned with the Libertarian party the past several voting spells.  And that is how I've voted - based on how I actually believe - not on the 'lesser of two evils' mentality.  That is so frickin' bogus.  And I've heard a thousand times over that I'm just throwing away my vote,  But here's the thing, I would rather vote by what I believe in and stand for, than align myself with someone that I don't.  Plus, we are never going to see the change in our system if we keep that mentality - that there are only two choices.  There will continue to only be 2 choices until America wakes up and says they are done with it by voting for candidates that are not Democrat or Republican.  Does that mean you/your guy may not win this election or even the next - yes, probably.  But by taking a stand and making the change, over time we WILL see a difference.  Our children will then be able to vote based on candidate, not based on a 2 'major' party system.  The Mahatma Gandhi quote "Be the change you want to see in the world" is splayed all over the place and it totally fits - BE the change you want to see in this world.  It is only if we change that then the system will also change - and our system IS broken.  Stop saying the quote and start living it.

I'm done... but Little Miss Sassy Pants has something to say on this too...

My Point

on Politics

Imagine a painting, that while standing several feet away is an expansive, beautiful landscape but when you step in a few steps becomes a jumble of different colored dots. This is the concept of pointillism, in which thousands or more small points come together to make the picture that people admire from afar.

America is that landscape painting that people are admiring; people from within and outside its borders. From a distance they, like the art critic, will see the overall picture, and like pointillism, when they look closer can see each individual person, or dot each a specific color and shade that add to the overall piece. Lately though, more and more of these dots are all the same two colors: red and blue, Republican and Democrat.

Without the many shades and hues of all the colors, a pointillist painting will never come together to look like anything other than dots jumbled together, and in the same way, America will never be a beautiful country without the many colors of people. If we accept the constraints of two parties, our views will never be correctly expressed by our leaders, and for the “land of the free”  and the “home of the brave”  that isn’t a good enough option.

We can make a better painting of America, but first, we must vary our colors, and branch out to the edge of our horizons till we find a better fit for our own opinions, because without the first step towards changing our color scheme from red and blue to the expanse of a rainbow we will never make it to that point. So, dig through the crayon box, look at all the colors this time...Slate, Tangerine, Magenta, Green, Libertarian, Independent, Constitution.., and together we can paint a better picture.