Yes I’m crazy. Yes I sat up until around 3 am on Election night/morning. I guess it’s the journalist in me. With my background, I have plenty of friends that were in the Clinton camp. I also have plenty of friends in the Trump camp.
Both candidates promised hope. Both candidates promised a better America.
The problem is that America was, and still is, a melting pot. People of different races. People of different religions. People who are just different. And there is nothing wrong in that.
The problem comes in that there is no compromise.
The problem comes in that there is no tolerance.
None from either side.
Either you love my candidate or you hate me.
If you love your candidate, who is not my choice, then you don’t know what you are talking about.
It doesn’t matter which side you are on. The above holds true. And for me, I can see both sides.
On the Republican side, you had a guy who, to a lot of us, seemed to be offensive, crude and at times just downright mean and hateful.
On the Democratic side you had a lady who again to a lot of us seemed to be a criminal and someone who could and would violate some of their basic rights.
The candidate who you were against was just so opposed to your beliefs that you felt threatened by them. So, even though your candidate wasn’t a great candidate, you couldn’t vote for the other person no matter what.
I’ve seen this path since the election of 2004 between Bush and Kerry. In that election, in my opinion, the Democrats nominated someone who was so far left that the undecideds just had to vote against him.
In 2008 both sides did this and the gap gets wider and wider each election cycle until we get this.
One big divided mess of a country. And the candidates lead us this way. Ads show how bad the other candidate is. Ads show that you will be hunted down and killed for either your race or beliefs.
We have to get past this mentality. We have to start listening and understanding.
Yes. Healthcare in this country is messed up. Maybe the Republicans can work with Democrats to compromise on Obamacare if Democrats can compromise with Republicans on Gun Control.
Maybe a Democrat can give in a little on tax cuts if Republicans can back off some on Privatizing Social Security.
Discussions and compromises like this made this country great and this country needs more discussions like this.
If we can’t do this, then this county is headed toward what could be another civil war. It wouldn’t be a war between the states like we had before. It will be a war of the races, the religions and the classes.
We must come together in unity and come to these compromises. We will never be one country again if we can’t meet somewhere in the middle on these issues. Both sides are at fault. I don’t blame one party over another. Both sides have made this mess and I’m sorry, if you don’t believe that, then you are part of the problem.
If you can’t be the person who can sit down with the other side and compromise on the issues, then get out of the way. You are blocking the road to progress.
If you have nothing to say other than how bad it will be if one party wins, then you are part of the problem. Again, move out of the way.
This country needs leaders, real leaders. Someone who wants to make this country better and not just bash someone else. If you can’t run on what you can do for the country, just shut up and move.
Again, this goes for both parties. We have had enough of this hate mentality.
Just look at your social media feeds. Nothing but hate. Nothing but bashing. I have never wanted to drop off the grid more than I have the last two months or so. I can’t open Facebook without seeing so many post about how the other candidate is so horrible.
I wanted to just unfollow everyone no matter who they were when they posted something bad about the candidate that they were not supporting. We don’t get anything accomplished this way. If I am having a discussion with you and you have nothing to say other than how bad I am for following this candidate, it’s not going to take long for me to shut down from listening to you.
This does nothing but damage relationships and this causes nothing to get done. I can get more accomplished with someone who I have respect for but don’t agree with what they believe in than someone I have no respect for but have everything in common.
I can’t say that I have been blameless in this. I know I have posted some things from time to time about candidates I didn’t like. I’ve tried this election cycle to not post anything about it. I’ve tried not to comment on someone’s post. It can be hard at times but I don’t want to contribute any longer to the problem.
I guess I need to end this rant. I could go on and on but at this point I think you get the idea.
So next time you want to post something, think twice and ask yourself, “does this just fuel the flame or does it propose a solution?” If it fans the flame, delete it. If it proposes a solution or starts a discussion, then post it.
Please. Just please, be a part of the solution.
Be the solution or get out of the way
2022 Reading Challenge
Darrell has
read 10 books toward
his goal of
20 books.
0 Comments