I realize that this is America. We all have the right to our own opinions, whether it applies to politics, religion, sports, or your favorite burrito (although Chipotle is clearly the only right answer). I have found that despite our strong views and opinions, that most people aren't anxious to talk about things they know nothing about though. For instance, I don't hear too many twenty-something women talking about the intricacies of American soccer, but they do have an opinion, and a favorite player. His name is David Beckham, and their opinion is that he is hot. Don't look for it to go much deeper than that. I feel like this is the way most of America works. We get our McNews and anything else as long as it doesn't take too much thought and more than 90 seconds of our time. And we're okay with it. However, there is one glaring exception to the "I don't know so we won't talk about it" rule. Politics.
I realize that this is a Presidential election year. And don't get me wrong, I am glad that people are interested in who becomes the Executive of our republic. However, I never cease to be amazed by peoples' excitement to discuss politics when they know almost nothing about the subject. I asked someone I knew and otherwise respected why he supported Barack Obama. Almost as if he had been brainwashed, he immediately responded, "He wants change...". Now, given our current economic and foreign policy predicament, I assume we almost all want change. However, when I followed his answer up by asking what exactly Obama wanted to change, he didn't really have anything to say. No surprise. We are the ultimate consumers. And this person, like nearly every other American, has consumed what the major media has fed him. It went down easy and smooth, like a shot of top shelf liquor. I guess the problem is, being truly informed about a subject doesn't go down smooth. It's more like the nasty cough syrup that's been sitting in your medicine cabinet for a few years. Plus you have to drink the whole bottle, and that takes time.
At this point, I have to be fair. I used my aquaintance who is still voting for Barack Obama as an example, but I know all too many Christian conservatives who are voting for John McCain. Why? Because he isn't Barack Obama. And oh yeah, he's "pro-life". Whatever that means. Since Roe vs. Wade, we've had more than 20 years of "pro-life" Presidents. Have any of them even attempted to do something about abortion in America? Of course not. Will John McCain? Definitely not. Remember that this is the man that called evangelical Christians "agents of intolerance" back in 2000. Meanwhile millions of conservative Christians will religiously march to the polls to pull the lever for John McCain. So, the ignorance is spread evenly.
However, we do love to dive head first into the really important issues revolving around this election don't we? A little bit of research reveals that "Sarah Palin bikini photos" was one of the most googled phrases last week. No joke. And boy do we love to talk about pregnant teenage daughters of candidates, poor brothers living on a dollar a month in Africa, and how many houses these guys may or may not own. God bless the 24 hour news cycle.
This is all distracting people from the real problems our republic has. Our currency is failing, and so are our banks. We have an unsustainable foreign policy and a dependence on our enemies for our national survival. The cultural ills our nation suffers from can't be cured by government. Come to think of it, very little can be. But that's another post.
So here is what I am proposing. You are going to hear a lot of people telling you to get out there and vote this November. I am telling you not to. Please, unless you are going to spend at least 5 hours researching Barack Obama, John McCain, and Bob Barr in the next 6 weeks, stay home November 4th. Your country needs you. Or, keep on chanting for change, and voting for people who perpetuate the status quo.
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