Election Season Begins: Ben Kenobi Speaks
Ah, the start of the actual voting political season. Indeed in Florida, our vote early session has begun and the politicos are out in full force at busy intersections and near polling places with their signs waving at everyone. Those same signs inundate every street corner and vacant lot along busy roads. So, indeed the time of voting is upon us. Part of me is glad, for I still believe it will be a wondrous election cycle where numerous incumbents, who have long lost touch with reality and their constituents will be fired in numbers that will make Donald Trump whistle in amazement.
Indeed, Ben Kenobi may have been discussing the modern political landscape when he said in Star Wars, "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."
Indeed the political season brings hope for a change to a better way of life, but it also has quite a few negatives: all those great campaign commercials and special interest ads on television, not to mention the political solicitation calls at home. Things have been so bad in Florida, candidates are running ads which (almost literally) have voters choosing between Candidate A who apparently enjoys murdering the elderly, practices cannibalism and wants to give crack cocaine to elementary school students daily; or Candidate B who while stealing money from children's charities to give to the Nazi Party, insists upon using the American flag as toilet paper, and has 'relations' with farm animals.
That isn't nearly as exaggerated as you might think. Seriously. This is how far politics have sunk in our country today. What is it in our country that has brought us to this point? Politicians are not the only ones using those tactics. There are plenty of lobby groups and causes in America today using the same kind of pure mud slinging, attack-style, all or nothing tactics.
It leads to dividing our country, forcing everyone into choosing from only 2 options, for and against. It leads to social cliques, distrust, and the two sides play off each other. It leads to where we are now as a country, divided and pulling apart. I don't even like labels so many of these groups use, like African-Americans, White-Americans, Gay-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Rural-Americans, et al because the emphasis is always placed on the wrong part of the label. Everyone obsesses over the first part and ignores the fact the latter part is the same. Think about that for a minute. It is human nature to think of the first part as the most important, after all it comes before the second part. The very use of those labels are another subtle way to divide us.
If we are divided, become easier to manipulate and control. In fact, I can list a sizeable number of my family and friends who simply won't vote because they see the entire system as flawed, where everyone is bad and only looking out for themselves. It is very hard to argue with their viewpoint given the amazing amount of corruption, discord and bitterness in the modern political world. Sadly, they can't seem to understand by sitting out the process, they are simply perpetuating the problem by leaving those who have brought us to this point still in power. The only way true change is going to occur is if everyone participates in the process.
I feel in my heart this fall we may begin to see real change finally. Barrack Obama might have used the slogan, but while his policies might be slanted differently than the Bush regime, the reality is the corruption, tactics and style of rule really aren't any different at all. Real change would come from people who have lived the average American life, maybe somebody like 2008 15-minute political celebrity "Joe the Plumber". Or maybe from a mom who has grown tired of a failing education system teaching her kids how to pass a test instead of teaching her children the skills they will need to succeed in life. Maybe a kid who grew up in the tougher parts of town, but worked hard to make a good life for himself and his family.
I honestly hope and pray America has grown tired of being played and manipulated into what to think and feel by a self-serving political machine hell bent on keeping us fighting amongst ourselves and not working together to solve the multitude of problems we face today. This is the first election cycle in a very long time where there are so many candidates who come from outside the normal party pipelines. Please, take the time to educate yourself, look for those who set themselves apart and take a stand against business as usual. Then maybe in the coming years we can watch a political commercial where someone simply presents their policies and beliefs and asks for your support. Maybe politics can return to an arena for ideas and debate rather than slinging mud, inciting everyone's worst fears, and stopping at nothing to remain in power. We shall see...
Indeed, Ben Kenobi may have been discussing the modern political landscape when he said in Star Wars, "You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious."
Indeed the political season brings hope for a change to a better way of life, but it also has quite a few negatives: all those great campaign commercials and special interest ads on television, not to mention the political solicitation calls at home. Things have been so bad in Florida, candidates are running ads which (almost literally) have voters choosing between Candidate A who apparently enjoys murdering the elderly, practices cannibalism and wants to give crack cocaine to elementary school students daily; or Candidate B who while stealing money from children's charities to give to the Nazi Party, insists upon using the American flag as toilet paper, and has 'relations' with farm animals.
That isn't nearly as exaggerated as you might think. Seriously. This is how far politics have sunk in our country today. What is it in our country that has brought us to this point? Politicians are not the only ones using those tactics. There are plenty of lobby groups and causes in America today using the same kind of pure mud slinging, attack-style, all or nothing tactics.
It leads to dividing our country, forcing everyone into choosing from only 2 options, for and against. It leads to social cliques, distrust, and the two sides play off each other. It leads to where we are now as a country, divided and pulling apart. I don't even like labels so many of these groups use, like African-Americans, White-Americans, Gay-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Rural-Americans, et al because the emphasis is always placed on the wrong part of the label. Everyone obsesses over the first part and ignores the fact the latter part is the same. Think about that for a minute. It is human nature to think of the first part as the most important, after all it comes before the second part. The very use of those labels are another subtle way to divide us.
If we are divided, become easier to manipulate and control. In fact, I can list a sizeable number of my family and friends who simply won't vote because they see the entire system as flawed, where everyone is bad and only looking out for themselves. It is very hard to argue with their viewpoint given the amazing amount of corruption, discord and bitterness in the modern political world. Sadly, they can't seem to understand by sitting out the process, they are simply perpetuating the problem by leaving those who have brought us to this point still in power. The only way true change is going to occur is if everyone participates in the process.
I feel in my heart this fall we may begin to see real change finally. Barrack Obama might have used the slogan, but while his policies might be slanted differently than the Bush regime, the reality is the corruption, tactics and style of rule really aren't any different at all. Real change would come from people who have lived the average American life, maybe somebody like 2008 15-minute political celebrity "Joe the Plumber". Or maybe from a mom who has grown tired of a failing education system teaching her kids how to pass a test instead of teaching her children the skills they will need to succeed in life. Maybe a kid who grew up in the tougher parts of town, but worked hard to make a good life for himself and his family.
I honestly hope and pray America has grown tired of being played and manipulated into what to think and feel by a self-serving political machine hell bent on keeping us fighting amongst ourselves and not working together to solve the multitude of problems we face today. This is the first election cycle in a very long time where there are so many candidates who come from outside the normal party pipelines. Please, take the time to educate yourself, look for those who set themselves apart and take a stand against business as usual. Then maybe in the coming years we can watch a political commercial where someone simply presents their policies and beliefs and asks for your support. Maybe politics can return to an arena for ideas and debate rather than slinging mud, inciting everyone's worst fears, and stopping at nothing to remain in power. We shall see...
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